French cyclist Antoine Huby of Cross Team Legendre won Stage 12 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon on Wednesday, moving up to second place in the overall classification. Filipino rider Erickson Delos Santos finished third in the stage, which ended in the mountain town of Banaue, Ifugao. Huby clocked 4 hours, 12 minutes, and 38 seconds over the 168-kilometer route from Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, to Banaue.
Stage 12 Race Details
The stage featured two categorized climbs, including the ascent to Banaue at 1,200 meters above sea level. Huby attacked on the final climb with 8 kilometers remaining, breaking away from a lead group of 12 riders. He crossed the finish line 52 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Min Kyeong Ho of South Korea.
Delos Santos, riding for the Philippine national team, finished 1 minute and 14 seconds behind Huby, securing third place. The 24-year-old from Baguio City told reporters after the stage: "I gave everything on that climb. Huby was just too strong today, but I'm proud to be on the podium in front of my countrymen."
Overall Standings Shake-Up
The stage win propelled Huby from fourth to second overall in the general classification. Nikita Shulchenko of LCW UAE retained the yellow jersey as race leader, holding a 2-minute and 8-second advantage over Huby. Shulchenko finished ninth in the stage, 3 minutes and 45 seconds behind Huby.
Min Kyeong Ho moved up to third overall, 3 minutes and 12 seconds behind Shulchenko. Delos Santos jumped to sixth overall, now 5 minutes and 46 seconds off the lead, putting him in contention for a top-five finish with four stages remaining.
Points and Mountains Classifications
Belgian rider Jens Van der Weijde retained the green jersey for the points classification, leading with 78 points. Huby moved into second place with 62 points after his stage win. In the mountains classification, Colombian Carlos Giraldo kept the polka-dot jersey after topping the King of the Mountains category with 44 points.
Huby's Season Context
Huby, 25, has been racing professionally since 2021 with Cross Team Legendre. Earlier this year, he competed in the Gree-Tour of Guangxi in China, finishing 12th overall. He also placed 16th overall at the CRO Race in Croatia in October, where he was 37th in the points classification.
His best result in a WorldTour event came at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Australia last February, where he finished 61st. Huby also raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in January, finishing 62nd in Stage 3. The Tour of Luzon marks his first stage race in Southeast Asia.
Race Route and Conditions
Stage 12 started under overcast skies in Solano, with temperatures around 24 degrees Celsius. The route passed through the Dalton Pass before descending into the Ifugao rice terraces region. Race organizers reported no major crashes or mechanical issues during the stage.
The 168-kilometer course included two intermediate sprints at Bagabag and Lamut, both won by Min Kyeong Ho. The final 20 kilometers featured a sustained gradient of 6 to 8 percent, with sections reaching 12 percent near the finish line in Banaue.
Upcoming Stages
Stage 13 on Thursday will take riders from Banaue to Baguio City over 172 kilometers, including three categorized climbs. The mountain stage could further shake up the general classification, with Shulchenko expected to defend his lead against climbers like Huby and Delos Santos.
The Tour of Luzon concludes on Sunday in Manila after 18 stages covering 2,800 kilometers around Luzon Island. The final two stages are expected to favor sprinters on flat routes.
