FRENCH REVOLUTION: Huby shines anew, climbs way to Stage 12 triumph

MANGATAREM, Pangasinan — Frenchman Antoine Huby boldly claimed he’s the best climber in the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026.

He wasn’t bragging.

It’s a fact backed by a couple of stage wins decided by steep ascents.

The 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines ace conquered Stage 12 after crossing the finish line in the category 2 climb at the Daang Kalikasan View Deck here on Monday with a clocking of three hours, 17 minutes and 37 seconds.

“I’m so happy to make it again on these two uphill stages. Two stages (wins) now, I put in my pocket. I’m feeling very well,” said Huby, who also topped Stage 10 that ended at the dreaded Bessang Pass Hors climb in Ilocos Sur last Saturday.

The 25-year-old rider finished the job for the club after his teammate polka dot jersey-holder Ronnilan Quita supported him all the way to the start of the climb in the last 7.4 kilometers of the 141.4-km race that rolled out in front of the Eagle of the North landmark in Agoo, La Union.

“I know I’m a good climber and a good puncher, but it was really hard,” Huby said.

Huby left behind second-placer and yellow jersey holder Nikita Shulchenko of LCW UAE Cycling Team by one minute and 20 seconds, while D’Reyna Orion Cement’s Erickson Delos Santos finished third, one minute and 41 seconds behind.

“Quita attacked directly at the bottom of the climb and I saw the yellow jersey was not on the rear, maybe (the climb) was a bit hard for him and I said in my mind we need to attack before he could make one big effort to come back,” Huby said.

“But he never came back and I took directly 15 seconds (ahead of him) and continued to push until the finish line.”

MPTC Drive Hub’s Nash Lim was in fourth, one minute and 57 seconds behind, while Standard Insurance’s Junrey Navarra was in fifth (+2:01).

Huby’s performance also propelled him to second place in the individual general classification race.

He overtook LCW UAE’s Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai to trail behind Schulchenko, who has been wearing the yellow jersey since Stage 3.

The French national came two minutes and 30 seconds behind the Russian’s accumulated time of 36:16:21

Alrefai, who won the opening stage and held the yellow jersey for two stages before Schulchenko took over in Stage 3, slipped to four minutes and 29 seconds behind in third spot.

Alrefai finished Stage 12 in sixth spot (+2:02) followed by his teammate Ivan Anisimov (+2:12), Quita (+2:38), Go for Gold Marvin Mandac (+2:45) and MPTC’s Rustom Lim (+2:50).

7-Eleven opened a five-minute lead over Go for Gold in the team general classification with an aggregate time of 144:25:51 while Standard Insurance remained in far third, 17 minutes and 35 seconds back.

Stage 13 is a 10-km. individual time trial race that will start and end at the Pangasinan Baywalk in Lingayen.