Defending champ Joo Dae Yeong returns to take another shot at the MPTC Tour of Luzon title

CALATAGAN, Batangas — South Korean Joo Dae Yeong wasn’t really sure if he’s returning to defend his title after ruling the MPTC Tour of Luzon Revival last year in Baguio City.

But the lure of chasing glory was just too irresistible for Mr. Joo not to take another shot at a second straight individual title.

That will be the focus of Mr. Joo, representing Gapyeong Cycling Team, when he shoots for the stars anew against a stronger, deeper field of 89 riders from seven local teams and six foreign squads out to unseat him in the MPTC Tour of Luzon 2026 unfurling on Wednesday at the CaSoBe here.

The Tour’s reprise will also be tougher considering that it has six more stages from the eight a year ago and will cover 1,816.53 kilometers (km) of long and winding flat roads, rolling hills and steep climbs.

And there will be two arduous ascents right on the 150.08-km Stage One — a pair of Category 2 climbs in old Payapa road, now known as Diokno Highway, before finishing in front of the Praying Hands in Tagaytay.

While it got tougher, Mr. Joo will at least be without two of his staunchest rivals from a year back — Jan Paul Morales of Navy-Standard Insurance and Joshua Pascual from Excellent Noodles.

Mr. Morales, last year’s runner-up who ended up a few seconds behind, was out due to previous commitment with Navy, while Mr. Pascual, who swooped the Eagle of the Mountain award out of nowhere last year, did not join due to undisclosed reasons.

“I wouldn’t be joining because I’m attending schooling in the Navy, call of duty first,” said the 40-year-old Mr. Morales, a multiple champion in the defunct Ronda Pilipinas.

But there would be no shortage of talents on this one with more international squads like CCN Factory Racing of Hong Kong, LCW UAE Cycle, Ponti Wijaya Racing Team of Indonesia, Seoul Cycling Team and the national team of Malaysia.

Of course, there’s Standard Insurance headed by battle-tested Ronald Oranza, Junrey Navarra, Ronald Lomotos and John Mark Camingao and MPT DriveHub Cycling Team, which is out to defend its team crown.

MPT DriveHub, however, will be minus a young and talented Mervin Corpuz and equally talented Jonel Carcueva and Ronnilan Quita, who have all transferred to 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines.

Other home squads are Go for Gold, D-Reyna Orion Cement, Pangasinan Cycling, and Excellent Noodles.

“The great revival in 2025 is now in motion in 2026 and it’s a perfect example that in sports, there is also public and private sector collaboration,” said Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chair Patrick C. Gregorio, who also breathed life to the Tour’s revival, during Tuesday’s grand launch.

“And the PSC is happy to support an iconic event like the Tour of Luzon as one of the pillars of our sports tourism programs,” he added. — Joey Villar