Nikita Shulchenko from LCW UAE Cycle has widened his lead in the 2026 Tour of Luzon, setting the stage for a potential championship as the competition approaches its final stage.
The Russian cyclist finished second in Stage 13, a 20-kilometer individual time trial at Lingayen Baywalk, bringing his total time to 36 hours, 42 minutes, and 22 seconds. He now leads Frenchman Antoine Huby by 3 minutes and 50 seconds, and Syrian teammate Ibrahiem Alrefai by 5 minutes and 37 seconds.
It's a very big gap. I protect the yellow.
Nikita Shulchenko
Shulchenko's performance has placed him on the podium five times throughout the Tour, including a victory in Stage 7 and runner-up positions in Stages 1, 10, and 12.
In Stage 13, Korean rider Min Kyeong-ho from the Seoul Cycling Team secured the stage win with a time of 25 minutes and 39 seconds, outpacing Shulchenko by 22 seconds. Min, a former Tour de Korea champion, expressed his pride in finally capturing a stage win after a previous third-place finish.
Filipino cyclist Joseph Javiniar from the Excellent Noodles Cycling Team rounded out the podium in third place, finishing 30 seconds behind Min. This marked his first podium finish in the event.
As the Tour of Luzon progresses, Filipino cyclist Nash Lim from MPT Drivehub aims to improve his standing, currently ranked fourth in the general classification. Lim is 8:05 minutes behind Shulchenko and hopes to secure a top-three finish in the final stage.
Stage 14 will challenge the remaining 71 riders with a grueling 173.9-kilometer race culminating in a steep 38.6-kilometer ascent to Baguio City.
The individual general classification champion will receive a prize of P1 million, while the winning team will claim P2 million.