There was no hint of weariness when fierce climber Antoine Huby approached the finish line at Camp John Hay in the high afternoon of May 13.

Only traces of fortitude, the fire in his eyes, and the legs that moved like a piston — and under his spell the crowd bowed, then roared, and glanced in one motion at the maestro that won our hearts, but never the crown.

Huby the Frenchman proved he is the virtuoso of mountain stages when he claimed the killer Baguio lap of the 2026 MPTC Tour of Luzon.

The final test — which took the riders from Lingayen, Pangasinan to the City of Pines via Kennon Road — was the ultimate gauge of human strength packed in a 173.9-kilometer stretch of flat roads and brutal ascents.

For the fans that waited patiently at John Hay, one of the high points of Baguio through the Loakan Road, seeing their idols in the flesh was a memorable experience.

Huby certainly earned the admiration of everyone.

Despite the gallant effort of 7-Eleven cyclist, who also ruled the equally challenging Bessang Pass and Daang Kalikasan finishes, it was a Russian who owned the true spotlight as LCW UAE's Nikita Shulchenko had built enough cushion to hold off his rival and win the individual general classification title.

Shulchenko, who wore the yellow jersey since Stage 3 in Palayan City, had a cumulative time of 41:11:10. He is also taking home ₱1 million.

Huby, who exerted all of his energy in the uphills and sharp corners of the dreaded Kennon Road, was one minute and 34 seconds off the pace.

Yousef Ibraheim Alrefai, also riding for LCW, checked in 6:45 behind to complete the podium.

Among the Filipinos, MPT Drivehub’s Nash Lim came in as the best performer at fourth after finishing 9:13 off the pace.

In team classification, 7-Eleven clinched the title and the ₱2-million prize, followed by Go For Gold and LCW UAE.

The scene at John Hay was nearly immaculate: hundreds lined up through the barricades, bikes parked beneath the towering pine trees, families enjoying the Baguio breeze, and the organizers making sure every inch of the road is secured.

It was one of the few moments where everything seemed choreographed, with the sirens from motorcycle marshals becoming a sweet melody of an impending celebration.

Along the barangays, avid fans braved the summer heat to watch the phalanx of cyclists and the kilometer-long convoy pass through their previously quiet highway.

Some offering water to drink, others with small hoses to give the riders brief relief from the scorching sun.

It was like a fiesta, from the first lap in Batangas to the zigzags of Baguio. Everyone was happy; everyone was in awe.

In hindsight, we could all dream of seeing a Filipino champion soon. Last year, it was also a foreigner, Joo Dae Yeong of South Korea, who topped the race.

There were popular local riders who gave a real fighting chance, some even winning stages.

But like in other team sports, cycling, particularly road racing, requires the best from all the riders to achieve one common goal: from the sprinters, climbers, to domestiques.

It is never all about power; there is nutrition, training, equipment, and coaching.

When all things fall into place, a coronation of a Filipino victor will be truly special for us cycling fans.

(Ramon Rafael Bonilla is the editor of Manila Bulletin's Sports section.)