Photo: Tour of Luzon

By Nate Castillo

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya --- Russian Ivan Anisimov conquered Stage 4 of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) Tour of Luzon 2026 while compatriot and teammate Nikita Shulchenko maintained his individual general classification lead on Saturday.

Anisimov of LCW UAE Cycling Team shrugged off a crash in the last 25 kilometers and caught up with the lead pack before making his move in the last 500 meters of the 159-km race route, which took off from Palayan City in Nueva Ecija and ended in front of the provincial capitol here, to cross the finish line first in a 33-man mass finish.

The Moscow native clocked in three hours, 59 minutes and 41 seconds, beating Seoul Cycling Team’s Jung Hoon Lee and 7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines’ Ronnilan Quita for LCW UAE’s second stage win.

Photo: Tour of Luzon

“For me, I feel very, very good. I was relaxed and found a good position for the finish,” the 23-year-old rider said.

Anisimov caught up to the three-man lead pack bannered by defending champion Dae Yeong Joo as part of a massive peloton during the descent from the Kirang climb.       

“In less than 500 meters I followed four guys and in the last 200 meters I started my final attack,” Anisimov said.  

Anisimov was joined in the bunch finish by teammates yellow jersey wearer Shulchenko and Stage 1 winner Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai.

Also in the group were 7-Eleven’s Mervin Corpuz and Stage 3 ruler Dave Montemayor of Go for Gold Philippines.

Shulchenko had an aggregate time of 10:59:19 to remain on top of the individual general classification after four days of competition.

He built a 49-second lead over his Syrian teammate Alrefai while Montemayor drifted further by two minutes and four seconds in third.

Meanwhile, Go for Gold retained its lead in the team general classification with a total time of 45:05:44, staying clear of second-running 7-Eleven by 11 seconds.

Fifty seconds behind was Standard Insurance Philippines in third, followed by National Team Malaysia (+6:05) and LCW UAE (+6:08).

Sunday’s Stage 5 is a relatively flat 126.7-km course from Santiago City to Tuguegarao in Cagayan featuring only one KOM stage in Caranglan.