Photo: Tour of Luzon

Shulchenko finished second to 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines climbing specialist Antoine Huby in the punishing Lingayen, Pangasinan to Baguio City Stage 14, but had enough time to spare to keep the yellow jersey he earned on the third stage.

Despite arriving two minutes and 12 seconds after the Frenchman, the Russian rider had sufficient time spare in his total GC clocking of 41 hours, 11 minutes and 10 seconds.

The 26-year-old Shulchenko beat Huby by one minute and 34 seconds for the yellow jersey in an exciting rush to the summit of the country’s summer capital.

“It's amazing for me, for the team. It's a new experience and I'm very happy about this. Thank you guys and thank you to the fans. It's so amazing,” said Shulchenko, whose victory served as an early present for his birthday on 31 May.

Shulchenko, who won the individual time trial in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte last week and had a total of five second place finishes, kept pace with Huby in the peloton in the Benguet ascent until breaking away in a four-rider lead pack along with Rustom Lim of MPTC Drive Hub and LCW UAE’s Yousef Ibrahiem Alrefai.

Huby then made his move as Shulchenko gave a gallant chase and left behind Lim and Alrefai for an exciting one-on-one climbing showdown.

Stage 1 winner 19-year-old Alrefai, who was named Best Young Rider, finished third in the individual GC, six minutes and 45 seconds behind his heralded teammate.

Nash Lim of MPTC was the best Filipino rider in the Tour after landing fourth overall in the individual contest after clocking nine minutes and 13 seconds back while Ronnilan Quita of 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines was in fifth, 10 minutes and 34 seconds back.

Huby, a World Tour veteran, finished the punishing mountain stage with a time of four hours, 26 minutes and 42 seconds for his third stage victory for the Eagle of the Mountain title.

Huby, who ruled the Bessang Pass challenge in Cervates, Ilocos Sur in Stage 10 and the Stage 12 Daang Kalikasan climb in Mangatarem, Pangasinan also won the individual points classification.

Quita finished third in the stage, two minutes and 58 seconds behind. LCW UAE’s Ivan Anisimov, who won two stages, was in fourth place (+2:59) while Standard Insurance’s Junrey Navarra landed in fifth (+3:01).

7-Eleven bagged the team general classification with a total time of 162:25:49 for an 18-minute, 27 second lead to beat second-placer Go for Gold.

On the last day, LCW UAE dislodged Standard Insurance for third place, 19 minutes and 39 seconds behind.