CLARK, PAMPANGA — From waiting tables to winning cycling races.
That’s how Excellent Noodles skipper Joseph Javiniar transitioned six years after taking up the bike and, just on Monday, claimed his first stage triumph in the MPTC Tour of Luzon: Great Revival here.
The 24-year-old Mr. Javiniar came by his lonesome in the Acacia Drive finish line in Filinvest Mimosa in topping the 160.6-kilometer (km) Stage Five that started and ended in this former American Airbase in three hours, 29 minutes and 20 seconds.
Jonel Carcueva of MPT Drivehub and Marc Ryan Lago of Go for Gold took second and third, respectively, after they both checked in 42 seconds behind.
It was the first lap triumph and second major feat after ruling the criterium race of the national championship in Tagaytay early this year for Mr. Javiniar, who was making ends meet as a waiter in his hometown in Pagsanjan, Laguna before finally deciding to go full time in cycling.
“I worked as a waiter in Pagsanjan before I focused on cycling,” said Mr. Javiniar, whose ambition was to become a policeman but wasn’t able to pursue it due to poverty. “All of us in cycling are dreaming to become champions, and I’m one of them,” he added.
It was a total show of force by Mr. Javiniar, who was part of the early 10-man breakaway that was eventually trimmed down to eight approaching the Sacobia bridge in Pampanga — or the first 7-km mark.
When he saw an opportunity, he broke loose in the final 5-km stretch inside Clark and was met by loud cheers from adoring fans, including a proud Excellent Noodles team owner Alex Billan, at the finish.
For the fifth straight stage, there were no changes in the overall general classification race as South Korean Joo Dae Young of Gapyeong Cycling Team intelligently kept pace with his pursuers including the closest in Standard Insurance’s Ronald Oranza and finished in the 59-man peloton that checked in at eighth with identical times of 3:30:28.
After six grueling stages, the 29-year-old two-time Korean national champion, who seized the lead via his spectacular Stage One conquest in Paoay, Ilocos Norte on Thursday, remained untouchable at the helm of the overall individual race with an aggregate time of 14:07:40.
He will continue to wear the yellow jersey in Tuesday’s 174.5-km Stage Six where they will be flagged off here and finish in front of the provincial capitol in Lingayen, Pangasinan, a province considered a cycling hotbed after producing heaps of Tour champs in the past.
Still four and a half minutes behind with a clocking of 14:12:10 was Mr. Oranza while Go for Gold’s Aidan James Mendoza (14:12:16), Exodus Army’s Dominic Perez (14:12:23), MPTD’s Mervin Corpuz (14:12:24), Standard’s George Oconer (14:12:26), MPTD’s Rustom Lim (14:12:34) and Jonel Carcueva (14:12:37), Standard’s Jeremy Lizardo (14:12:45) and Go for Gold’s Marc Ryan Lago (14:12:50) rounded out the top 10.
Standard also remained atop the team race with a 56:50:50, 19 seconds ahead of No. 2 MPT Drivehub, who had 56:51:09 with Go for Gold, Exodus Army and 7-Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines at third to fifth with times of 56:51:45, 56:52:10 and 56:52:42, respectively. — Joey Villar