CLARK, Pampanga. — Excellent Noodles Cycling Team’s Joseph Javiniar quit his job as a waiter back home in Pagsanjan, Laguna, to chase a mid-life dream four years ago.
On Monday, he bamboozled the opposition and emerged as the fifth leg winner of the MPTC Tour of Luzon at the Filinvest Mimosa here.
“Nag-work po ako bago po ako nag-focus mag-bike. Waiter po, sa Laguna. Sa Pagsanjan noong 2021. Nag-resign po ako para makapag-focus sa cycling,” Javiniar said.
“Noong una po, recreational lang ang cycling para sa akin. Rides lang sa mga magagandang spots, paysal po,” he added.
Javiniar, 24, the reigning National Criterion champion, said he promptly worked at a local restaurant in their province after completing senior high school at Pagsanjan Integrated High School in 2019 to make ends meet.
But then came an unexpected calling—hit the road with two wheels—which he did, which saw him shine in the historic summer cycling extravaganza making its highly-anticipated comeback dubbed as “The Great Revival.”
“Financial din po (reason why he did not pursue college education). Noong nag-graduate po ako ng senior high, balak ko po talaga noon, mag-take ng criminology po,” Javiniar said. “But ngayon, siguro full-time sa cycling na po ako.”
Javiniar crossed the finish line with a time of three hours, 29 minutes and 20 seconds in the 160.6-km Stage 5 that began and ended at the elegant venue.
Jonel Carcueva, a three-time national cycling road champion, who rides for MPT Drivehub finished second, 42 ticks behind Javiniar with Marc Ryan Lago of Go For Gold Cycling Team completing the podium.
Javiniar said he idolizes teammate and champion cyclist Ryan Tugawin who shows him the way and while he is way behind the general individual classification at No. 82 in the list still bannered by Gapyeong Cycling Team, he wants to make his teammates look good.
“Si kuya Ryan po. Siya po iyong team captain namin,” he said. “Unang-una po iyong pagiging magulang, itinuturo niya.
“Malayo po. Pero iyong iba ko po kasama mga nasa GC po.”
On a blistering Monday afternoon, Javiniar did not disappoint his squad and perhaps at night he will be a team player anew—just like what he does best in his previous way of living.
