CLARK, Pampanga. — Drenched in water, sweat, and tears, rising star Joseph Javiniar of Excellent Noodles Cycling Team gulped an iced chocolate drink while getting the warmest of hugs from the squad’s emotional supporters near the end zone.
For good reason, it was a moment well deserved for Javiniar, who hogged the spotlight in Stage 5 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon that began and ended at the Filinvest Mimosa Acacia Drive Monday here.
Javiniar, 24, waved to the horde of fans who trooped to the elegant venue and pointed his right hand to the clear skies in a dramatic solo finish among the 99-rider cast from 16 teams duking it out in the eight-stage race presented by DuckWorld PH and Cignal.
The reigning national criterion champion was the runaway winner in the fifth leg, clocking three hours, 29 minutes and 20 seconds in the punishing lap.
MPT Drivehub’s Jonel Carcueva, a three-time national cycling road winner, finished in second, 42 seconds behind Javiniar, while Marc Ryan Lago of Go For Gold Cycling Team completed the top three.
A Pagsanjan, Laguna native, Javiniar said teamwork also spelled the big difference in his maiden stage triumph in “The Great Revival” presented by DuckWorld PH and Cignal.
“Ito talaga iyong plano namin, ang maging aggressive nang sabay-sabay at nagawa naman namin,” Javiniar, a former waiter, said. “Sobrang hirap din noong ruta. Ahon, lusong, ahon, lusong.
“Hindi ko po ini-expect na mananalo ngayon. Buti iyong iba nakipag-cooperate, nagpalitan kami ng maayos sa trangko. Dito na lang ako sa last five (kilometers) kumawala. Halos nagkakagulangan na kaya nag-attempt na ako bumanat,’’ he added.
Gapyeong Cycling Team’s Dae Yeong Joo kept his steady hold on the yellow jersey in the individual general classification for the fourth day in a row. Joo clocked just a minute slower than Javiniar.
The South Korean national team champion is still ahead by four minutes and 30 seconds over Ronald Oranza of Standard Insurance Philippines.
Aidan James Mendoza of Go For Gold Cycling Team remained in third overall, 4:36 behind, while Exodus Army’s Dominic Perez stayed in fourth (4:43) and Mervin Corpuz of MPT Drivehub fifth (4:44).
Javiniar, Carcueva, and Lago were part of the eight-man group that pressed the attack on the scenic Sacobia Bridge in Mabalacat, Pampanga just after the neutral zone that included duels at the New Clark City in Tarlac and back to this former United States airbase.
The peloton cruised as far as San Jose in Tarlac, where they endured all the rolling and swerving terrain amid the sweltering heat.
The individual general classification champion will take home P500,000 while the team champion will cop a cool P1 million in the race also backed by Pilipinas Live, Meralco, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Health, Megaworld, Landco, PLDT and Smart.
The return of the summer cycling spectacle is endorsed by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Games and Amusements Board, BCDA and MVP Sports Foundation.
Stage 6 comes off the wraps Tuesday with a 174.5kms race going to the historic municipality of Lingayen, Pangasinan—largely flat traversing the sleepy towns of San Jose and Camiling in Tarlac and Bayambang, Urbiztondo, Mangatarem and Bugallon in Pangasinan.
Javiniar later asked for water after the grueling race. He can order all he wants and savor his triumph—while it lasts.
