Clark—Joseph Javiniar gambled on leaving his secure position to chase a career in cycling.
However, he discovered that he was much improved because of it.
From working as a blue-collar employee at a small restaurant in Pagsanjan, Laguna, Javiniar has risen to prominence after winning Stage 5 of the MPTC Tour of Luzon on Monday.
The rider from Excellent Noodles Cycling Team claimed a solo victory, breaking away from a high-speed group at the end of a grueling 160.6-kilometer course that looped from New Clark City in Tarlac back to this former US airbase.
“For me, the course was extremely difficult with all the climbs and downhill rides,” said Javiniar, speaking in Filipino after securing his first career stage win in three hours, 29 minutes, and 20 seconds.
Three-time national road champion Jonel Carcueva of MPT Drivehub placed second, arriving 42 seconds behind, followed by Marc Ryan Lago of the Go For Gold Cycling Team in third. Three other riders crossed alongside Carcueva.
Meanwhile, Joo Dae-yeong, the individual general classification (GC) leader, remained composed, finishing with the main peloton just a minute behind Javiniar, alongside most of his closest rivals.
Overall, South Korea’s Joo continues to set the pace, maintaining a four-minute, 30-second lead over Ronald Oranza of Standard Insurance Philippines for the fourth consecutive day.
“It was tougher than yesterday. I simply followed the main group,” stated a cheerful Joo, who found it relatively easy to keep hold of the yellow jersey, which signifies the lead in the race.
The general classification standings did not see significant changes, with Aidan James Mendoza from Go For Gold remaining in third place overall, trailing by 4 minutes and 36 seconds; Dominic Perez from Exodus Army Cycling Team holding onto fourth position (4 minutes and 43 seconds back); and Mervin Corpuz from MPT Drivehub securing fifth spot (4 minutes and 44 seconds behind).
George Oconer from Standard Insurance Philippines ranks sixth with a time of 4:46, followed closely by Rustom Lim from MPT Drivehub who places seventh at 4:54. Next comes Carcueva at fourth place with 4:57, then Jeremy Lizardo from Standard Insurance takes ninth position at 5:05, and finally, Lago secures the tenth spot at 5:10.
Their attempts to pull away at the beginning of the stage pushed them into the Top 10.
Javiniar was part of an eight-rider escape group—which included Carcueva, Lizardo, and Lago—that made their move just past the neutral zone at the well-known Sacobia Bridge in Mabalacat, Pampanga. This team maintained their advantage for over 140 kilometers, coping with the winding route and scorching temperatures through San Jose, Tarlac.
When I was cycling uphill, it seemed as though I wasn’t making progress at all,” shared 24-year-old Javiniar, a high school alumnus with aspirations of joining the police force one day. “I constantly had to remind myself not to lose hope.
“We helped each other in the lead group, but I noticed many were starting to make their move as we neared the finish, so I attacked in the last five kilometers,” he added.
Tuesday’s Stage 6 covers a longer 174.5-km flat route to Lingayen, Pangasinan, passing through the towns of San Jose, Camiling, and Bayambang in Tarlac and Urbiztondo, Mangatarem, and Bugallon in Pangasinan. INQ