CLARK― Joseph Javiniar of Excellent Noodles Cycling Team rode a brilliant solo breakaway to clinch the stage victory in Monday’s fifth stage of the MPTC Tour of Luzon: The Great Revival, even as South Korean Joo Dae Yeong maintained his overall lead in the general classification.
Javiniar broke away from a speeding seven-man lead group as they neared the finish line, raising his arm in triumph as he secured his first career stage win.
“Hindi ko inaasahan itong panalo. Mahirap magmula simula. Akala ko nga paubos na ako sa ahon, tyinaga ko lang,” said Javiniar after completing the 160.6-kilometer course in three hours, 29 minutes, and 20 seconds.
It was a historic win for Excellent Noodles, which recorded its first triumph in the tour.
“A long-awaited win, the boys did very well, they really wanted to win and so they got it. We believed that the stage is a crucial one and this will separate the pack. We anticipate that the finish will be in a manner of a breakaway so we tried to be in the front and we told our riders that they have to make the move. And once they are there, they had to keep it that way and try for a stage win,” said Excellent Noodles owner Alex Billan, himself a competitive and avid rider.
“It feels very good, very excellent. This has been the goal, a dream come true,” Billan added.
Jonel Carcueva of MPT Drivehub, a three-time national road cycling champion, finished strongly in second place, 42 seconds behind Javiniar, while Marc Ryan Lago of Go For Gold Cycling Team rounded out the day’s podium finishers.
The three riders were part of an initial eight-man group that launched an attack early in the race, right after the neutral zone on the iconic Sacobia Bridge in Mabalacat, Pampanga. The race then took the riders to New Clark City in Tarlac before returning to the former United States airbase.
The breakaway group maintained its lead through challenging rolling and winding terrain, as well as the intense heat, as they reached San Jose in Tarlac. These conditions tested the remaining 99 riders from 16 teams in the eight-stage race, presented by DuckWorld PH and Cignal.
“Nagtulungan kami sa breakway group, palitan lang kami sa harap, pero nu’ng huling 5 kilometers, nagkakagulo na, kaya doon na ako kumawala,”said Javiniar, who used to wok as a waiter in his hometown of Pagsanjan, Laguna, before dedicating himself to cycling.
The individual general classification standings saw little change at the top, with Joo Dae Yeong retaining the yellow jersey for the fourth consecutive day. The prominent sprinter from South Korea’s Gapyeong Cycling Team finished with a large group of riders, including his main rivals, just one minute behind the stage winner.
Joo continues to hold a four-minute and 30-second lead over Ronald Oranza of Standard Insurance Philippines.
Aidan James Mendoza of Go For Gold Cycling Team remained in third overall, 4 minutes and 36 seconds back, while Dominic Perez of Exodus Army Cycling Team stayed in fourth (4:43), and Mervin Corpuz of MPT Drivehub maintained fifth place (4:44).
George Oconer of Standard Insurance Philippines is in sixth place (4:46), followed by Rustom Lim of MPT Drivehub in seventh (4:54). Carcueva (4:57), Jeremy Lizardo of Standard Insurance (5:05), and Lago (5:10) moved into the Top 10 following their early breakaway.
The individual general classification champion will be awarded P500,000, while the winning team will take home P1 million in the race, which is also supported by Pilipinas Live, Meralco, Maynilad, Metro Pacific Health, Megaworld, Landco, PLDT, and Smart.
The revival of the Tour has the endorsement of the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Games and Amusements Board, BCDA, and MVP Sports Foundation.
Tuesday’s Stage 6 presents another long and winding 174.5-kilometer route to Lingayen, Pangasinan, but it is predominantly flat, passing through the towns of San Jose, Camiling, and Bayambang in Tarlac, and Urbiztondo, Mangatarem, and Bugallon in Pangasinan.
The overall champion will be crowned after Stage 8 on Thursday in Baguio City.
