Jarwyn Omaging Banatao of Baguio City, Philippines was one of the Filipino cyclists who successfully completed the 85km course of the 2022 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Gravel World Series Philippines. He is from Johns Bike Racing Team.

The race was held in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, Philippines on April 3, 2022. It was the first leg of the inaugural race series of its kind under the UCI, the Switzerland-based world governing body for sports cycling that oversees international competitive cycling events.

2022 UCI Gravel World Series in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija

The first and only Asian leg in the 2022 UCI Gravel World Series attracted competitors from Europe and Asia. Participants powered through all the ascents, river crossings, water features and everything else that Bongabon’s legendary terrain put in front of them.

“This is a big boost for Bongabon as a destination for sports tourism,” Bongabon mayor Allan Gamilla said. “We hope to make use of the municipality’s potential to help promote the country and further establish it as major global hub for gravel riding.”

The age groups were 19-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64 and 65-69. The course was 85km for cyclists 49 years old and younger and 62km for cyclists 50 years old and older.

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Jarwyn Banatao is 3rd in men’s 19-34

Banatao clocked 3:11:48.097 and finished third in the men’s 19-34 age group and fourth overall. He was just behind Trek Philippines’ Mervin Santiago who clocked 3:11:47.81 and ranked second in the same age group and third overall.

It was Rick Nobel, 27, of Zeewolde, Flevoland, Netherlands who finished first in the men’s 19-34 age group. He clocked 3:11:38.131 and ranked second overall.

A total of 349 cyclists finished the race. Each qualifier was awarded with a finisher medal and 25 percent of each rider category earned a UCI qualifying medal and automatically made it to the UCI World Championships.

Banatao is an Igorot duathlete. His father is from Kalinga, Philippines while his mother is from Mountain Province, Philippines.

On September 18, 2016, Banatao won the men’s division in the Philippine National Duathlon Championships in Iloilo City, Philippines. He finished fifth in the men’s individual duathlon at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, which was held at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Subic, Zambales, Philippines from December 2-5, 2019.

In December 2021, it was reported that Banatao is being considered in the pool of duathletes and triathletes who will represent the Philippines at the 2022 SEA Games in May 2022 in Hanoi, Vietnam. On February 14, 2022, he was one of the 12 outstanding yKalingas recognized at the Kalinga Astrodome in Tabuk, Kalinga as part of the celebration of the 27th founding anniversary of the province.