2023-11-12 23:08:00
The 200km men’s championship race was a battle between Shomasa Kazama (Shimano Racing) and Daiki Yamamoto (JCL Team Ukyo) following a battle of attacks from the remaining 10km, with Yamamoto clinching his first Tour de Okinawa victory. Ta. Detailed report along with the women’s international road race.
Daiki Yamamoto (JCL Team Ukyo) signing the start by lantern light photo: Satoru Kato Germany’s Saris-Louwi Sauerland Team photo: Makoto AYANO
The men’s championship race starts in Nago early in the morning, when the streets are still clear. Photo: Satoru Kato
This year, the Tour de Okinawa Men’s Champion Road Race has returned to its original form as a UCI 1.2 class one-day race by inviting overseas teams. A total of 68 participants from 14 domestic and international teams started the race despite the rain that had been falling since early morning and did not let up until the start time of 6:45 a.m., making it feel cold along the coast with strong winds.
Immediately following the real start, the Salis-Louvi-Sauerland team quickly picks up the pace photo: Satoru Kato
After an approximately 30km attack battle, four riders were allowed to take the lead. Two more people follow and join, forming a leading group of six people. The members are: Justin DeHart (Wielerploeg Groot Amsterdam), Lennart Voges (Salis Louvi Sauerland Team), Feng Chunkai (Utsunomiya Blitzen), Daiki Magosaki (Kinan Racing Team), Yudai Shirao (Saitama Nasu Sun Brave) , Lee Ting Wei (Taipei City Team).
The leading group begins the climb to the Fukugawa Dam with Feng Chunkai (Utsunomiya Blitzen) in the lead Photo: Satoru Kato
The gap with the main group was 4 minutes at around 50km, and increased to over 10 minutes on the first climb to Fukugawa Dam. Koos Jeronkars (Wielerploeg Groot Amsterdam) and Enktaivan Boroelden (Levante Fuji Shizuoka) were chasing with a difference of around 2 minutes, but they were unable to catch up with the leading group.
Daiki Magosaki (Kinan Racing Team) leading alone for his second mountaineering award photo: Satoru Kato
The main group climbing up to Fukugawa Dam for the second time photo: Satoru Kato
After 100km, the main group picked up the pace before the second climb to Fukugawa Dam. Each team worked together to reduce the gap to 7 minutes at the entrance to the climb. In the leading group, which was reduced to five people following DeHart was delayed, Magosaki won the mountain award for the second time following the first. When we finished descending, Fenn fell behind and we were left with four people, and we headed south along the east coast.
Leading group consisting of 4 members including Daiki Magosaki (Kinan Racing Team) photo:Satoru Kato
Around 40km remaining, Shigeyuki Masuda (JCL Team Ukyo) leads the main group photo: Satoru Kato
Yoshiki Terada (Shimano Racing) went out on a chase alone with 50km remaining photo: Satoru Kato
With 40km remaining and the difference between the leading group and the main group reduced to less than 5 minutes, Yoshiki Terada (Shimano Racing) took up the chase alone. Although four people were caught in a pursuit that lasted over 10km, the main group followed shortly following, and all the escapees were absorbed with 20km remaining.
Tour de Okinawa this year with cloudy skies, rain and north winds photo: Satoru Kato
With just 30km remaining, a newly formed leading group of four people photo: Satoru Kato
10km remaining The main group picks up the pace with Rei Onodera (Utsunomiya Blitzen) in the lead photo: Satoru Kato
Immediately following that, Motoki Yamamoto (Kinan Racing Team) jumped out, and four people, Daiki Yamamoto (JCL Team Ukyo), Shotaro Iribe (Shimano Racing), and Francisco Mancebo (Matrix Power Tag), jumped out. Although the gap with the main group increased to around 30 seconds, the gap gradually narrowed and was absorbed by the climb to Haneji Dam with 10km remaining.
Climbing to Haneji Dam. Francisco Mancebo and others are clinging to the lead, with a chase approaching right behind them. Photo: Satoru Kato
Nathan Earl (JCL Team Ukyo) attacking with 5km left photo: Satoru Kato
Nathan Earl (JCL Team Ukyo) attacked with around 7km remaining, but his successor caught up with 5km remaining. Immediately following that, Shoma Kazama (Shimano Racing) attacked. Daiki Yamamoto followed suit, and the two others headed for the long descent starting with around 2km remaining. Bas van Bell (Wielerploeg Groot Amsterdam) was chasing alone, but might not catch up, and the race turned to a sprint between Kazama and Daiki Yamamoto.
With 100m remaining, Daiki Yamamoto got in front of Kazama and quickly widened the gap to the finish. I thrust my right arm out over and over once more, exploding with pleasure.
Daiki Yamamoto (JCL Team Ukyo) comes to the front with less than 100m remaining photo: Satoru Kato
Winner Daiki Yamamoto (JCL Team Ukyo) repeatedly sticks out his right arm and gives a roar. Photo: Satoru Kato
2nd place is Shoshin Kazama (Shimano Racing) photo: Satoru Kato
Daiki Yamamoto comment
“(Francisco) Mancebo, Iribe (Shotaro), and his brother (Yamamoto Motoki), the four of us ran away, but I thought we would be caught on the last climb and it would be a battle once more, and the time difference wasn’t that big. I didn’t have any legs, so I ran as much as possible without wasting my legs. Nathan went on the counter when I was caught up, and I had some legs left, so I wanted to attack, but Mancebo and (Benjamin) die ball. I was marking players and following Nathan.
However, we didn’t have much of a lead, and I was caught just as I reached the top of the climb, so just as I was wondering what to do, Kazama went and I followed him. He was going down fast and I was separated from him, but there was a difference of regarding 5 seconds, so I thought he would catch up to me if I kept calm, and I caught up with him with regarding 1km left. From there we were preparing for the sprint.”
Men’s Champion Race Victory Ceremony photo:Satoru Kato
“This year, I won the Tour de Kumano and won the All-Japan Championship, but being the All-Japan Champion puts me in a position where I’m looked at, so it’s often difficult to win, but I wanted to show that I can win if I compete with brute force. I’m glad we were able to do that well.The team’s activities will change drastically next year, but I want to wear the Japan champion jersey and show that even Japanese people can compete.”
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