2023-10-15 09:46:00
Rui Costa (Portugal, Intermarche Circus Wanty) won the Japan Cup on a cold rainy day, showing the competitive strength of a veteran. It was a fitting victory for the former world champion to cap off his comeback season.
Riddle Trek receiving cheers at the Trek Japan special booth photo: Makoto AYANO Yukiya Shinjo (Bahrain Victorious) waiting for the start photo: Makoto AYANO
10 am. The 30th Japan Cup begins photo: Kei Tsuji
It’s raining heavily in Utsunomiya Forest Park. Although the temperature itself was not that low and Mt. Kogashi blocked the northerly wind from blowing at the start/finish point, the rain conditions were still tough. Due to rain, the number of laps was reduced from the originally planned 16 to 13, making the race a total of 133.9km/2,405m of elevation gain. Athletes wearing jackets rushed out toward Kogashirindo at the sound of the signal gun at 10 a.m.
It wasn’t the domestic or overseas professional teams, but the world’s best UCI World Teams that started building the race from the first climb. The team set a high pace on the climbs and descents, destroying the plans of the teams to form a group, and the riders at the back of the group fell out one following another. As he entered Koga Shirindo on the second lap, Julien Alaphilippe (France, Soudal Quick-Step) attacked furiously.
High pace from the beginning. Powerful teams actively created a race photo: Kei Tsuji On the second lap, Julien Alaphilippe (Soudal Quickstep) jumped out with several others in tow photo: Satoru Kato
Julien Alaphilippe (France, Soudal Quickstep) lightly running up the Kogashi Forest Road photo: Makoto AYANO
The main group runs up the rain-soaked windshield photo: Makoto AYANO
Alaphilippe was joined by Pascal Einkoorn (Netherlands) and Maxime van Hils (Belgium) from Lotto d’Esteny, as well as Axel Zangle (Cofidis, France), who finished 3rd in the crits the previous day, and the following group was a strong group of around 20 people. Narrowed down to. On the climb on the third lap, where the first mountain award was decided, Alaphilippe made a solo escape, and the race (while still maintaining a high pace) settled down for the time being.
Soudal Quickstep listened to coach Davide Bramarti’s instructions and progressed smoothly until the middle of the game. Alaphilippe escaped and the 21-man pursuit group included Fausto Masnada (Italy), Ilan van Wilder (Belgium) and James Knox (Great Britain).
The chasing group with the “three wolves” was made up of Andrea Piccolo (Italy, EF Education Easy Post), Guillaume Martin (France, Cofidis), Riley Sheehan (USA), who showed off his magical abilities, and Bauquet. Winners include Mollema (Netherlands, Riddle Trek) and Rui Costa (Portugal, Intermarche Circus Wanty). As the only Japanese racer, Jun Okamoto (Aisan Kogyo Racing) was also relieved. On the other hand, Bahrain Victorious was unable to get any members on board, and Yukiya Shinshiro was forced to lead Herman Pänsteiner (Austria, Bahrain Victorious) in pursuit.
Yukiya Shinjo devotedly chased following Pehnsteiner, who was lagging behind. Photo: Kei Tsuji eventually joined the Oiso group.
At the end of the lap course, the visibility was opened due to felling work. Photo: Kei Tsuji. Jun Okamoto (Aisan Kogyo Racing) riding in the pursuit group of UCI World Team members. Photo: Yuichiro Hosoda.
Kogashirindo KOM point with special paint for the 30th time photo: Kei Tsuji
In the middle of the race, Edward Dunbar (Ireland), who had fallen behind, and members of the Shinshiro group joined the first chase one following another, but the race was always unsettled, as some attackers did not like the increased number of riders. Under these harsh conditions, Christopher Froome (Britain, Israel Premier Tech) said, “I wasn’t feeling too bad, but I didn’t have the will to catch up with the main group, so there was no point in continuing any further.” There is.
Only half the race distance left. The chasing group gradually came to life and swallowed up Alaphilippe in the second half of the eighth lap, giving Knox his second mountain award. After continuing to split up, attack, and assimilate, they became the leading group, but with four laps to go, Alaphilippe attacked alone once more, and it was the “Wolf Pack” that continued to lead the race.
Maxime VanHils (Belgium, Lot d’Esteny) captures Julien Alaphilippe (France, Soudal Quickstep) as he continues to run away. Photo: Kei Tsuji
The second and last time on Koga Shirindo. Rui Costa (Portugal, Intermarche Circus Wanty) calmly sets a high pace photo: Kei Tsuji On the 12th lap, Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) and Felix Engelhardt (Team Jayco) chase Rui Costa who was in the lead. AlUla) photo:Satoru Kato
Guillaume Martin grimacing as he climbs the final hill (Cofidis, France) photo: Kei Tsuji
Maxime van Hils (Belgium, Lot d’Esteny), who missed out on the front three, desperately tries to join up. Photo: Kei Tsuji Jun Okamoto (Aisan Kogyo Racing Team) climbs Kogashirindo with members of Bahrain Victorious in the final stages of the race. photo:Satoru Kato
But there are only 3 laps left. Alaphilippe, who was fleeing alone, was captured by Van Hils, who took off in pursuit of the group. Van Hils ran away for less than one lap, but was unable to make any major moves and ended up slowing down. Costa, who had been in the background until now, took the lead on the counterattack and went on to win his final mountain award. Former U23 European Champion Felix Engelhardt (Germany, Jeiko AlUla) jumped out from behind with Martin and caught Costa in almost one lap. Costa, Martin and Engelhardt then heard the bell for the final lap, 1 minute 06 seconds behind the group of six behind them.
Martin, Costa, and Engelhardt entered the final lap with a difference of 1 minute 06 seconds from the next six. Photo: Makoto AYANO
Costa, a master of classic racing, Martin, a climber, and Engelhart, a young unknown. For Martin, the final Kogashirindo road seemed to be the deciding factor, but he remained unmoved, saying, “I was tired and there was still a long way to go even following passing the summit, so I didn’t think I’d be able to decide.” The three riders finished the downhill in a stalemate and rotated through the flat section in the second half of the lap. Van Hils, who was chasing alone, might not reach him, and there was no attack even on the final up and down. The decision was left to the three players to score goals.
There was no attack, and the three of them headed towards the finish line as one group. Photo: Kei Tsuji.
Rui Costa (Portugal, Intermarche Circus Wanty) won with outstanding sprinting power photo: Makoto AYANO
Rui Costa (Portugal, Intermarche Circus Wanty) scores his 5th win of the season photo: Makoto AYANO
The two experienced riders put Engelhardt in front, and with more than 300m left from the finish, Martin made a long sprint in third place. However, his front was blocked at a gentle corner just before the finish, and Costa, who saw this as an opportunity, waited for his timing from 3rd place and accelerated as he entered the final straight. The veteran, who showed outstanding growth, comfortably held off the two riders and came first. With a big fist pump, he was crowned the winner of the 30th Japan Cup.
The former world champion did not move on his own until the final stage, gathering his legs to check on his rivals, and won the final race of the season with the competitive strength and sprinting power of a veteran. This is his fifth win since moving from UAE team Emirates, including a stage win at the Vuelta a España. It was a fitting result to end a season that showcases the return of the former world champion.
Costa, Engelhardt and Martin stand on the sunny podium photo: Makoto AYANO
Alaphilippe, Knox and Costa each win mountain awards photo: Makoto AYANO
Jun Okamoto (Aisan Kogyo Racing Team) won the Asia Best Player Award photo: Satoru Kato
“It was a tough race with a fast tempo. In addition, the rain and cold made it even tougher. There was a lot of turnover at the front of the race, and the key was to see how much leg we might keep. We fought with a strong team. “I was hoping to get a good result because of the race. I’m really happy to have won,” Costa said in a post-race interview. The team also had a great performance, sending Georg Zimmermann (Germany) in 5th place and Lorenzo Rota (Italy) in 8th place.
Engelhardt, who is improving as a puncher, came in second place, while Martin, who regretted that “I mightn’t make the final attack because I didn’t have the legs,” came in third place. Van Hills, who was chasing alone, took 4th place. The highest-ranked Japanese athlete was Okamoto, who survived the survival race and finished in 15th place. He defeated Pänsteiner in a sprint battle for position and earned 10 UCI points.
A total of 48 people completed the rainy survival race, in which the strongest teams moved one following another. The 30th Japan Cup came to a close in 3 hours, 28 minutes and 22 seconds, with an average speed of 38.557km/h.
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