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1997 Results
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6
Preview:Brian Stephens is in Japan with the Australian team for the Tour of Japan. He rpeorts that "We've done this race 3 times before but this year it has a different focus for us with a very young team of relatively inexperienced riders. We will be using this race to build that experience as well as trying to pull off a result with this enthusiastic group.The Australian team consists of Kris Denham from NSW, Cameron McDonald, Warren Jennings and Nathan O'Neill from Qld, Sean Sullivan fron Tas. and Wayne Kestle from Victoria. Peter Rogers is here with Amore e Vita but is not that well at the moment. Saturn, MRoz, Cantina Tollo and Die Continentale are here as well as our old partners, ZVVZ. Stage 1, Osaka Circuit Race (12.8 km laps), 140.8 kms:1. Mike McCarthy (USA) Saturn 3.09.10 2. Christian Wegmann (Ger) Continentale 3. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australian National 4. Andreas Walzer (Ger) Continentale 5. Hisashi Matsui (Jap) Japan .. 16. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National s.t. 35. Kris Denham (Aus) Australian National 8.40 45. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 75. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 83. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 90. Peter Rogers (Aus) Amore e Vita 8.40 GC after Stage 1 1. Mike McCarthy (USA) Saturn 3.09.00 2. Christian Wegmann (Ger) Continentale 0.04 3. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australian National 0.06 4. Jaroslav Bilek (Cze) ZVVZ 0.07 5. Artour Babaitsev (Cze) ZVVZ 0.07 .. 21. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 0.10 37. Kris Denham (Aus) Australian National 8.50 46. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 75. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 83. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 90. Peter Rogers (Aus) Amore e Vita 8.50 Brief Brian Stephens who is with the Australian team reports that the 1st stage of the Tour of Japan was held in warm, humid conditions with moderate winds and no rain. The race split at around the half way mark in a cross tail section of the 12.8km circuit. 30 riders made the front group including 2 Australians, Nathan O'Neill and Sean Sullivan. The group pulled clear of the rest of the race. On the last lap with around 10km to race, Nathan attacked and got clar and was joined by Christian Wegmann from Continentale (Germany). They held a lead that varied from 5 to 15 seconds until the last corner at 250 metres from the line where they were caught but managed to run minor places. Stage 2, Suzuka Motor Racing Circuit, 140 kms:1. Marcus Ljungovis (Swe) Cantina Tollo 3.28.31 2. Marco Villa (Ita) Cantina Tollo 3. Mike McCarthy (USA) Saturn 4. Richard Faltus (Cze) ZVVZ 5. Takehiro Mizutani (Jap) .. 29. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 35. Kris Denham (Aus) Australian National 59. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 61. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australian National 68. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 70. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National all s.t. GC after Stage 2 1. Mike McCarthy (USA) Saturn 6.37.27 2. Marco Villa (Ita) Cantina Tollo 0.08 3. Cristian Wegmann (Ger) Continentale 0.08 4. Jaroslav Bilek (Cze) ZVVZ 0.08 5. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australian National 0.10 .. 30. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 0.14 44. Kris Denham (Aus) Australian National 8.54 45. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 8.54 75. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 8.54 80. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 8.54 Brief Today it was raining for the entire race and that probably dampened the enthusiasm of a lot of the riders. The young Aussies had plenty of attempts but none amounted to anything. Nathan was fairly quiet and stayed safe all day. He probably lost a place with sprint bonuses going to Bilek. Anyway it was a bunch sprint with all the Australians on bunch time except Pete Rogers who hadn't fully recovered from illness and withdrew during today's stage. Stage 3, Shuzenzi, 17 laps for 136 kms:1. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn 4.06.57 2. Czelaw Lukaszewicz (Can) MRoz 2.26 3. Bart Bowan (USA) Saturn 4. Takehiro Mizutani (Jap) 5. Massimo Giunti (Ita) Cantina Tollo .. 9. Cezary Zamana (Pol) MRoz 18. Kris Denham (Aus) Australian National 37. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 9.13 43. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 16.22 50. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 30.48 68. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 39.28 DNF Nathan O'Neill GC after Stage 3 1. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn 10.44.57 2. Marco Villa (Ita) Cantina Tollo 2.20 3. Jaroslav Bilek (Cze) ZVVZ 2.20 4. Czelaw Lukaszewicz (Can) MRoz 2.23 5. Phillip Mauduit (Fra) Nippon 2.23 .. 10. Cezary Zamana (Pol) MRoz 2.35 24. Kris Denham (Aus) Australian National 11.16 38. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 16.32 39. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 18.03 58. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 39.38 69. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 48.18 Brief Tough day in the office for the Australian boys today. The race was over 17 laps of a twisty hilly course around a keirin training centre. The course was extremely demanding but the weather was great. Nathan O'Neill complained of not feeling well before the start and in the early laps it became obvious that he was not himself. He was dropped after 4 laps and we decided that it was better that he withdrew from the race and recover before getting to Europe. Grischa Niermann from Die Continentale broke away after 5 laps and was not caught until 2 to go when Frank McCormack (Saturn) and Christian Wegmann (Continentale) attacked. Wegmann cracked and was caught and passed by what was left of the bunch and McCormack went on to win comfortably. Kris Denham managed to stay with the front group of 40. Sean Sullivan and Cameron McDonald punctured together at the worst moment as a big attack was being launched. Only Sean made it back to the bunch but had used too much petrol getting there, to stay there. Warren Jennings and Wayne Kestle tried their hearts out but lost some time. Stage 4, Fuji Speedway, kms:1. Eric Potiron (Fra) Nippon 3.13.19 2. Filippo Meloni (Ita) Amore & Vita 0.02 3. Richard Faltus (Cze) ZVVZ 0.02 4. Nor Effandy Rosli (Mal) Malaysian National 2.48 5. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 3.03 .. 19. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz 3.04 70. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 17.06 71. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 20.18 73. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 26.42 GC after Stage 4 1. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn 14.01.01 2. Marco Villa (Ita) Cantina Tollo 2.19 3. Jaroslav Bilek (Cze) ZVVZ 2.20 4. Czelaw Lukaszewicz (Can) MRoz 2.23 5. Phillip Mauduit (Fra) Nippon 2.23 .. 10. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz 2.25 43. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 30.24 47. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 35.07 50. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 39.27 73. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 1.11.46 Brief The stage today didn't effect the top end of the GC at all. The race consisted of 30 laps of 4.47 km with one small but testing hill. Frenchman, Eric Potiron riding for the Nippon team was alone for the last 30 kilometers and won alone from Filippo Meloni (Amore e Vita) and Ricard Faltus (ZVVZ) who were also clear of the peloton. As for the Aussies, Kris Denham woke up with the what sounds like the same illness that stopped Nathan O'Neill yesterday. He went straight back to bed where he has stayed for the day. He's starting to feel better now but is out of the race. Cameron McDonald rode a very aggressive race to break away on the last lap and run 5th. The others were average all complaining of having difficulty breathing in the humid conditions. Tomorrow we have another rest-transfer day to travel to Utsonomya. The circuit is the site of the 1990 World Road Championships and more recently, the Japan Cup, World Cup events. Stage 5, Utsonomiya, 154.5 kms:1. Christian Wegmann (Ger) Continentale 4.05.40 2. Gilberto Zattoni (Ita) Amore e Vita 0.16 3. Czelaw Lukaszewicz (Can) Mroz 0.16 4. Jaroslav Bilek (Cze) ZVVZ 0.16 5. Marco Villa (Ita) Cantina Tollo 0.16 .. 7. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz 0.16 25. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 2.38 56. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 23.21 57. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 23.21 69. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 38.15 GC after Stage 5 1. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn 18.06.57 2. Jaroslav Bilek (Cze) ZVVZ 2.20 3. Marco Villa (Ita) Cantina Tollo 2.20 4. Czelaw Lukaszewicz (Can) Mroz 2.23 5. Phillip Mauduit (Fra) Nippon 2.23 .. 10. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz 2.26 32. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 32.46 51. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 58.12 63. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 1.17.26 70. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 1.34.51 Brief Today's stage was held over 15 laps of the tough 1990 World Road Championships course. The course took it's toll on riders from the 2nd lap on. Around half way there was a major split with around 25 riders going clear. This group was gradually whittled down to 20. As the race reached it's closing stages, 2nd place getter from the 1st stage, Christian Wegmann of Die Continentale went clear to establish the winning break. As for the Aussies, Cameron McDonald found the early pace on the climb too tough and was dropped in one of the early groups. Of the others, Sean Sullivan was the one to make the front group but crashed spectacularly on the descent, finishing up off the side of the hill and quite a distance from his bike. He was uninjured apart from his pride. He retrieved his bike and rejoined the race without losing too much time. Stage 6, Tokyo, 147.2 kms:1. Mike McCarthy (USA) Saturn 3.28.24 2. Andreas Walzer (Ger) Continentale 3. Jaroslav Bilek (Cze) ZVVZ 4. Takehiro Mizutani (Jap) Nippon 5. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Cantina Tollo .. 16. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 19. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 21. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz 33. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National s.t. 51. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 0.06 Final GC 1. Frank McCormack (USA) Saturn 21.35.21 2. Jaroslav Bilek (Cze) ZVVZ 2.15 3. Andreas Walzer (Ger) Continentale 2.19 4. Marco Villa (Ita) Cantina Tollo 2.20 5. Czelaw Lukaszewicz (Can) Mroz 2.23 6. Arthur Babaitsev (Rus) ZVVZ 7. Phillipe Maduit (Fra) Elite 8. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz 9. Brian Walton (Can) Saturn 10. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz 2.25 32. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Australian National 32.46 51. Warren Jennings (Aus) Australian National 58.12 63. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australian National 1.21.09 69. Wayne Kestle (Aus) Australian National 1.34.57 Brief As expected, the race was fairly well controlled today. Held over 15 laps of just under 10km, Saturn was interested in keeping things in order to protect the GC while Cantina Tollo was after a bunch sprint. One of the Aussies, Cameron McDonald, was again aggressive and was part of a 6 man group that escaped just befor half way. The group was whittled down to 3 and the gap grew to over 3 minutes by 4 laps to go. Things were looking good for another Aussie podium until Cantina got organised and pulled it back. They were caught inside the last lap at around 6km to go. |