4th Tour of Japan, Cat 2.4

Japan, May 16-23, 1999

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Stage 5 Report from Miwako Sasaki

Miwako Sasaki, who is reporting from the Tour of Japan for cyclingnews.com writes that Polish Andrzej Sypytkowski of Mroz kept his green leader jersey in 4th Tour of Japan, although final stage raced in Tokyo was won Canadian Brian Walton. For the final day the weather was clear and a lot of spectators came out in warm weather (26.5C) to see the action. By the time the race had finished the temperature had risen to 30C. Australian Allan Davis, who had been declared outside the time limit yesterday, was allowed to start in the final stage. 67 riders in total started in Hibiya city. The course was around the Ooi Wharf (10 kms x 13 laps). After 5 laps there was first sprint for points and time bonuses. Leading up to the sprint the peloton was dominated by Polti. Denis Lunghi, who began the stage in 3rd place on general classification (at 6 seconds), was first over the line and got 3 bonus seconds. Silvio Martinello was second (2 seconds bonus) and Australian Nick Gates was 3rd (1 second). Sypytkowski was 4th and thus failed to get any bonuses. The situation now was that Lunghi was in 2nd place and only 3 seconds behind with Gates is 3rd place (4 seconds behind on GC)

After first sprint, 8 riders formed at the front. The group included Brian Walton (Saturn), Australian Nathan O'Neill, and New Zealander Greame Miller. They worked well together and built a lead of over 2 minutes. At the 2nd bonus sprint (9 laps), Miller was first. The 8 were still in front. A second group of 5 formed which included Italian Martinello, Jimmy Hansen and Adham Sbeih of Saturn. The peloton was being controlled by the Mroz riders, who were aiming to protect Andrzej Sypytkowski. They let riders who did not threaten his GC hold go. But in the front of the peloton the German Die Continentale team were working for Gates but they could not catch any of the breakaway groups. At the final lap, the two front groups came together. Brian Walton attacked with 1 km to go and won the final stage. The peloton finished at 1.19 and this was enought for Sypytkowski to win the 4th Tour of Japan.

Stage 6, Hibiya-Ooi Wharf Circuit, Tokyo, 147.2 kms:

  1. Brian Walton (Can) Saturn                                   3.16.59 (44.840 km/h)
  2. Makoto Iijima (Jap) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi                0.05
  3. Shinichi Fukushima (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                    0.05
  4. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Team Polti                             0.10
  5. Graeme Miller (NZ) New Zealand                                 0.10
  6. Adham Sbeih (USA) Saturn                                       0.10
  7. Scott Davis (Aus) Australia National Team                      0.10
  8. Jimmy Hansen (Den) Saturn                                      0.10
  9. Yasuhiro Nakajima (Jap) Team JPCA                              0.10
 10. Sebastien Laroche (Fra) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures          0.10
 11. Vladim Kravchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan                              0.10
 12. Tomokazu Fujino (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                       0.10
 13. Hideyuki Nishiyama (Jap) Team JPCA                             0.10
 14. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                   1.19
 15. Gianpaolo Mondini (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                   1.19
 16. Sergey Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan                              1.19
 17. Michael Rogers (Aus) Australia National Team                   1.19
 18. Ryan Russell (NZ) New Zealand                                  1.19
 19. Junichi Shibuya (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                       1.19
 20. Shinri Suzuki (Jap) Shimano Racing                             1.19
 21. Pavel Nevdakh (Kaz) Kazakstan                                  1.19
 22. Ken Hasikawa (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                          1.19
 23. Nick Gates (Aus) Die Continentale/Olympia                      1.19
 24. Brendon Vesty (NZ) New Zealand                                 1.19
 25. Sergey Beloussov (Kaz) Kazakstan                               1.19
 26. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz                                 1.19
 27. Keita Seino (Jap) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi                  1.19
 28. Andrey Kashechnin (Kaz) Kazakstan                              1.19
 29. Jason Phillips (Aus) Die Continentale/Olympia                  1.19
 30. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                                       1.19
 31. Glen Mitchell (NZ) New Zealand                                 1.19
 32. Warren Clark (NZ) New Zealand                                  1.19
 33. Kyoshi Miura (Jap) Team JPCA                                   1.19
 34. Tetsuya Okada (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                         1.19
 35. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Team Polti                                  1.19
 36. Naokiyo Hashisako (Jap) Cheblo Artnature                       1.19
 37. Osamu Sumida (Jap) Shimano Racing                              1.19
 38. Christophe Gauthier (Fra) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures        1.19
 39. Hans-Kurt Brand (Swi) Die Continentale/Olympia                 1.19
 40. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australia National Team                   1.19
 41. Grzegorz Wajs (Pol) Mroz                                       1.19
 42. Kairat Baigudinov (Kaz) Kazakstan                              1.19
 43. Chris Wherry (USA) Saturn                                      1.19
 44. Kazuyuki Manabe (Jap) Miyata Subaru Racing                     1.19
 45. Hidenori Nodera (Jap) Shimano Racing                           1.19
 46. Kazuya Okazaki (Jap) Team JPCA                                 1.19
 47. Naofumi Imanishi (Jap) Shimano Racing                          1.19
 48. Leonardo Guidi (Ita) Team Polti                                1.19
 49. Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Polti                                  1.19
 50. Akihiro Osawa (Jap) Miyata Subaru Racing                       1.19
 51. Arkadiusz Wojtas (Pol) Mroz                                    1.19
 52. Daniel Paradis (Swi) Die Continentale/Olympia                  1.19
 53. Nobuhiro Mashimo (Jap) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures           1.19
 54. Xuezhong Tang (Chn) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi                1.19
 55. Daisuke Sakuta (Jap) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi               1.19
 56. Benoit Luminet (Fra) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures             1.19
 57. Tomoya Kanou (Jap) Shimano Racing                              1.19
 58. Tetsuya Okada (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                         1.19
 59. Takahiro Yamada (Jap) Inoac B-CKS IRC                          1.19
 60. Bjorn Glasner (Ger) Die Continentale/Olympia                   1.19
 61. Dariusz Wojciechowski (Pol) Mroz                               1.19
 62. Shinji Suzuki (Jap) Inoac B-CKS IRC                            1.19
 63. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australia National Team                 1.27
 64. Moreno Di Biase (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                     1.29
 65. Allan Davis (Aus) Australia National Team                      1.31
 66. Osamu Kurimura (Jap) Team JPCA                                 1.54

Did not finish:

Emanuele Negrini (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia

Final GC after Stage 6 

  1. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz                             22.54.51
  2. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Team Polti                                  0.03
  3. Nick Gates (Aus) Die Continentale/Olympia                      0.04
  4. Chris Wherry (USA) Saturn                                      0.16
  5. Arkadiusz Wojtas (Pol) Mroz                                    0.21
  6. Christophe Gauthier (Fra) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures        1.21
  7. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                                       2.51
  8. Hans-Kurt Brand (Swi) Die Continentale/Olympia                 2.51
  9. Jason Phillips (Aus) Die Continentale/Olympia                  2.51
 10. Benoit Luminet (Fra) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures             3.01
 11. Bjorn Glasner (Ger) Die Continentale/Olympia                   3.06
 12. Daniel Paradis (Swi) Die Continentale/Olympia                  3.47
 13. Shinichi Fukushima (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                    4.27
 14. Yasutaka Tashiro (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                      4.28
 15. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Team Polti                             4.29
 16. Glen Mitchell (NZ) New Zealand                                 7.03
 17. Vladim Kravchenko (Kaz) Kazakstan                              8.07
 18. Graeme Miller (NZ) New Zealand                                 8.38
 19. Tomokazu Fujino (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                       8.54
 20. Kairat Baigudinov (Kaz) Kazakstan                              9.10
 21. Sebastien Laroche (Fra) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures          9.38
 22. Scott Davis (Aus) Australia National Team                      9.56
 23. Hidenori Nodera (Jap) Shimano Racing                          10.04
 24. Keita Seino (Jap) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi                 10.16
 25. Leonardo Guidi (Ita) Team Polti                               10.20
 26. Sergey Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan                             10.53
 27. Tomoya Kanou (Jap) Shimano Racing                             11.01
 28. Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Polti                                 11.17
 29. Osamu Sumida (Jap) Shimano Racing                             11.51
 30. Xuezhong Tang (Chn) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi               12.03
 31. Tomoya Kanou (Jap) Shimano Racing                             12.28
 32. Tetsuya Okada (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                        12.43
 33. Gianpaolo Mondini (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                  13.23
 34. Andrey Kashechnin (Kaz) Kazakstan                             13.38
 35. Pavel Nevdakh (Kaz) Kazakstan                                 14.42
 36. Sergey Beloussov (Kaz) Kazakstan                              15.43
 37. Dariusz Wojciechowski (Pol) Mroz                              15.48
 38. Moreno Di Biase (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                    16.14
 39. Brian Walton (Can) Saturn                                     16.44
 40. Makoto Iijima (Jap) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi               18.10
 41. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                  18.56
 42. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australia National Team                  19.18
 43. Brendon Vesty (NZ) New Zealand                                23.53
 44. Osamu Kurimura (Jap) Team JPCA                                24.08
 45. Kazuyuki Manabe (Jap) Miyata Subaru Racing                    24.14
 46. Takahiro Yamada (Jap) Inoac B-CKS IRC                         24.19
 47. Kyoshi Miura (Jap) Team JPCA                                  25.45
 48. Nobuhiro Mashimo (Jap) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures          25.10
 49. Akihiro Osawa (Jap) Miyata Subaru Racing                      26.22
 50. Yasuhiro Nakajima (Jap) Team JPCA                             26.29
 51. Warren Clark (NZ) New Zealand                                 26.53
 52. Naokiyo Hashisako (Jap) Cheblo Artnature                      27.30
 53. Kazuya Okazaki (Jap) Team JPCA                                28.00
 54. Michael Rogers (Aus) Australia National Team                  28.08
 55. Shinri Suzuki (Jap) Shimano Racing                            30.02
 56. Junichi Shibuya (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                      31.58
 57. Grzegorz Wajs (Pol) Mroz                                      33.25
 58. Cameron McDonald (Aus) Australia National Team                34.31
 59. Shinji Suzuki (Jap) Inoac B-CKS IRC                           34.56
 60. Ken Hasikawa (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                         39.12
 61. Hideyuki Nishiyama (Jap) Team JPCA                            40.13
 62. Daisuke Sakuta (Jap) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi              48.19
 63. Ryan Russell (NZ) New Zealand                               1.03.36
 64. Adham Sbeih (USA) Saturn                                    1.07.32
 65. Allan Davis (Aus) Australia National Team                   1.09.41
 66. Jimmy Hansen (Den) Saturn                                   1.13.02

Points:

  1. Brian Walton (Can) Saturn                                        10
  2. Andrzej Sypytkowski (Pol) Mroz                                    9
  3. Graeme Miller (NZ) New Zealand                                    7
  4. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Team Polti                                6
  5. Makoto Iijima (Jap) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi                   6
  6. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Team Polti                                     6
  7. Nick Gates (Aus) Die Continentale/Olympia                         5
  8. Gianpaolo Mondini (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                      5
  9. Moreno Di Biase (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                        5
 10. Chris Wherry (USA) Saturn                                         4
 11. Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Polti                                     4
 12. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australia National Team                      4
 13. Shinichi Fukushima (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                       4
 14. Allan Davis (Aus) Australia National Team                         3
 15. Arkadiusz Wojtas (Pol) Mroz                                       3
 16. Glen Mitchell (NZ) New Zealand                                    2
 17. Kairat Baigudinov (Kaz) Kazakstan                                 1

Sprints:

  1. Sergey Lavrenenko (Kaz) Kazakstan                                12
  2. Graeme Miller (NZ) New Zealand                                   10
  3. Osamu Sumida (Jap) Shimano Racing                                10
  4. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Team Polti                                     5
  5. Glen Mitchell (NZ) New Zealand                                    5
  6. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australia National Team                      5
  7. Brendon Vesty (NZ) New Zealand                                    4
  8. Osamu Kurimura (Jap) Team JPCA                                    4
  9. Dariusz Wojciechowski (Pol) Mroz                                  3
 10. Brian Walton (Can) Saturn                                         3
 11. Silvio Martinello (Ita) Team Polti                                3
 12. Sebastien Laroche (Fra) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures             2
 13. Tomokazu Fujino (Jap) Bridgestone Anchor                          2
 14. Tomoya Kanou (Jap) Shimano Racing                                 2
 15. Nick Gates (Aus) Die Continentale/Olympia                         2
 16. Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Team Polti                                     1
 17. Hideyuki Nishiyama (Jap) Team JPCA                                1
                                                                       1
Mountains:

  1. Glen Mitchell (NZ) New Zealand                                   20
  2. Nathan O'Neill (Aus) Australia National Team                     15
  3. Arkadiusz Wojtas (Pol) Mroz                                       6
  4. Graeme Miller (NZ) New Zealand                                    5
  5. Jason Phillips (Aus) Die Continentale/Olympia                     4
  6. Gianpaolo Mondini (Ita) Cantina Tollo-Alexia                      4
  7. Pavel Nevdakh (Kaz) Kazakstan                                     4
  8. Kairat Baigudinov (Kaz) Kazakstan                                 3
  9. Christophe Gauthier (Fra) Nippon Hodo-Besson Chaussures           2
 10. Makoto Iijima (Jap) Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi                   2
 11. Osamu Kurimura (Jap) Team JPCA                                    2
 12. Cezary Zamana (Pol) Mroz                                          2
 13. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Team Polti                                     1
 14. Chris Wherry (USA) Saturn                                         1
 15. Bjorn Glasner (Ger) Die Continentale/Olympia                      1

Teams:

  1. Mroz                                                       68.47.38
  2. Die Continentale Olympia                                       2.41
  3. Nippon-Hodo-Besson-Chaussures                                 10.15
  4. Team Polti                                                    11.23
  5. Cantina Tollo-Alexia                                          11.51
  6. Bridgestone Anchor                                            12.31
  7. Kasakstan National Team                                       20.38
  8. New Zealand National Team                                     22.55
  9. Shimano Racing                                                24.43
 10. Sumita Ravanello Pearlizumi                                   37.24
 11. Australian National Team                                      49.34
 12. Team JPCA                                                   1.00.25
 13. Saturn Cycling Team                                         1.06.59