Tour of Japan

All the results and reporting is by Turumaki-kozou from Japan. 

  • Stage 1

  • Stage 2

  • Stage 3

  • Stage 4

  • Tokyo Finale


    Muller is Top
    

The 1996 Tour of Japan (organised by Cycling Month Promotion Conferrence
and Asahi Newspaper), offiacially recognised by UCI, has started at
the specially set up Shin-nittetsu Sakai steel company in Sakai-city
Osaka-prefecture on eighteenth


    Ninety riders from six foreign teams and nine domestic teams 
rode the  2.5 km ITT first stage with Roland Muller (Acom-Ravanello) 
of Switzerland, riding for a Japanese team, winning in 3:01:770. 


    The second finisher was Nathan O'Neill (Australia) at about four seconds 
and the fifth placed Masahiro Mizutani (Bridgestone), was the only
Japanese to break 3:10.


    Stage One - 2.5 km Individual Time Trial
    

     1. Roland Muller     (Acom-Ravanello, Jap)    3:01:77
 2. Nathan O'Neill    (Australia)              3:05:94
 3. David Clinger     (USA)                    3:07:27
 4. Kirk O'Beeealaland (USA)                   3:09:16
 5. Masahiro Mizutani (Bridgestone, Jap)       3:09:86
 6. Naokiyo Hashisako (Chebro-Art Nature, Jap) 3:10:46

    


    Team Result
    

     1. USA                  9:26
 2. Acom-Ravanello (Jap) 9:27
 3. France               9:33

    


    Stage Two - Osaka - 140.8 km
    

From today, I manage to send you reports after I watch TV program on
Tour of Japan, which is broadcasted on NHK television station.
This program is broadcasted in general sport program from 10:30 to 11:05 pm.


    The Osaka stage was held as eleven laps of a 12.8km cicrcuit giving a total
of 140.8km.


    After five laps, Kazuyuki Manabe (67 Miyata,JPN), who is 
a member of the Japanese road racing team at the Atlanta Olympics, Kazuo 
Ooishi (44 MBK-YAMAHA-AZUMINO Pi,JPN),
35 years old veteran, and Dubal of France (20 France) broke out of the group
and led the race. 


    With two laps to the finish, two riders, Ooishi and Uvral
of France attacked and ried to build a gap on the main bunch. However, this was
in vain and the stage came down to a mass sprint.


    Emanuelle of Italia (29 Italia) won the sprint with an elapsed time
of 2:59:25. As for the Japanese riders, third placed Makoto Iijima 
(38 ACOM-RAVANELLO,JPN) was the best.


    Negrini Conquers Confusion
    

from the morning newspaper 20/5/96

    

The 1996 Tour of Japan had its 2nd stage at Senboku criterium course 
in Sakai city Osaka prefecture 19th. The race was held over 11 laps 
of a 12.8km circuit giving total of 140.8km. About eighty riders
rushed into thefinish and the race was decided by sprint.


    Negrini Emanuelle of Italia won the race with elapsed time of 2h59:25.
As for Japanese riders, 3rd placed Makoto Iijima (ACOM-RAVANELLO,JPN)
was the best.
Roland Muller (39 ACOM-RAVANELLO JPN) with 40th at this race kept the
top in individual overall classification. ACOM-RAVANELLO came up to
the top in team overall classification.


    Results: 2nd stage 140.8km
    

     1 Negrini Emanuele (29 ITA) 				2h59:25
 2 Robert De Poel (HLD)(45 MBK-YAMAHA-AZUMINO Pi JPN)
 3 Makoto Iijima (38 ACOM-RAVANELLO JPN)
 4 Shinri Suzuki (64 BRIDGESTONE JPN)
 5 Daisuke Imanaka (POLTI,ITA) (86 Japan Professional Cyclist Association JPN)
 6 Jean Phillipe Duracka (24 FRA) 		all the same time

    


    Individual Overall Results up to 2nd stage
    

     1  Roland Muller (CHE) (39 ACOM-RAVANELLO JPN) 	3h02:26
 2  Nathan O'Neill (5 Australia) 			3h02:30
 3  Robert De Poel (HLD)(45 MBK-YAMAHA-AZUMINO Pi JPN) 	3h02:30
 4  David Clinger (35 USA) 				3h02:32
 5  Kirk O'Beeealalande (33 USA 			3h02:32
 6  Negrini Emanuele (29 ITA) 				3h02:32
 7  Masahiro Mizutani (66 BIRIDGESTONE JPN) 		3h02:34

    


    Team Overall Results up to 2nd stage
    

     1. ACOM-RAVANELLO (JPN amateur) 			9h07:38
 2. USA 						9h07:39
 3. Australia 						9h07:43

    



    Roar Highly Up In the Sky
    

The winner Negrini 22 years old roared after riding through the finish.
He never wanted more suitable style of winning than his favorite style of 
sprint at the goal. "This is my first win for a stage race this year. 
I am very pleased to win in Japan with the Italian blue uniform." he said 
excitedly. He has won constantly in amateur races since he was ten years old. 
As the next 3rd stage is also a flat course suitable for sprinters, 
"I want to win again" he said.


    Could Not Spurt, Iijima 3rd
    

"Why could I not challenge? There remains regret." Though he gained 3rd place,
Iijima continued to have self-reflection. For mass sprinting, where to
position yourself in the bunch is very important. 


    Iijima thinks "just behind the top, about fifth
place is the best". About two hundred meters from the finish he thought he was
placed in the right position.But he did not try to sprint. "Someone has 
started. Even if I cannot win, I had to start before." 


    He was the second at '94 All Japan Cahmpionship Individual Road. Up to 
last year he raced in the World Championships for two years consectively and 
became the top rider in this country.
He is now twenty five years old and says "now I am still brushing up my ability."


    He has been racing in Italy since February and has raced twenty races, 
however he has not had a lot of results to match his efforts. "The difference 
(between me and the European riders) is the concentration. The overseas riders 
are able to race at the near level of their limits wishing to "win absolutely"".
Even though he is the best in the Japan, he still has regrets because his
goals are now to be on the World stage.


    Ollivier Ouvrard - Top, 3rd Stage
    

From morning newspaper 21/5/96


    The  Tour of Japan ran its 3rd stage over the Suzuka Circuit in 
Suzuka city Mie prefecture on May 20. 
The race was held over 24 laps of a 5.864 km circuit giving a total of 
140.73 km.


     Ollivier Ouvrard of France, who won the final sprint
with a elapsed time of 3h08:17. As for the Japanese riders, sixth ranked 
Makoto Iijima (38 ACOM-RAVANELLO,JPN) was the best.
    

    Negrini Emanuele (29 Italia), who was second at this race, came up from
sixth to the top in individual overall. France team became top with total
time of 18h32:21 in team overall.



    Results: 3rd stage 140.73km
    

     1. Ollivier Ouvrard (23 FRA) 				3h08:17
 2. Negrini Emanuele (29 ITA)
 3. Jean Phillipe Duracka (24 FRA)
 4. Robert De Poel (HLD)(45 MBK-YAMAHA-AZUMINO Pi JPN)
 5. Giorgio Olgiti (ITA) (60 Nippon Hodoh JPN)
 6. Makoto Iijima (38 ACOM-RAVANELLO JPN) 	       all the s.t.

    


    Individual Overall Results up to 3rd stage
    

     1. Negrini Emanuele (29 ITA) 			6h10:43
 2. Roland Muller (CHE) (39 ACOM-RAVANELLO JPN) 	6h10:43
 3. Ollivier Ouvrard (23 FRA) 				6h10:44
 4. Nathan O'Neill (5 Australia) 			6h10:47
 5. Robert De Poel (HLD)(45 MBK-YAMAHA-AZUMINO Pi JPN)  6h10:47
 6. Kirk O'Beeealalande (33 USA) 	 		6h10:49

    



    Team Overall Results up to 3rd stage
    


     1. France 				18h32:21
 2. ACOM-RAVANELLO (JPN amateur) 	18h32:29
 3. USA 				18h32:30

    


    Japanese in Spirit?
    

The race was decided by the final sprint. Lots of riders tried to 
break clear the bunch all through the race but with the flat course,
they were soon swallowed by the group.

    
At final lap, some riders attacked but were  caught just before 
the finish and Ouvrard won.


    "My teammate was always racing at the top and I felt easy in the group."
he said in cool attitude. He gave the first victory to France team,
which wants to threaten Italia team as a favorite for this races. He won
the 1994 Japan Cup and rides very well in Japan. 


    "I am a Japanese in spirit." he said.



    Lefevre Top 4th Stage, Broke Clear at Last Lap
    

'96 Tour of Japan held its 4th stage at Fuji Speed Way (usually used by
motor car sports) in Koyama city Shizuoka prefecture on 22th. The route
was 30 laps of a 4.47km circuit giving total of 134.1km. 


    With 7 laps to go,
seven riders broke clear and David Lefevre of France dashed at the last
lap to win the race with elapsed time of 3h08:35. The second was also a
French rider, Jean Phillipe Duracka. The best of Japanese rider is twelfth
placed Daisuke Imanaka (Japan Professional Cyclist Selection). As for
individual classification, Duracka came up from the eighth to the top.


    The French team kept its top place of team classification with total time
of 27h57:53.


    Results: 4th stage 134.1km
    

     1 David Lefevre (21 FRA)                   3h08:35
 2 Jean Phillipe Duracka (24 FRA)           3h08:38
 3 Rezzani Michele (30 ITA)                 3h08:38
 4 Georgio Olgiti (ITA) (60 Nippon Hodoh)   3h08:38
 5 Anthony Langella (22 FRA)                3h08:38
 6 Nathan O'Neill (5 AUS)                   3h08:38

    


    Individual Overall Results up to 4th stage
    

     1 Jean Phillipe Duracka (24 FRA)           9h19:19
 2 Nathan O'Neill (5 AUS)                   9h19:25
 3 David Lefevre (21 FRA)                   9h19:25
 4 Anthony Langella (22 FRA)                9h19:31
 5 Rezzani Michele (30 ITA)                 9h19:33
 6 Georgeo Olgiti (ITA) (60 Nippon Hodoh)   9h19:33

    


    Team Overall Results up to 4th stage
    

     1 France    				27h57:53
 2 Australia 				27h58:48
 3 Italia    				27h59:14

    


    Flat Tyre
    

Nathan O'Neill of Australia with flat tyre as many as two times in the race
took back the gap and finished in the second group. "Once I thought to come
back to the pack and again I had a flat tyre. That made me tired. That is why
I could not win. I missed the top place of individual classification." However
he came up to the second in individual classification. "He is in good shape
since he has come to Japan." admitted directeur sportif Salzwedel. He
applauded "he has done a worthy race."


    HALF-TIME
    

(from a article which deal with gossips or tips)


    The 1996 Tour of Japan started its 4th stage in rain at Fuji Speedway 
on May 22.


    Each rider raced with various methods of dealing with the rain.
Some had vinyl wind breakers, some put newspaper under their cycle
wear, while another rider used a trash bag of polyethylene with holes. 
They do so in order to prevent being "hunger knocked" which can occur
if the rider loses body temperature and stamina.


    A rider expressed the fear of hunger knock and said it was 
"being hungry and feeling dizzy then being not able to move anymore". 
The rider put more Dorayaki in for energy supply than usual. 
(Dorayaki is a Japanese cake made of sponge cake and bean jam 
and is in the shape of a hamburger.)



    Final Stage in Tokyo
    

     1. Baden Burke (Australia, Giant-AIS)		    3.38.21
 2. Emanuele Negrini (Italy, Italian National Team)	s.t.
 3. R De Poel (Neth, Asumino)				s.t.
 4. Giorgio Olgiti (Italy, Nippon Hodo)			s.t.
 5. L. Mirko (Italy, Italian Nat. Team)			s.t.
 6. Takahiro Mizutani (japan, Bridgestone)		s.t.
 7. Ollivier Ouvrard (France, French Team)		s.t.
 8. Ji Sung Hwan (S.Korea, Korean Nat. Team)		s.t.
 9. Naoshi Ono (Japan, Acom)				s.t.
10. Norman Carter (US, US Nat. Team)			s.t.

    


    Final GC
    

     1. Jean Phillip Duracka (France, French Team)	      21.28.38
 2. David Lefevre (France, Frech Team)			+ 0.17
 3. Daisuke Imanaka (Japan, JPCA)			+ 0.43
 4. M. Rezzani (Italy, Italian Nat. Team)		+ 1.11
 5. A. Langella (France, French Team)			+ 1.13
 6. R. Muller (Switzerland, Acom)			+ 1.26
 7. O. Ouvrard (France, French Team)			+ 1.27
 8. David Clinger (US, US Nat. Team)			+ 1.32
 9. F. Delalande (France, French Team)			+ 1.35
10. Tomokazy Fujino (Japan, JPCA)			+ 1.39