Tour of Japan ReportThis article was written by Roger Vaughan of AAPSprint Cyclist Jay Sweet won his second stage in the six-day Tour of Japan today to compete a successful race for the ZVVZ-Giant Australian team. Sweet overhauled a breakaway group of four riders in the last kilometre of the 147km circuit stage to win the bunch sprint. His team mate, Peter Rogers, maintained his third placing overall behind event winner Bart Bowen of the United States. "As we planned, Jay won today's stage, but it wasn't all easy," Australian coach Heiko Salzwedal said. "The break happened early and our team had to do most of the work to reel it in, because no-one else in the bunch wanted to. We had to work bloody hard and we only got the four in the breakaway (Three Japanese and one Korean) right at the end." It was Sweet's second stage win in the race, following his success on day one. Matthew White finished seventh in the overall standing while Brett Dennis, who won stage two, was ninth. ZVVZ-Giant missed out by just one point to take out the teams section from German unit Die Continentale. "It was more than I expected - to win three of the six stages against some pretty good opposition was amazing, "Salzwedal said. The teams next assignment will be the May 27-31 Grand Prix du Midi Libre event in France, a major lead-up event to the Tour-de-France. Salzwedel is predicting no big results for his team against the best road riders in the world, but wants them to from competing against top-quality opposition. Report from Olympia's Tour Team Time TrialTommy Post and Erwin Kistemaker have been banned from the Tour. They were prohibited from starting Stage 1. Both riders were guest riders for the teams Piels and Vredestein; but this is against the rules of the KNWU (Dutch Cycle Union).In races Category 1.5 and 2.5 races, the rider has to have the name of the team registered with his racing licence. The KNWU allows teams from abroad to start with guest riders but not Dutch Teams. On Monday, the team time trial was raced in very heavy weather. The six best classified teams had to start in thunder and heavy showers. Twelve teams finished the time trial before the first rain fell. The team leaders protested to the jury: 'It was dangerous to life'. Arthur van Dongen of De jonge Renners said: 'Our team escaped death. There was a lightening strike only 10 metres from our riders. They were nearly hit by the big fireball'. The team leaders, however, didn't stop their riders. Jean-Paul van Poppel: 'When you stop, the tour is over. But we think that the jury had to stop the race.' The jury will have a meeting on Tuesday morning about the protest of the team leaders. Ronde van de AudeStage 9, Criterium Limoux 1. Muller (Ger) 110 km in 2.41.02 2. Hohfeld (Ger) 3. Marsal (Fra) 4. Schmidt (Ger) 5. Samokvalova (Rus) 7. Brunen (Ned) Stage 10, Limoux - Limoux: 1. Viola Paulitz (Ger) 128,9 km. in 3.43.26 2. Valvik (Nor) 3. Kurreck (USA) 4. Marsal (Fra) 5. Schmidt (Ger) 7. Brunen (Ned) 21 Jackson (Can) |