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Tour of Japan - 2.2

Japan, May 20-27, 2007

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Stage 3 - May 22: Mino City - Mino Washi Paper Museum, 164.7 km

Finalmente! Acqua e Sapone triumphs in Japan

Francesco Masciarelli (Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo)
Photo ©: Miwako Sasaki
(Click for larger image)

Italian Francesco Masciarelli finally brought some much anticipated success to his Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo squad by dominating a five-up sprint to win the third stage of the Tour of Japan into Mino. Masciarelli's team-mate Aurelien Passeron made it a double day of celebration for the Italian squad by taking over the green leader's jersey.

"There were many spectators in this stage particularly, so it was like winning a World Championship!" said the 21 year-old Masciarelli who hails from Pescara. "I'm new to professional racing and still gaining experience, but if I have a chance in this race I can work freely."

Twenty-three year-old Passeron is also in his first year as a professional but the Frenchman chose to give his Italian team-mate the chance of victory in the final sprint. "Francesco is very young and it's better for him for his first year," Passeron said.

Now wearing the green leader's jersey, Passeron was asked if he'd like to someday wear the maillot vert at the Tour de France, even though it's a sprinter's jersey. "Of course!" he replied. "In future..."

How it unfolded

It was a new stage for the 11th Tour of Japan, held around the city of Mino, famous for its traditional Japanese paper. And with the city's preserved rows of 18th century houses providing the backdrop, Stage 3 of the Tour of Japan got underway.

The Kazakhstan National team
Photo ©: Miwako Sasaki
(Click for larger image)

Fifteen riders attacked the peloton approaching the circuit around Mino's Washi Paper Museum, gaining around 2'30 with 100 kilometres to go. The breakaway included Andrea Rossi (Acqua e Sapone-Caffe Mokambo), Andrey Medyannikov (Kazakhstan National Team), Shinri Suzuki (Team Miyata) and Kazuya Okazaki (Nippo Corporation).

"Today my role was to join in the first breakaway and prepare the final sprint for Yukiya Arashiro and Takashi Miyazawa," explained Okazaki, who jumped away from the escape with 50km remaining and led the race until the final hill at 7km to go. "I didn't have an obligation to work in the breakaway, so I could do [what I wanted]."

The Kazakhstan National Team eventually moved forward to protect the interests of their race leader Valentin Iglinskiy, catching Okazaki on the final climb and setting the stage for what seemed like an obvious bunch sprint in front of Mino's Washi Paper Museum.

Acqua e Sapone's boys in red had other ideas though and launched Alessandro Donati, Passeron and Masciarelli off the front. The trio were joined by Yukiya Arashiro (Nippo Corporation) and Yoshinori Iino (Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello) and the five combined to gain 11 seconds on the pursuing peloton with Masciarelli flying home ahead of Japanese hope Arashiro.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Miwako Sasaki

Results

1 Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo              4.02.59 (40.496 km/h)
2 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada          
3 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                         
4 Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                               
5 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                         
6 Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                          0.11
7 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                               
8 René Schild (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                               
9 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                        
10 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                       
11 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                         
12 Masanari Komuro (Jpn) Team JBCF                                               
13 Chris Froome (Ken) Team Konica Minolta                                        
14 Keita Iwashima (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                            
15 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada      
16 Kam-Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                       
17 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                          
18 Thijs Zonneveld (Ned) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                       
19 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Team JBCF                                               
20 Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                               
21 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        
22 Dennis Van Niekerk (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                  
23 Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              
24 Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                
25 Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                       
26 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                
27 Gang Xu (Chn) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                           
28 Kaoru Obata (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                               
29 Jonas Owczarek (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                           
30 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                              
31 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             
32 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                            
33 Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                    
34 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                               
35 Timo Honstein (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                            
36 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada          
37 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                    
38 Andrey Medyannikov (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             
39 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                
40 Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                          
41 Mitsunari Mitaki (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                
42 Alexandr Dymovskikh (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                            
43 Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                  0.37
44 Kazunari Asano (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                              
45 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                       
46 William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                  
47 Jay Thompson (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                        
48 Shinya Oba (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                    
49 Christof Van Heerden (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                
50 Cameron Meyer (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                 
51 Daisuke Hioki (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                           
52 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              
53 Keisuke Kamata (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                          0.53
54 Wang Yip Tang (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                     
55 Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                 
56 Jamsran Ulzii-Orshikh (Mgl) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                 
57 Ken Hashikawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                           
58 Yoshimitsu Tsuji (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                        
59 Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                               
60 Sergei Kudenisov (Rus) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                      
61 Yasuhiro Nito (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                             
62 Hisanori Akiyama (Jpn) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                      
63 Kin San Wu (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                        
64 Kenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                    1.02
65 Christoph Schweizer (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                  1.23
66 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                   
67 Robin Reid (NZl) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                            
68 Aleksey Lyalko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             1.54
69 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                                
70 Yosuke Kojima (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                 
71 Jumpei Murakami (Jpn) Team JBCF                                           3.01
72 Andrea Rossi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                         3.23
73 Hideya Akiyama (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                        
74 Kaoru Ouchi (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                          3.58
75 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                         
76 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                         
77 Hitoshi Urushizawa (Jpn) Team JBCF                                            
78 Norihide Murayama (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                           4.29
79 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada      5.33
80 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        
81 Hideo Yoshida (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                        10.39
82 Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                   10.51
83 Naoki Mukaigawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                    11.17
84 Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                            12.10
85 Keita Onishi (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                         12.43
86 Christian Lademann (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                       
87 Tomoya Sano (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                        15.22
88 Sean Finning (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                             17.07
DNF Miles Olman (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                  
DNF Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                      
DNF Arthur Ayers (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                               
DNF Takamitu Tsuji (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                          
 
General classification after Stage 3
 
1 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                 10.46.32
2 Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                          0.01
3 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                     0.02
4 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada      0.03
5 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                             0.13
6 Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                           0.15
7 Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                 0.17
8 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                        
9 Kam-Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                    0.22
10 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada    0.26
11 Thijs Zonneveld (Ned) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                       
12 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                          
13 Andrey Medyannikov (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             
14 Alexandr Dymovskikh (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                            
15 Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                       
16 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             
17 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada      
18 Chris Froome (Ken) Team Konica Minolta                                        
19 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                        0.33
20 Timo Honstein (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                            
21 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                              
22 Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                           0.35
23 Keita Iwashima (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                        0.38
24 Masanari Komuro (Jpn) Team JBCF                                               
25 Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              
26 Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                    
27 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Team JBCF                                               
28 Gang Xu (Chn) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                           
29 Mitsunari Mitaki (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                
30 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                
31 Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                          
32 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                     0.55
33 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                   0.58
34 Jonas Owczarek (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                       1.00
35 Shinya Oba (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                1.04
36 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              
37 Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                             1.08
38 William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                              1.20
39 René Schild (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                          1.22
40 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                   1.32
41 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada          
42 Daisuke Hioki (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                       1.34
43 Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                            1.39
44 Hisanori Akiyama (Jpn) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                  1.42
45 Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                  1.53
46 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                           1.57
47 Yasuhiro Nito (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                         2.07
48 Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                           2.14
49 Kazunari Asano (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                          2.15
50 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                            2.16
51 Aleksey Lyalko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             2.21
52 Robin Reid (NZl) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                        2.32
53 Christof Van Heerden (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                            2.36
54 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                               3.22
55 Jumpei Murakami (Jpn) Team JBCF                                           3.28
56 Yosuke Kojima (Jpn) Team JBCF                                             3.53
57 Andrea Rossi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                         4.39
58 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada    5.34
59 Norihide Murayama (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                           5.35
60 Kaoru Ouchi (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                          5.57
61 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada      6.00
62 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                     6.33
63 Ken Hashikawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                       6.51
64 Dennis Van Niekerk (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                              7.25
65 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                    
66 Jay Thompson (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                    7.51
67 Kaoru Obata (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                           8.04
68 Yoshimitsu Tsuji (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                    8.46
69 Kenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                    9.05
70 Hideya Akiyama (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                   11.26
71 Naoki Mukaigawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                    11.58
72 Cameron Meyer (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                            12.30
73 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                    12.32
74 Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                            14.09
75 Christian Lademann (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                  21.11
76 Sean Finning (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                             23.05
77 Hideo Yoshida (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                        24.19
78 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                         33.45
79 Sergei Kudenisov (Rus) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                 34.33
80 Wang Yip Tang (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                     
81 Jamsran Ulzii-Orshikh (Mgl) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                 
82 Kin San Wu (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                        
83 Keisuke Kamata (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                              
84 Christoph Schweizer (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                 35.03
85 Hitoshi Urushizawa (Jpn) Team JBCF                                       37.38
86 Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                   44.31
87 Keita Onishi (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                         46.23
88 Tomoya Sano (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                        49.02
89 Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                1.10.47
90 Miles Olman (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                   
91 Arthur Ayers (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                                
92 Takamitu Tsuji (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                           
 
Points classification
 
1 Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                            34 pts
2 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        26
3 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada       19
4 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                       18
5 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                       18
6 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                             17
7 Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                   15
8 Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                             11
9 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                      10
10 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              10
11 Kam-Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                     10
12 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                       10
13 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                      7
14 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                  6
15 Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              5
16 Jonas Owczarek (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                          3
17 René Schild (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                             3
18 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                      2
19 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                        2
20 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                         1
21 Keita Iwashima (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                           1
 
Mountains classification
 
1 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                               12 pts
2 Kam-Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                       8
3 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                8
4 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada      5
5 Andrea Rossi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                             5
6 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada          5
7 Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                 5
8 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              3
9 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                               3
10 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                       2
11 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                      2
12 Andrey Medyannikov (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                            2
 
Teams classification
 
1 Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                                         32.19.54
2 Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada                            0.45
3 Kazakhstan National Team                                                   0.51
4 Skil - Shimano                                                             1.14
5 Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                                 1.15
6 Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                                      1.20
7 Team JBCF                                                                  2.02
8 Team Bridgestone Anchor                                                    2.06
9 Team Sparkasse                                                             2.37
10 Team Konica Minolta                                                       2.56
11 Matrix Powertag                                                           3.46
12 Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                                         3.52
13 Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                                               4.26
14 Aisan Racing Team                                                         5.29
15 Nalsima Frend                                                            10.31
16 South Australia.com - AIS                                                19.41