12th Tour of Japan - 2.2

Japan, May 18-25, 2008

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Stage 3 - May 20: Mino Washi Paper Museum circuit race, 164.7km

Fukushima claims first win of the season

By Miwako Sasaki

Shinichi Fukushima (Meitan Hompo-GDR)
Photo ©: Miwako Sasaki

Shinichi Fukushima (Meitan Hompo-GDR) took the third stage of the Tour of Japan after attacking the breakaway with eight kilometres to go and crossing the line solo in the town of Mino. It was the 36 year-old Japanese rider's first stage victory in his home tour. Race leader Wesley Sulzberger (South Australia.com-AIS) finished seven seconds behind Fukushima to maintain his green jersey.

"I'm happy I could win again," said Fukushima, who last won a race in September 2007. "In the final kilometres, Yukiya (Arashiro) continued to cheer me on the radio. So I thought the others were close behind and I continued to do try my hardest. Now I feel satisfied after not winning for a long time. With this feeling I can continue to race."

Although the previous day's weather forecast had predicted heavy rain this morning, sunny skies greeted the remaining 92 riders at the stage start in Mino. The peloton rolled out along a street of typical 18th century houses for the 155.3 km circuit race.

With seven laps to go, 23 riders broke clear from the peloton and quickly gained a one-minute advantage. The big breakaway contained most of the overall race favourites including leader Wesley Sulzberger and team-mate Cameron Meyer (South Australia.com-AIS), Jai Crawford (Trek-Marco Polo), Shinichi Fukushima and Yukiya Arashiro (Meitan Hompo-GDR) and Hyo Suk Gong (Seoul Cycling).

At the beginning of the final lap, with 21.3km to go, the breakaway still had 55 seconds advantage over the peloton. Fukushima, the overall winner of Tour of Japan in 2004, was now working for his young team-mate Arashiro, and tried to attack from the breakaway repeatedly, finally getting clear with eight kilometres to go. Arashiro followed his team-mate but the others refused to let the pair escape and they were caught again on the descent.

Shortly after, Fukushima had the strength to go again, and this time it was for good as the other riders all watched each other in anticipation of the final sprint. It was the Meitan Hompo rider's first victory this season after he won stage eight of the Tour of Korea last year.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Miwako Sasaki

Australian Wesley Sulzberger (South Australia.com-AIS) does a TV interview in front of the 18th century houses in Mino.
Koji Fukushima (Meitan Hompo-GDR) is always a popular man for interviews.
The Polish Mroz Team rests in the old house before the start in Mino.
The smallest cycling fa n gets two caps.
This Japanese lady has a nice parasol with many signatures of the riders.
The peloton gets rolling along a street of typical 18th century houses in Mino.
Wesley Sulzberger and Zakkari Dempster (South Australia.com-AIS) at the start with their leaders' jerseys.
Marco Weilenmann (Stegcomputer-CKT-Cogeas) gives out a low five.
Dutch veteran Leon Van Bon (Trek-Marco Polo Cycling Team) is cheered by small Japanese fans in the start.
Twenty three riders broke away from the peloton early in the race.
Green jersey Wesley Sulzberger (South Australia.com-AIS) rides at the front of the breakaway.
The peloton is led by Nippo-Endeka.
The finish line is hit by a strong tail wind.
The Stegcomputer-CKT-Cogeas team tries to reduce the gap.
The peloton is driven along by Davis Miolin (Nippo-Endeka) with three laps to go.
Zakkari Dempster (South Australia.com-AIS) stays up front for a final bunch sprint.
But the pursuit can't catch Shinichi Fukushima (Meitan Hompo-GDR).
Shinichi Fukushima (Meitan Hompo-GDR) gives the victory salute.
The sprint for the second is dominated by Taiji Nishitani (Aisan Racing Team).
Shinichi Fukushima (Meitan Hompo-GDR) hugs his team manager after the finish.
Shinichi Fukushima (Meitan Hompo-GDR) gets many Japanese souvenirs on the podium.
Yukiya Arashiro (Meitan Hompo-GDR) kept his red mountain jersey.
Wesley Sulzberger (South Australia.com-AIS) keeps his green leader's jersey.
Wesley Sulzberger (South Australia.com-AIS) gets a kiss on the podium.
The podium for stage three in Mino.
Taiji Nishitani (Aisan Racing Team), second on the third stage, gets the blue points jersey.

Results

1 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR          3.34.14
2 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                 0.07
3 Robert Rodosz (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                       
4 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS              
5 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                   
6 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                  
7 Vicenzo Garofalo (Ita) Nippo-Endeka                         
8 Wojciech Pawlak (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                     
9 Alberto Di Lorenzo (Ita) A-Style Somn                       
10 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                   
11 Hyo Suk Gong (Kor) Seoul Cycling                           
12 Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team          
13 Mariusz Witecki (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                    
14 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                             
15 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                            
16 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor               
17 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                  0.11
18 Marcin Gebka (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                   0.26
19 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                  
20 Aristide Ratti (Ita) A-Style Somn                          
21 Ki Hong Yoo (Kor) Seoul Cycling                            
22 Timo Albiez (Ger) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas              
23 Maxim Gourov (Kaz) A-Style Somn                            
24 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team          
25 Rogelio Carvalho (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello        
26 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                
27 Alexandre Aulas (Fra) A-Style Somn                         
28 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                  
29 Tetsuya Fujioka (Jpn) Team JBCF                            
30 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                      
31 Kenta Onoguchi (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                         
32 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                           
33 Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                             
34 Takashi Nakayama (Jpn) Team JBCF                           
35 Seok Kyu Suh (Kor) Seoul Cycling                           
36 Takayuki Naganuma (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor            
37 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team          
38 Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                 
39 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                    
40 Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                        
41 Keita Iwashima (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                         
42 Devis Miorin (Ita) Nippo-Endeka                            
43 Masayuki Kimura (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                        
44 Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello    
45 Masafumi Yamane (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant                   
46 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS              
47 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                         
48 Keisuke Kamata (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello          
49 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                           
50 Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor           
51 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                         
52 Simone Bruson (Ita) A-Style Somn                           
53 Masaki Hirabayashi (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant                
54 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor              
55 Piotr Chmielewski (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                  
56 Won Jae Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling                            
57 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                    
58 Sano Junya (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                              
59 Yosuke Kojima (Jpn) Team JBCF                              
60 Mark Jamieson (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS             0.34
61 Michael Haiser (Ger) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas           
62 Kaoru Obata (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                        0.37
63 Gu Hyeon Kim (Kor) Seoul Cycling                       0.38
64 Kohei Tsusue (Jpn) Team JBCF                               
65 William Ford (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                  
66 Masafumi Nishitani (Jpn) Team JBCF                         
67 Kenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                     
68 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                      
69 Naoki Mukaigawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                  1.29
70 Hideya Akiyama (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                 2.09
71 Genta Nakamura (Jpn) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team    2.44
72 Sylvain Georges (Fra) A-Style Somn                     3.11
73 Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello       8.21
74 Benjamin Stauder (Ger) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas         
75 Dimitri Jiriakov (Lie) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas         
76 Tomoyuki Kaneda (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant                   
77 Yoshiaki Sudou (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant                    
78 Yoshiyuki Shimizu (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                       
79 Daisuke Hioki (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                        
80 Peter Andres (Swi) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas             
81 Asa Eazu (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant                          
82 Sung Baek Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling                     8.24
83 Marco Weilenmann (Swi) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas    10.06
84 Ikuo Hosoki (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                       16.28
85 Mitsuhiro Matsumura (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                  
86 Tomoya Sano (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                     36.28
87 Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor              
88 Yasuhiro Nito (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                          
89 Hiroshi Nara (Jpn) Team JBCF                               
90 Kazunari Asano (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello          
DNF Akira Kodan (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello            
DNF Shota Saito (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant                      
 
General classification after stage 3
 
1 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS       9.34.38
2 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS              0.05
3 Hyo Suk Gong (Kor) Seoul Cycling                        0.30
4 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                0.32
5 Mariusz Witecki (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                 0.34
6 Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                          0.36
7 Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team       0.37
8 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                
9 Devis Miorin (Ita) Nippo-Endeka                         0.53
10 Alexandre Aulas (Fra) A-Style Somn                         
11 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                       0.56
12 Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                 
13 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                  1.05
14 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team      1.22
15 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR            1.23
16 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                1.29
17 Robert Rodosz (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                  1.37
18 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR              1.38
19 Alberto Di Lorenzo (Ita) A-Style Somn                  1.39
20 Wojciech Pawlak (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                1.41
21 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                            
22 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                             
23 Vicenzo Garofalo (Ita) Nippo-Endeka                        
24 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                  1.45
25 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS          1.50
26 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                1.55
27 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                         
28 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                       1.58
29 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                    
30 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR              2.00
31 Timo Albiez (Ger) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas              
32 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                
33 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                      
34 Ki Hong Yoo (Kor) Seoul Cycling                            
35 Kenta Onoguchi (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                         
36 Rogelio Carvalho (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello        
37 Seok Kyu Suh (Kor) Seoul Cycling                           
38 Takashi Nakayama (Jpn) Team JBCF                           
39 Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello    
40 Sano Junya (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                              
41 Takayuki Naganuma (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor            
42 Keita Iwashima (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                         
43 Piotr Chmielewski (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                  
44 Tetsuya Fujioka (Jpn) Team JBCF                            
45 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                         
46 Yosuke Kojima (Jpn) Team JBCF                              
47 Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn) Skil-Shimano                        
48 Keisuke Kamata (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello          
49 Simone Bruson (Ita) A-Style Somn                           
50 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor              
51 Michael Haiser (Ger) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas       2.08
52 Kaoru Obata (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                        2.11
53 Gu Hyeon Kim (Kor) Seoul Cycling                       2.12
54 Kohei Tsusue (Jpn) Team JBCF                               
55 Maxim Gourov (Kaz) A-Style Somn                        2.19
56 Masafumi Yamane (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant               2.27
57 Marcin Gebka (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                   2.52
58 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                  
59 Naoki Mukaigawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                  3.03
60 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team      3.17
61 Genta Nakamura (Jpn) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team    4.18
62 Masafumi Nishitani (Jpn) Team JBCF                     5.10
63 Hideya Akiyama (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                 5.25
64 Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor       5.48
65 Kenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                 6.00
66 Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello       9.55
67 Yoshiyuki Shimizu (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                       
68 Dimitri Jiriakov (Lie) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas         
69 Aristide Ratti (Ita) A-Style Somn                     10.21
70 Won Jae Lee (Kor) Seoul Cycling                       12.45
71 Sylvain Georges (Fra) A-Style Somn                    13.09
72 Daisuke Hioki (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                   18.11
73 Sung Baek Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling                    18.14
74 Tomoyuki Kaneda (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant              19.13
75 Peter Andres (Swi) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas        22.06
76 Mitsuhiro Matsumura (Jpn) Matrix Powertag             27.20
77 Yoshiaki Sudou (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant               29.38
78 Masayuki Kimura (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                   34.11
79 Masaki Hirabayashi (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant                
80 Mark Jamieson (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS            34.19
81 William Ford (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS             34.23
82 Yasuhiro Nito (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                     38.21
83 Benjamin Stauder (Ger) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas    42.02
84 Asa Eazu (Jpn) Team Comrade Giant                     42.06
85 Marco Weilenmann (Swi) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas    43.51
86 Kazunari Asano (Jpn) Pearl Izumi Sumita Ravanello     45.40
87 Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor         46.28
88 Ikuo Hosoki (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                       50.13
89 Hiroshi Nara (Jpn) Team JBCF                        1.10.13
90 Tomoya Sano (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                   1.11.40
 
Points classification
 
1 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                   24 pts
2 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS            23
3 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR               17
4 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS                17
5 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS             15
6 Robert Rodosz (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                     15
7 Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                            13
8 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                 11
9 Benjamin Stauder (Ger) Stegcomputer - CKT - Cogeas        10
10 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                   8
11 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                        8
12 Hyo Suk Gong (Kor) Seoul Cycling                          8
13 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                 8
14 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                  7
15 Sung Baek Park (Kor) Seoul Cycling                        6
16 Alexandre Aulas (Fra) A-Style Somn                        5
17 Devis Miorin (Ita) Nippo-Endeka                           4
18 Vicenzo Garofalo (Ita) Nippo-Endeka                       4
19 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                   4
20 Aristide Ratti (Ita) A-Style Somn                         4
21 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                     3
22 Wojciech Pawlak (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                   3
23 Marcin Gebka (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                      3
24 Mariusz Witecki (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                   2
25 Alberto Di Lorenzo (Ita) A-Style Somn                     2
26 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                     2
27 Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team         1
28 Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor          1
 
Mountains classification
 
1 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                  20 pts
2 Vicenzo Garofalo (Ita) Nippo-Endeka                       12
3 Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Nippo-Endeka                             6
4 Mariusz Witecki (Pol) Mroz Action Uniqa                    5
5 Hyo Suk Gong (Kor) Seoul Cycling                           5
6 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor               4
7 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com-AIS             3
8 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR                3
9 Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team          2
 
Teams classification
 
1 South Australia .com-AIS                            28.46.15
2 Aisan Racing Team                                       0.54
3 Nippo-Endeka                                            0.55
4 Meitan Hompo-GDR                                        1.26
5 Mroz Action Uniqa                                       1.35
6 Trek-Marco Polo Cycling Team                            1.38
7 Skil-Shimano                                            1.55
8 Seoul Cycling                                           2.09
9 A-Style Somn                                            2.11
10 Team Bridgestone Anchor                                2.16
11 Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                            3.39
12 Nalsima Frend                                              
13 Team JBCF                                                  
14 Stegcomputer-CKT-Cogeas                               11.42
15 Matrix Powertag                                       20.53
16 Team Comrade Giant                                    28.33