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17th Japan Cup - 1.HC
Japan, October 25-26, 2008
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Stage
Race 2 - October 26: Elite men, 151.3km
Cunego wins in Japan
Basso returns to racing action with a third place
By Miwako Sasaki
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Italian Damiano Cunego (Lampre) won the 17th Japan Cup Cycle Road Race, beating his two compatriots Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) in the final sprint. It was Cunego's second victory at the race; he previously won in 2005. Cunego's triumph marked the 12th time an Italian has won the Japan Cup.
It was a cloudy, but not cold day, and at times, rain fell on the peloton. Of the 64 men from 15 countries on the start line, Italian Ivan Basso may have been the most emotional. Just two days earlier, he finished serving his suspension for involvement in Operacion Puerto. The Japan Cup was his first race back since the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon on March 30, 2007.
During the first of 11 laps, three Japanese riders, Akira Kakinuma (Team Bridgestone Anchor), Shinichi Fukushima (Meitan Hompo - GDR) and Japanese Champion Hidenori Nodera (Skil-Shimano), jumped off the front, which was otherwise controlled by the ProTour teams. The trio established a break with a gap of about two minutes. The break lasted until three laps to go, when they were caught with 30km remaining.
Liquigas and Lampre then accelerated, creating a first group of about 10 racers.
With two laps to go, the three favorites Cunego, Visconti, and Basso along with Valerio Agnori attacked the rest of the first group on the hill. They escaped with a margin of a few seconds.
At the beginning of the final lap with 10km to go, the four had 41 seconds to the chase group. On the final hill, Agnoli and Visconti were dropped briefly from Cunego and Basso as they crested the final hill with seven kilometers to go. Visconti and Agnoli caught back to the two leaders on the flat road.
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In the final, undulating kilometers, Cunego kept near the front as Agnoli dropped for good. Cunego then proved invincible in the final sprint with Basso and Visconti
''Today I'm very satisfied about this result, and also I can finally go on vacation," Cunego said after his win.
It was Visconti's eighth second place of 2008. ''This time my second place was behind a real champion like Damiano,'' Visconti observed while next to Cunego at the press conference.
The happiest man of the race was Basso. "In general, the third place doesn't give me satisfaction, but for me, today was one of those days. It was the first race for me after a long suspension, so I'm satisfied with third.''
The day prior to the race, Basso joined a free event for cycling fans who wished to ride a circuit of Japan Cup with the professionals. He showed up in his Liquigas jersey wearing his number.
''I had some emotions associated with participating in a race again- especially when putting a number on my back again, riding with my teammates, and hearing cheers from the fans on the road," said Basso after the event.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by AFP Photo
- Ivan Basso (l)and Damiano Cunego begin the Japan Cup.
- Ivan Basso (2nd-l)and Damiano Cunego on the start line of the Japan Cup.
- The Japan Cup peloton passes a field of cosmos.
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) negotiates a corner.
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) crosses the finish line of the Japan Cup ahead of Giovanni Visconti (right) and Ivan Basso (center).
- Damiano Cunego sprinting for first ahead of Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas).
- Damiano Cunego celebrates his victory in the Japan Cup.
- Damiano Cunego leads his Lampre teammated during the Japan Cup.
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) leads the Japan Cup ahead of Ivan Basso (Liquigas) and Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step).
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) raises the trophy on the podium between Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas).
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) is all smiles while Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) exhibit a more stern façade.
Images by Hitoshi Omae (Jpn) / PhotoSport International
- Ivan Basso lines up with his new Liqugas team for the Japan cup.
- Ivan Basso returns to racing after his doping suspension.
- Basso's Cannondale was decorated especially for the Japan Cup.
- The Liquigas team is presented before the start of the race.
- Lampre takes the lead in the peloton to set things up for Cunego.
- Ivan Basso makes his return to the sport with Liquigas in the Japan Cup.
- The peloton hits the climb.
- The favourites keep an eye on each other early in the race.
- Liqugas works to set up Basso.
- Ivan Basso leads the breakaway
- Cunego powers away from Visconti to take the win in the Japan Cup.
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) takes the win from the breakaway.
- The sprint for fifth went to Francesco Gavazzi over Thomas Voeckler.
- Hundreds of fans lined up to see their heroes.
- Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step), Damiano Cunego (Lampe) and Ivan Basso (Liqugas) make up the all-Italian podium in Japan.
- Ivan Basso (Liquigas) got a warm reception.
- Liqugas heads the peloton.
Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net
- Ivan Basso of Team Liquigas at the team presentation.
- Cunego optimistic before the start.
- Basso mounts his fancily painted samurai bike.
- Cunego heading to the start
- The start of the Japan Cup Cycle race.
- Early on, the race was calm
- Race impressions
- Basso on the move and showing he will be back strongly
- The move of the day
- The chasers did not get back up to the leaders.
- Ivan Basso in his first race back after his doping suspension grinds up the hill.
- The sprint in full swing with Cunego in the centre and Visconti on the right.
- Damiano Cunego (Lampre) wins the three-up sprint ahead of Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas).
- Cunego celebrates his win
- Visconti congratulates Cunego after the finish.
- The podium with winner Cunego (centre) as well as second-placed Visconti (l) and Basso.
- There was a great spectator turnout for the Japan Cup.
- The KOM points were hotly contested later, but in the opening laps all was quiet.
- Cunego's form points towards the Japan Cup.
- Cunego enjoyed the night in Japan.
- Basso gives autographs to some happy locals.
- Cunego ready to jump into the Japanese night life.
- Visconti in the centre with teammates Scarselli (l) and Proni.
- Scarselli, Visconti and Proni sit tight
- Visconti and Proni hit the stores
- Now Cunego was really eager to get out
- Cunego checks his email
- The ped zone
- Basso on the hotel's balcony
- Basso's artsy bicycle
- A good paint job!
- Liquigas is presented to the public.
- The Lampre squad at the presentation.
- Coming through – Basso makes his way through the aisle of the press centre.
- Ivan Basso in Japanese lettering
- Cunego (l) and Basso at the press conference.
- Cunego and Basso. Do they talk race tactics already?
- Basso with a Japanese comedian after the teams presentation
- The Lampre team heads out for their training ride.
- Basso ready to roll
- Basso working out on the bike path
- Basso was happy to be back after his doping suspension.
- Roberto Bettini, the man behind the camera, poses with the Japanese fast speed train, Shinkansen.
- Basso finally got to pin a number on again.
- He was visibly happy with the chore
- Ivan Basso and Kjell Carlström (Liquigas) ahead of the race
- Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) ready to get going.
- The line-ups with birth dates
Images by Francis Cerny
- The poster from the Japan Cup 2008. (Photo: Francis Cerny)
- The reception desk in the race hotel from the Japan Cup in Utsunumiya with the friendly staff from the race organisation.
- Chinese Fuyu Li from the Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team after training in the rain before the Japan Cup.
- Malaysian Loh Sea Keong from the Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team still smiling after training in the rain before the Japan Cup.
- Ivan Basso training on the rollers on the balcony of the hotel in Utsunumiya before the Japan Cup.
- Ivan Basso smiling while training on the rollers on the balcony of the hotel in Utsunumiya before the Japan Cup.
- Thomas Voeckler (Bouygues Telecom), Ivan Basso (Liquigas) and some more Liquigas riders training on the climb at the circuit of the Japan Cup.
- The Liquigas Team training at the circuit of the Japan Cup with some amateur riders joining them. Ivan Basso in a good mood, smiling and greeting.
- The Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team training at the circuit of the Japan Cup.
- Jai Crawford (Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team) aiming for the King of Mountains in the Japan Cup tomorrow.
- The Lampre Team training in a typical Japanese street.
- Giovanni Visconti and his Quick Step team having fun with some dogs at a Japanese pet shop.
- Alessandro Proni from the Quick Step team loves this dog and wants to take it home from Japan J.
- The special bicycle for the Japan Cup for Ivan Basso, with Japanese painting and characters saying, Liquigas, Ivan Basso and Japan Cup 2008.
- Details of the Japanese painting of a Samurai warrior at the special bicycle for the Japan Cup for Ivan Basso.
- The Trek – Marco Polo Cycling Team signing in for the Japan Cup with the huge crowd in the background that came out on the circuit in Utsunomiya to watch.
- The top-favourites for the Japan Cup at the start-line, Ivan Basso and Damiano Cunego.
- The peloton at the start of the Japan Cup with top-favourites Ivan Basso and Damiano Cunego.
- The peloton ready to start the Japan Cup.
- The field stretched out in the Japanese farm fields of Utsunomiya.
- Japanese cycling fans with a banner of the race favourites in “Manga-style”.
- In Japanese races the angel and devil are a bit easier on the eyes then in Europe.
- Huge crowds came out to watch the Japan Cup.
- The field going into the feed zone.
- Damiano Cunego beats Giavanni Visconti and Ivan Basso finishes third in the Japan Cup.
- Damiano Cunego celebrates his victory in the Japan Cup, Giovanni Visconti comes in second and Ivan Basso third.
- What is left over from the peloton sprinting to the finish in the Japan Cup.
Results
1 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre 4.04.57 (37.1 km/h) 2 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick Step 3 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas 4 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas 0.12 5 Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre 1.23 6 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 7 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 8 Alessandro Proni (Ita) Quick Step 9 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 10 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 11 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre 1.29 12 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Lampre 1.30 13 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR 1.35 14 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre 1.51 15 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 3.33 16 Alex Coutts (GBr) Giant Asia Racing Team 3.35 17 Kazuki Inoue (Jpn) Nippo - Endeka 3.40 18 Junya Sano (Jpn) Nippo - Endeka 3.46 19 Erik Hoffmann (Nam) Giant Asia Racing Team 20 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 3.50 21 Mashahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 22 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR 23 Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 4.44 24 Takahiro Yamashita (Jpn) Nippo - Endeka 25 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 26 Rhys Pollock (Aus) Trek-Marco Polo 27 Masakazu Ito (Jpn) Japan National Team 28 Yoshiyuki Shimizu (Jpn) Nippo - Endeka 29 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 30 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR 31 Hayato Yoshida (Jpn) Japan National Team 32 Jai Crawford (Aus) Trek-Marco Polo 33 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Nippo - Endeka 34 Kazuki Aoyanagi (Jpn) Nippo - Endeka 35 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 36 Naoki Mukaigawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag 37 Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka Japan National Team 4.48 38 Fuyu Li (Chn) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team 39 Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step 40 Yasuharu Nakajima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR 4.49 41 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas 42 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team 43 Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 4.55 44 Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 9.33 45 Leonardo Scarselli (Ita) Quick Step 46 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia 47 Yohann Gène (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 48 Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre 49 Stijn Joseph (Bel) Quick Step 50 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag 9.39 51 Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 11.24 HD Yoshimitsu Tsuji (Jpn) Matrix Powertag HD Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Japan National Team HD Masaki Wakumoto (Jpn) Matrix Powertag HD Stefan Löffler (Ger) Team Sparkasse DNF Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil-Shimano DNF Sea Loh (Mas) Trek-Marco Polo DNF Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Hompo - GDR DNF Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team DNF Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor DNF Ken Hasikawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag DNF Ken Onodera (Jpn) Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team DNF Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor DNF Erki Pütsep (Est) Bouygues Telecom Teams 1 Liquigas 12.16.26 2 Lampre 1.17 3 Quick Step 4.36 4 Aisan Racing Team 7.28 5 Skil-Shimano· 8.05 6 Meitan Honpo-GDR 8.34 7 Nippo-Endekanippo· 10.35 8 Japan National Team 12.37 9 Trek-Marco Polo Cycling Team· 12.41 10 Bouygues Telecom 14.05 11 Giant Asia Racing Team 15.19 Matrix Powertag Team Bridgestone Anchor· Mountains 1 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 2 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 3 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Meitan Honpo-Gdr Best Asian rider 1 Yukihiro Doi (Jpn) Skil-Shimano 4.06.20 Young rider 1 Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor 4.09.41
