NTN presents 2018 ツアー・オブ・ジャパン

Fujisan (Mt. Fuji) stage is always a key for GC victory.  The actual start was done at road outside of Fuji Speedway (Formula one circuit) in Oyama town, Shizuoka prefecture which has been changed from Subashiri interchange point last year.

The course is 32.9 km with 1760 meters of elevation gain, making two laps around the Fuji Speedway, climbing Fuji-Azamino line to Mt. Fuji which Japan is pride of and finishes at the 5th station of the mountain.

First breakaway was made by Tyler WILLIAMS (ISRAEL CYCLING TEAM) and Thomas STEWART (JLT CONDOR) after the Fuji Speedway.  Simon PELLAUD (TEAM ILLUMINATE) chased the break and made it to catch them.

Thomas LEBAS (KINAN CYCLING TEAM), Green Jersey wearer today, led and controlled a peloton and caught three-rider breakaway in the starting point of Azamino line.  The battle began all over again and was simply climbing like last year’s course.

KINAN CYCLING TEAM in the front of the peloton was replaced by BENNELONG SWISSWELLNESS CYCLING TEAM and MATRIX POWERTAG and they started to make an attack.  Chris HARPER (BENNELONG SWISSWELLNESS CYCLING TEAM) escaped from the peloton.

In the last 8 km to the finish, Marcos GARCIA FERNANDEZ (KINAN CYCLING TEAM) made an attack, no one could reach behind him and the peloton allowed him a solo escape.  GARCIA easily overtook HARPER who was in front and earned time gap to the peloton.

In 4 km to go, Hermann PERNSTEINER (BAHRAIN – MERIDA) also escaped from the peloton.  The time gap to the top, GARCIA was about 1 minute.  PERSTEINER overtook HARPER and tried to catch GARCIA, but GARCIA just focused on climbing and didn’t look back behind him.  GARCIA crossed the finish line alone and PERNSTEINER finished 28 seconds after GARCIA.

After the result of Fujisan stage, Individual General Classification has been shuffled. 

The time gap of Thomas LEBAS who had been the top in GC yesterday was overtaken by his teammate GARCIA and GARCIA will be Green Jersey wearer tomorrow.

Blue and Red Jersey wearer tomorrow will be the same as today, but the gap between the top and second is really by a narrow.

“I think the team could control the race today.  I controlled the leading group with my teammates in the first two laps, parade run and after that, each of us use their own power to climb Mr. Fuji (Fujisan).  That was our original plan.  It was successful and I could win today’s stage.”

“As a team, the point is that PRADES is in the 5th place in GC and I, myself wear the Red Jersey.  Tomorrow’s stage has KOM point in the end, so that it is important to keep the jersey tomorrow, because the time gap is close.”

eather：SUNNY

Temperature：25℃

Spectators：9,000