ツアー・オブ・ジャパン 2023

The winner of a close finish sprint goes to Georgios BOUGLAS (MATRIX POWERTAG)

 
On the day 2 of the Tour of Japan 2023, road racing started in earnest at the Stage 2 Kyoto. Starting from Fugenji Fureaino Eki, the 103.6km course consists of six laps of the 16.8km Keihanna Plaza circuit course after a 6.6km neutral section. The difficult course layout with a series of ups and downs, combined with the heat, made for an intense battle.

After a break was not decisive in the opening lap, IRIBE Shotaro (SHIMANO RACING) made an attack at the King of Mountains (KOM) point on the second lap. He got a 15-second time gap to the peloton, but was caught in by the peloton.
Then, Jambaljamts SAINBAYAR (TERENGGANU POLYGON CYCLING TEAM) made a success of a solo attack and crossed the control line with a 15-second time gap to the pack and went on to the third lap. Three riders from the peloton, YAMAMOTO Genki (KINAN RACING TEAM), NAKAI Tadaaki (SHIMANO RACING) and KOJIMA Naoki (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING) chased and absorbed SAINBAYAR, and formed a breakaway of 4 riders just before the King of Mountain point. The break built a 1 minute and 7 seconds time gap to the main group and went into the fourth lap. When the gap reached to 1 minute and 50 seconds, the peloton started chasing the front.  
On the fifth lap, the gap was slowly closing, and the main group crossed the control line with a 16-second gap within range and headed into the final lap.
Anatolii BUDIAK (TERENGGANU POLYGON CYCLING TEAM) attacked alone from the large front group that had once again been formed, and attempted a final breakaway, but was absorbed by the group at 2km to go, and the battle for the stage win was brought to a final bunch sprint. 
Georgios BOUGLAS (MATRIX POWERTAG) won his first stage victory and general classification (Green Jersey) in a close finish sprint. OKA Atsushi (JCL TEAM UKYO) came in a close second, but won the point classification (Blue Jersey). The king of mountains classification went to KOJIMA Naoki (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING)

Georgios BOUGLAS (MATRIX POWERTAG) – Green Jersey
“I feel very well to win the stage today. I wanted to make my teammate happy, especially because they really did good work for me and believed in me. I hope our team will get on the podium tomorrow again.”

OKA Atsushi (JCL TEAM UKYO) – Blue Jersey
“The Sakai stage on the first day was the stage I was aiming for, so I was very disappointed. And it was also very close again today and I am really frustrated. The team's target is to win the general classification, so I am expected to support the team to the best of my ability, but I will also do my best to win the races I am entrusted with.”

KOJIMA Naoki (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING) – Red Jersey
“My goal today was to go for the king of mountain prize and to win a stage as a team. The team's goal did not work out, but I was able to do my part. I think after tomorrow; the team will continue to defend the mountains jersey and try to win a stage.