ツアー・オブ・ジャパン 2023

Luke LAMPERTI (TRINITY RACING) claims second stage win in bunch sprint at Mino stage, keeping the Green Jersey

Day 4 of the Tour of Japan 2023 is here in the traditional Mino Stage, starting from the “Udatsu-no-Agaru-Machinami (Udatsu-lined Old Streets)” where is designated as a National Important Cultural Property in Mino city, Gifu prefecture. “Udatsu” was a firewall slightly raised at both ends of a roof as a device to prevent fire and could be built only on wealthy houses. It boasts one of the best historical landscapes in the TOJ.
 After a 4.0km neutral section from the Former Imai Family Residence, the riders in colorful jerseys rode through the 137.3km course, which consisted of six laps around a 21km circuit in front of the Mino-Washi no Sato Kaikan (MINO-WASHI Museum).

On the first lap just after the control line, a breakaway was formed by 5 riders, Metkel EYOB (TERENGGANU POLYGON CYCLING TEAM), Lorenzo DI CAMILLO (SOFER-SAVINI DUE-OMZ), NAKAI Tadaaki (SHIMANO RACING), ABE Takayuki (UTSUNOMIYA BLITZEN), and KOJIMA Naoki (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING), which the main group accepted. TRINITY RACING controlled the peloton and the time gap to the front group was quickly widened, reaching a more than 4 minutes at most on the third lap, but the pace was gradually improved as they prepared for the chase. With a time gap of 3 minutes and 44 seconds, the race entered the latter half of the race.
 On the fourth lap, the peloton, led mainly by TRINITY RACING and MATRIX POWERTAG, began a full-scale chase and the time gap was 2 minutes 43 seconds with two laps to go. The main group was in hot pursuit and increased their pace without letting up. The time gap of 1 minute 50 seconds was shortened to a 51 seconds within one lap and the peloton entered the final lap. 
 Two riders from the bunch, Metkel EYOB (TERENGGANU POLYGON CYCLING TEAM) and Lorenzo DI CAMILLO (SOFER-SAVINI DUE-OMZ) made a final breakaway attempt, but were caught by the main group after 9km to go. 

The stage win came down to a final bunch sprint. With 1km to go, TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING formed a train and let KUBOKI Kazushige (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING) fire at the last minute. But passing through to snatch the side of the train, Luke LAMPERTI (TRINITY RACING) took his second stage win and kept the Green Jersey. KUBOKI (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING) finished a close second at 1/1000th of a second. KOJIMA Naoki (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING) defended the Red Jersey (KOM) again today.

Luke LAMPERTI (TRINITY RACING) – Green / Blue / White Jersey

“I am really happy to get another stage win and the guys were amazing today again and all day controlled. There were a few teams ahead, quite a good lead out, but it's a really fast sprint from 1km. And the wind had been different all day, it was head wind one time when we did it and tail wind another time we saw it, so, it was hard to know what it was going to be like. But it was such a fast run, and it's a sprint you can go really late, so I had to gamble to go a little bit later, and luckily it worked, but barely, barely I was able to pass the guy who got second.

KOJIMA Naoki (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING)

“I am very happy that I was able to pass through and get the KOM points twice today as the KOM leader. I have been competing with NAKAI of SHIMANO RACING for KOM points every day, so we had to battle hard again today. The team came very close in the end, but it was still a good result. There will be three times of KOM point tomorrow, so I will try my best to get more KOM points and take the Red Jersey for myself.”