ツアー・オブ・ジャパン 2023

Nathan EARLE (TEAM UKYO), 2022 GC Winner regains victory again

Day 6 of the Tour of Japan 2023 features the Fujisan stage, which will greatly influence the GC victory battle. This year's stage is a single hill climb of 11.4km in total length, running up the "Fuji Azami Line" only. The battle for the overall win, which gap had unexpectedly widened in the previous day's Shinshu Iida stage, focused on whether potential winning riders could quickly regain their momentum here. 

 The race got off to a cautious start with JCL TEAM UKYO, which held the leader's jersey, in control from early on. Benjamin DYBALL (VICTOIRE HIROSHIMA) increased his speed in the starting point of a series of winding corners from 8km to go. 

The front group was narrowed down to 10 riders at once, including Nathan EARLE, 2022 GC winner (JCL TEAM UKYO) and Leonel QUINTERO ARTEAGA, a contender for the mountain prize (VICTOIRE HIROSHIMA). The pace of the lead group increased further at the former Umagaeshi (literally meaning "return horses") point with 5.5km to go, and was reduced to 4 riders, Nathan EARLE and Benjami PRADES REVERTE (both JCL TEAM UKYO), Benjamin DYBALL (VICTOIRE HIROSHIMA) and Drew MOREY KINAN RACING TEAM). 
MOERY dropped out with 5km to go, leaving three in the lead. PRADES REVERTE also dropped out, narrowing the lead down to EARLE and DYBALL, last year's first and second finishers. 
With 3.5km to go, EARLE attacked alone, gaining a 30-second time gap and moving into a completely solo position with 3km to go. With less than 1km to go, the time difference between the two remained at 30 seconds and EARLE crossed the finish line alone.
Fujisan stage, which greatly affected the overall standings, became Nathan EARLE (JCL TEAM UKYO)’s monopoly, winning the stage. He overturned the overall time difference of 2 minutes and 44 seconds from the previous day to take the Green Jersey. The top Japanese rider was EARLE’s teammate OKA Atsushi, Green Jersey Wearer today, in 3rd place overall. The mountain prize went to KOJIMA Naoki (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING) again today.

Nathan EARLE (JCL TEAM UKYO) – Stage winner / Green Jersey Wearer
“It's difficult...to explain, but I am very happy and honored to be here, with my team, the supporters, the race, the fans. It's been a lot of hard work, from last year, for myself to be in race condition, and, of course, the team works very hard. So, this was our goal and today we achieved our goal together, and it's very special.
If I can win the tour, which is the plan, then back-to-back wins in the Tour of Japan will be very special for myself and the team. So, for the next two days, we give our everything to fight and control the race. And, hopefully, we can arrive in Tokyo wearing the Green Jersey together.”

KOJIMA Naoki (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING)
“We were up by three points, but I think it was good that we didn't get the points turned around. Tomorrow is the stage suitable for our team, so I will work with everyone to defend the Red Jersey. If there is a chance, I would like to try to win the stage as well.”

Luke LAMPERTI (TRINITY RACING) – Blue Jersey Wearer
“It was a really cool experience, a stage that I may or may not ride once in my life. Of course, I'm not a climber, so it wasn't the best stage for me personally. It's special to be able to say that we raced on Fujisan. I had checked out the course online, but you never really know what to expect until you actually do it. It was a really tough stage.”

Liam JOHNSTON (TRINITY RACING)
“I've been racing in Europe, and the past few stages I've felt really good, specially up all the climbs, that's why I expected to be going pretty well at Mt. Fuji.
And the strategy for today, there was not much drop-out in the front group, so I just rode my own pace in most of the climb and I think I came in about the limit. I stayed with them till the first 6 or 7km of the climb. I got over my limit though, in order to get to the top without completely losing all my energy, I decided to pace myself. And that's how I finished the climb.”