ツアー・オブ・ジャパン 2024

Matteo MALUCELLI (JCL TEAM UKYO) wins bunch sprint and takes Blue Jersey
Max WALKER (ASTANA QAZAQSTAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM) placed 2nd in the stage, defends his position as overall leader 

The JPF Kyoto stage, the first massed-start road race of the event, was brought to a bunch sprint, which was won by Matteo MALUCELLI of JCL TEAM UKYO. Max WALKER (ASTANA QAZAQSTAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM), who rode well to finish 2nd in the stage, could have kept the Green Jersey.

The stage started at Fugenji Fureaino Eki, and after a 6.6km neutral section, the riders completed six laps of the 16.8km Seika-cho (town) Keihanna Plaza Circuit Course, a total distance of 103.6km. The first King of Mountain (KOM) point was set from the Stage2 and the battle for the KOM prize was also featured to watch the race.

On the first lap, Ryan CAVANAGH (KINAN RACING TEAM) made an attack and by the end of the first lap, three riders, NAKAI Tadaaki (SHIMANO RACING TEAM), TAKEYAMA Kosuke (UTSUNOMIYA BLITZEN) and Kongphob THIMACHAI (ROOJAI INSURANCE) had caught up and formed a lead group.

ASTANA QAZAQSTAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM and JCL TEAM UKYO controlled the peloton and kept the time gap to the front group of 4 riders by 1 to 2 minutes throughout the race.

CAVANAGH (KINAN RACING TEAM) led the sprint points on the second lap and fourth lap, both with a total of 6 seconds in bonus time. NAKAI (SHIMANO RACING TEAM) crossed first at the KOM point on both of the third lap and fifth lap to clinch the mountain prize at the Kyoto stage.

The main group caught the breakaway at the mountain point of the final lap and came to the finish line as a group at Keihanna Plaza. WALKER (ASTANA QAZAQSTAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM) attacked before the final corner and pulled away from the chasing pack, but with 50 meters to the finish line, MALUCELLI (JCL TEAM UKYO) reversed the move and won the bunch sprint.

WALKER, who finished second in the stage, added bonus time and retained the Green Jersey (overall leader's jersey). MALUCELLI who had moved up and wore the Blue Jersey (points jersey) today ended the day as the points leader. TERADA Yoshiki also kept the White Jersey (young rider award) and finished 5th in the stage today.

Max WALKER (ASTANA QAZAQSTAN DEVELOPMENT TEAM) – Green Jersey Wearer
“To keep the Green Jersey, I know I had to finish maybe top three today, because people in 8 seconds gap are really fast in sprint and it was their favorite stage day. At the last climb, we tried to make hard, but unfortunately the climbers were too fast. At 1km to go, I tried to attacked, because I knew I had a better chance. The team really did a good job to control today. When we did laps, I knew I am fast to run corner, so I had a confidence. If I go the gap, maybe I could go to make it to finish, but the finish line was 50 meters to far. I am still happy to keep the jersey.”

Matteo MALUCELLI (JCL TEAM UKYO) – Stage2 Winner & Blue Jersey Wearer
“Max did a strong attack and I thought it was impossible to come back to win. But I felt head wind and a little up at the last few meters to the finish from the previous lap, so I stayed and followed the White Jersey till the last 100 meters. Max lost his speed and I could come back to win. I was wearing the Blue Jersey today as an upward move, and I am really happy because now I can really wear it as my own.”

NAKAI Tadaaki (SHIMANO RACING TEAM) – Red Jersey Wearer
“I was looking for revenge for last year's stage where I didn't win the climber's prize. In the breakaway group, mutual interests were aligned. TERADA was wearing the White Jersey and the team has a lot of momentum. Tomorrow's Inabe stage has a tough uphill ‘INABERG’, but I want to escape aggressively and do my best to defense the jersey.”

TERADA Yoshiki (SHIMANO RACING TEAM) – White Jersey Wearer
“With 1km to go, Max was about 5 seconds ahead of me, but I was 4th in the group behind him and started sprinting into the final corner. With 250m to go, I had no choice but to go full gas and, in the end, IMAMURA (JAPAN NATIONAL TEAM), MALUCELLI (JCL TEAM UKYO), and KUSABA (AISAN RACING TEAM) overtook me and I finished 5th. The team did a good job, but in the end, there was a difference in power."