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What is Trade Team?
...There is no exact distinctions between professional and amateur teams in the cycle world, thus the word "Professional Team" is no longer appropriate word. Instead of the word, English word "Trade Team" has been used in Japan. Trade is what is called trademark, and trade teams are the teams which are supported by commercial sponsors. Among Japanese 3 riders Osamu Kurimura of Mroz, Ken Hashikawa and Masahiko Mifune of Tonissteiner belong to trade teams which are based in Europe.
One Day Race and Stage Race
...For cycle road races, there are two tournament systems. One is one day races and the other stage races. One day races are the races which are held in a day. All riders start off at the same time, and the riders who is the first to cross the goal win the prize. Stage races are the races which are held for over several days. There is a stage for each day, and there is the winner for each stage, but the rider whose total running time is the shortest win the general individual time classification. Tour of Japan is one of the stage races.
Category Classification
...Except special races like the Tour de France and World Cup series, most cycle races are divided 6 categories by its status or importance of each race. The small number among the categories is recognized the important event, and this Tour of Japan is categorized 4th. 80 points will be given the team which won the general time team classification, and 10 points will be given the team which won a stage prize.
Leader's Jersey
...For stage races, the rider whose total running time is the shortest win the general individual time classification. At an Official Ceremony of presentation after each stage finish, the winner will be given the leader's jersey as the proof of championship and starts the next-day stage wearing the leader's jersey. The rider who is given this leader's jersey on the official platform of honor on the last day of the event is awarded as the general individual time classification in that year. The leader's jersey for the world largest cycle race, Tour de France is yellow. It is called "Maillot Jaune" which means yellow jersey in French, its existence is like a dream for riders. The leader's jersey for the Tour of Japan is fresh green which is designed by the image of fresh green in May.
Tour de France
..Tour de France is the largest cycle race and one of the biggest events in the sports circles like the World Cup for soccer and Olympic. The event is held for 23 days every July and riders go around France. The total distance is around 3900 kilometers. There are difficult points like Pyreneen and Alps, and only about two-thirds of 200 participants can reach Champs-Elisee, the gay city of Paris. This year's event is the 85th Tour de France and will start from Dublin, Ireland on July 11 and make a triumphal return to Paris on August 2.
UCI Ranking
..There is the system which determines a cycle rider's world ranking like ATP ranking for tennis. All races on the calendar of UCI are categorized by its importance, and the corresponding points will be given the winners by their results of each race. UCI individual ranking will be determined by the aggregate points. The present UCI 1st ranking is Laurent Jalabert (France) of Once team. Team ranking and country ranking are determined by this point for each rider. Team ranking is determined by the total points of top 8 riders of each team, and country ranking is determined by the total points of top 10 riders of each country.
Division 1
..Trade teams are divided 2. The one is Division 1 which consists of 22 teams and the teams can preferentially participate in the series tournaments of famed one day races or the World Cup, and the other is Division 2 and all other teams belong to this division. First, top 16 teams of UCI team ranking on December 31, 1997 at the present are selected for Division 1 and among the teams which were left off the selection, top 6 team of the ranking on January 15, 1998 when riders' transfers have finished, are selected. Cantina Tollo will first participate in this year's Tour of Japan as a team of Division 1.
Group Goal
..In the past, all teams were ranked same except the first winning team in the cycle tournaments. At present, the international ranking system has been introduced, and this idea is changing. However, the tradition of the idea is still existed everywhere. In the actual races, many riders rush into the goal at the same time. This is the exciting point of road races, but the riders are always in danger. To avoid the unnecessary competition, the time which the leading rider reaches the goal, will be given all riders of the pack when many riders reach the goal at the same time. The group goal is often given in the flat stages where there is no big difference in times.
Assist
..Cycling tournaments are called the battle of team plays. Even if there is an excellent ace, the person can not win if there is no assistant who protects from winds, carries bottles from a support car. For each race, all riders will assist the ace except the rider who is named for the ace. The ace might be changed depending on the race developments. This is the exciting point for cycle races.
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