NTN presents 2018 ツアー・オブ・ジャパン

The third stage was held Inabe city, where is located in the northern end of Mie prefecture.

The peloton started parade run in front of Ageki station of Sangi Railway, Hokusei line and head to the circuit of 14.8 km per lap.  The riders run 8 laps in the circuit, competing the KOM (Category 2) at the 2nd and 3rd laps and the sprint points at the 3rd and 6th laps.  The total distance is 127km with 1650m elevation gain.  It was easy to guess increasing temperature, since it was blue sky and strong sunshine from the morning.

Soon after the actual start, the large crash was happened.  Yukiya ARASHIRO (BARHRAIN – MERIDA) and the 2nd stage winner, Takeaki AMEZAWA (UTSUNOMIYA BLITZEN) were involved in the crash, but went back to the peloton while treating the injuries.

After several attacks in the front group, Damien MONIER (AISAN RACING TEAM) and Yuma KOISHI (TEAM UKYO) made a breakaway.

The Green Jersey wearer team, BAHRAIN – MERIDA controlled the peloton all the time and targeted the stage win in Inabe for Grega BOLE (BAHRAIN – MERIDA) who finished 2nd in the Kyoto stage and an actual leader in the peloton yesterday.  Surprisingly, ARASHIRO led the peloton with bloody face.  The time gap between the breakaway and the peloton was only 1 minute and 20 seconds at a maximum.

There was no battle for the intermediate sprint point.  KOISHI made an attack first and crossed the line of KOM point for both and won the Red Jersey.

At the 6th lap, some teams tried to get a position for the finish sprint and caught the two of the front group.

ARASHIRO showed real power to lead the front group in the 7th lap and tried to separate the peloton.  In the last few meters to the finish, the front group was formed with about 30 riders who are really strong riders and Marco CANOLA (NIPPO – VINI FANTINI- EUROPE OVINI) tried to attack from the group for the consecutive stage win in Inabe after last year’s win here.  BOLE reacted to his attack well, positioned behind of CANOLA, started sprint from the left side of CANOLA and crossed the line first.  He respond to ARASHIRO and his teammate for their hard work.

BOLE has kept the Green Jersey and also won the Blue Jersey today.  The best Japanese rider is Kazushige KUBOKI (TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING) and the Red Jersey goes to Yuma KOISHI (TEAM UKYO).

“My team really worked hard for my stage win all together.  I would sincerely like to appreciate my team mates to show their great performance, especially for Yukiya, because he crashed in the middle of the race.”

“When I started to breakaway, I didn’t care about the KOM.  I did it for a stage win for my team mate and wanted to save his power.  I am glad to win the KOM as a result.”