First and most importantly here is the You Tube link to the race, which I presume will be in Japanese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtkxMl4QA08
14 laps around this race course:
I find this race to be very entertaining even with struggling to figure out the riders. (Here is the link to PCS’ startlist which you should keep handy: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/japan-cup/2024/startlist
It is climby enough so the winners need to be in decent form, plus the finish line is not at the top of the climb so it is possible for someone without a great punch can win it, again if their form is good. Also EF/Vaughters takes this race seriously which seems to raise the seriousness for the other teams and after it is over I tend to think that I wish I could see these riders race a few more days over this course.
Recent winder do tend to be climby guys but not exclusively: Mollema has won it twice, Rui Costa, Powless, Nathan Hass, Marco Canola. Often the race ends in a small uphill bunch sprint which is not something we see every race.
So who to look out for
- EF riders, specifically Powless and Archie Ryan, both of whom seem to be in good form. They also have Steinhauser and Nerurkar as back up so good team for this race.
- Lidi Trek is also bringing some heat with Mad Pedersen along with Bagioli and Skuijns, who won the crit race, all of whom could bring the win home.
- Bahrain has Mohoric and Zambanini
- Jayco has Simon Right Yates and Mauro Schmid who was second in the crit race
- Israel has Michael Woods, who has come in second before.
- This is also Yukiya Arashiro’s last race of his career having turned 40 last month.
So who do I think?
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