2018 Japan Cup (HC)
2018 Japan Cup (HC)
27th edition: Sunday, October 21, 2018
Japan Cup podium history | 2017 edition | 2019 edition | Course map & Profile | Start list
Sunday, October 22: Utsunomiya - Utsunomiya, Japan, 14 x 10.3 km laps = 144.2 km
Robert Power beats Antwan Tolhoek in a two-up sprint. Yuchiro Hosoda photo
The race: Here's the report from winner Robert Power's Mitchelton-Scott team.
After finishing on the podium in third place back in 2016, Rob Power secured the win in style in his last race for Mitchelton-SCOTT at the Japan Cup, attacking out of the leading group on the final lap before sprinting to victory.
Well placed alongside teammate Jack Haig at the front of the bunch as the race came back together over the final circuits, Power stayed attentive as the key attacks went and formed part of a leading group of six before accelerating clear with Antwan Tolhoek (LottoNL-Jumbo) on the last climb.
Gaining a significant gap over the chasers, Power and Tolhoek hit the drag up to the line together with Power coming around the Dutchman to take an impressive win from the two-up sprint and wrap up the season on a high.
Decisive moments:
A beautiful sunny Japanese morning welcomed the riders to the start line for 14 x laps of the 10.3kilometre circuit around Utsunomiya Forest and it didn’t take long for an early break to form with three riders up the road after half an hour of racing.
By the halfway point the trio held around one-minute 30seconds on the bunch and so it remained until three laps to go when the group split over the climb and accelerations out of the bunch brought the race back together again.
Both Haig and Power were well positioned towards the front, but it was Power who found himself on the front foot as part of a six-rider attack going into the closing 20kilometres.
It was a strong move and Power quickly realised that this could be the chance as he attacked the final climb alongside Tolhoek, splitting the group and gaining around 40seconds lead as the pair sped towards the finish.
Power played it smart in the final, coming around Tolhoek inside the last kilometre to take a convincing victory with a powerful late surge. Neo-pro and compatriot Rob Stannard also finished well and inside the top ten for eighth to secure the best young rider's jersey.
Rob Power:
“The whole team rode really well today, and it was nice to be back racing in Japan. I really enjoyed this race two years ago, so to come back here and win is great.”
“It’s a special win because it’s my last race in Mitchelton-SCOTT colours and I really wanted to come here and do my best to say thank you for the last few years.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time with the team and I am pleased we were able to get a result here and close out the season in such a positive way.”
Complete Results:
144.2 kilometers raced at an average speed of 38.625 km/hr
| 1 | POWER Robert | Mitchelton-Scott | 3hr 44min 0sec |
| 2 | TOLHOEK Antwan | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 3 | BRESCHEL Matti | EF Education First-Drapac | @ 40sec |
| 4 | ROCHE Nicolas | BMC | s.t. |
| 5 | SANTAROMITA Ivan | Nippo-Vini Fantini | 0:42 |
| 6 | CANOLA Marco | Nippo-Vini Fantini | 2:02 |
| 7 | GESINK Robert | LottoNL-Jumbo | 2:07 |
| 8 | STANNARD Robert | Mitchelton-Scott | 2:26 |
| 9 | DE KORT Koen | Trek-Segafredo | s.t. |
| 10 | HUCKER Robbie | Team UKYO | s.t. |
| 11 | POGAČAR Tadej | Ljubljana Gusto Xaurum | s.t. |
| 12 | NAKANE Hideto | Nippo-Vini Fantini | s.t. |
| 13 | FELLINE Fabio | Trek-Segafredo | s.t. |
| 14 | PRADES Benjamín | Team UKYO | s.t. |
| 15 | OVETT Freddy | BMC | s.t. |
| 16 | AMEZAWA Takeaki | Utsunomiya Blitzen | s.t. |
| 17 | ISHIGAMI Masahiro | Japanese National Team | s.t. |
| 18 | LEBAS Thomas | Kinan Cycling | s.t. |
| 19 | GUARDIOLA Salvador | Kinan Cycling | s.t. |
| 20 | OLIVIER Daan | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 21 | ROSSKOPF Joey | BMC | s.t. |
| 22 | BAGIOLI Nicola | Nippo-Vini Fantini | 2:31 |
| 23 | MASUDA Nariyuki | Utsunomiya Blitzen | 2:34 |
| 24 | HAIG Jack | Mitchelton-Scott | 2:43 |
| 25 | WYNANTS Maarten | LottoNL-Jumbo | 4:50 |
| 26 | OKA Atsushi | Utsunomiya Blitzen | 5:03 |
| 27 | SUZUKI Ryu | Utsunomiya Blitzen | 5:09 |
| 28 | KUBOKI Kazushige | Bridgestone Cycling | s.t. |
| 29 | MATSUDA Shoi | Japanese National Team | s.t. |
| 30 | HATANAKA Yusuke | Team UKYO | s.t. |
| 31 | IRIBE Shotaro | Shimano | s.t. |
| 32 | SCHÖNBERGER Sebastian | Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia | s.t. |
| 33 | EYOB Metkel | Terengganu Cycling | s.t. |
| 34 | MINATO Ryo | Shimano | s.t. |
| 35 | PLANET Charles | Novo Nordisk | s.t. |
| 36 | YAMAMOTO Masaki | Kinan Cycling | s.t. |
| 37 | LOZANO David | Novo Nordisk | s.t. |
| 38 | TORIBIO José | Matrix Powertag | s.t. |
| 39 | YAMAMOTO Genki | Kinan Cycling | s.t. |
| 40 | ZARDINI Edoardo | Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia | s.t. |
| 41 | POTTER Michael | Australian Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 42 | SIRIRONNACHAI Sarawut | Thailand Continental | 5:15 |
| 43 | DEGENKOLB John | Trek-Segafredo | 5:23 |
| 44 | TIZZA Marco | Nippo-Vini Fantini | s.t. |
| 45 | BOUWMAN Koen | LottoNL-Jumbo | s.t. |
| 46 | DOMBROWSKI Joe | EF Education First-Drapac | s.t. |
| 47 | HATSUYAMA Sho | Nippo-Vini Fantini | s.t. |
| 48 | WATANABE Ayumu | Japanese National Team | 8:16 |
| 49 | KUSABA Keigo | Japanese National Team | 8:20 |
| 50 | NAKATA Takuya | Shimano | 8:22 |
| 51 | YASUHARA Daiki | Matrix Powertag | 8:24 |
| 52 | PHOUNSAVATH Ariya | Thailand Continental | 8:42 |
| 53 | BRAND Sam | Novo Nordisk | s.t. |
| 54 | SAI-UDOMSIN Phuchong | Thailand Continental | s.t. |
| 55 | MONK Cyrus | EF Education First-Drapac | s.t. |
| 56 | TAKEYAMA Kosuke | Team UKYO | s.t. |
| 57 | BATMUNKH Maral-erdene | Terengganu Cycling | s.t. |
| 58 | RAGGIO Luca | Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia | s.t. |
| 59 | BETTIOL Alberto | BMC | s.t. |
| 60 | GARCÍA Marcos | Kinan Cycling | s.t. |
| 61 | ARASHIRO Yudai | Kinan Cycling | s.t. |
| 62 | BEPPU Fumiyuki | Trek-Segafredo | s.t. |
| 63 | SHIBATA Masayuki | Nasu Blasen | 9:08 |
| 64 | YOKOYAMA Kota | Shimano | s.t. |
| 65 | OVECHKIN Artem | Terengganu Cycling | 11:54 |
| 66 | KOISHI Yuma | Team UKYO | s.t. |
| 67 | KIMURA Keisuke | Shimano | s.t. |
| 68 | ORCHARD Toby | Australian Cycling Academy | s.t. |
| 69 | FONZI Giuseppe | Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia | s.t. |
Course map
Race profile
Start list with back numbers, October 20, 2018:
| NIPPO-VINI FANTINI | |
| 1 | CANOLA Marco |
| 2 | HATSUYAMA Sho |
| 3 | NAKANE Hideto |
| 4 | BAGIOLI Nicola |
| 5 | TIZZA Marco |
| 6 | SANTAROMITA Ivan |
| BMC | |
| 11 | BETTIOL Alberto |
| 12 | EVANS Alexander |
| 13 | GERRANS Simon |
| 14 | OVETT Freddy |
| 15 | ROCHE Nicholas |
| 16 | ROSSKOPF Joey |
| MITCHELTON-SCOTT | |
| 21 | HAYMAN Mathew |
| 22 | POWER Robert |
| 23 | HAIG Jack |
| 24 | CHAVES RUBIO Brayan |
| 25 | STANNARD Robert |
| 26 | TUFT Svein |
| EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC | |
| 31 | BRESCHEL Matti |
| 32 | CANTY Brendan |
| 33 | DOMBROWSKI Joseph |
| 34 | OWEN Logan |
| 35 | MONK Cyrus |
| 36 | NEVES José |
| LOTTO NL-JUMBO | |
| 41 | GESINK Robert |
| 42 | BOOM Lars |
| 43 | BOUWMAN Koen |
| 44 | OLIVIER Daan |
| 45 | WYNANTS Maarten |
| 46 | TOLHOEK Antwan |
| TREK-SEGAFREDO | |
| 51 | ALAFACI Eugenio |
| 52 | BEPPU Fumiyuki |
| 53 | DE KORT Koen |
| 54 | DEGENKOLB John |
| 55 | DIDIER Laurent |
| 56 | FELLINE Fabio |
| NOVO NORDISK | |
| 61 | BRAND Sam |
| 62 | HENTTALA Joonas |
| 63 | LOZANO David |
| 64 | PLANET Charles |
| 65 | POLI Umberto |
| 66 | WILLIAMS Christopher |
| WILIER TRIESTINA-SELLE ITALIA | |
| 71 | POZZATO Filippo |
| 72 | FONZI Giuseppe |
| 73 | RAGGIO Luca |
| 74 | ZARDINI Edoardo |
| 75 | ZHUPA Eugert |
| 76 | SCHÖNBERGER Sebastian |
| 7 ELEVEN-CLIQQ ROADBIKE PHILIPPINES | |
| 81 | KANEKO Daisuke |
| 82 | GALEDO Mark John Lexer |
| 83 | OKA Yasumasa |
| 84 | CARINO Daniel Ver |
| 85 | PEREZ Dominic |
| 86 | MARTIN Bonijoe |
| AUSTRALIAN CYCLING ACADEMY-RIDE SUNSHINE COAST | |
| 91 | POTTER Michael |
| 92 | ORCHARD Toby |
| 93 | MACKAY Ashley |
| 94 | NOBLE Jonathon |
| 95 | WELSFORD Sam |
| 96 | SCOTT Cameron |
| LJUBLJANA GUSTO XAURUM | |
| 101 | POGACAR Tadej |
| 102 | JERMAN Ziga |
| 104 | RUCIGAJ Ziga |
| 105 | POTOCKI Viktor |
| 106 | GUY Timothy |
| TERENGGANU CYCLING | |
| 111 | MAT AMIN Mohd |
| 112 | LAKASEK Irwandie |
| 113 | BATMUNKH Maral-Erdene |
| 114 | GOH Choon Huat |
| 115 | OVECHKIN Artem |
| 116 | EYOB Metkel |
| THAILAND CONTINENTAL | |
| 121 | DESTRIBOIS Alex |
| 122 | CHAWCHIANGKWANG Peerapol |
| 123 | LIPHONGYU Nawuti |
| 124 | SAI-UDOMSIN Phuchong |
| 125 | SIRIONNACHAI Sarawut |
| 126 | BOONRATANATHANAKORN Turakit |
| KINAN CYCLING | |
| 131 | YAMAMOTO Genki |
| 132 | LEBAS Thomas |
| 133 | GARCIA Marcos |
| 134 | GUARDIOLA Salvador |
| 135 | ARASHIRO Yudai |
| 136 | YAMAMOTO Masaki |
| TEAM UKYO | |
| 141 | PUJOL Oscar |
| 142 | PRADES Benjamín |
| 143 | HUCKER Robbie |
| 144 | KOISHI Yuma |
| 145 | HATANAKA Yusuke |
| 146 | TAKEYAMA Kosuke |
| UTSUNOMIYA BLITZEN | |
| 151 | MASUDA Nariyuki |
| 152 | SUZUKI Yuzuru |
| 153 | SUZUKI Ryu |
| 154 | AMEZAWA Takeaki |
| 155 | OKA Atsushi |
| 156 | ONODERA Rei |
| MATRIX POWERTAG | |
| 161 | TORIBIO Jose |
| 162 | FERNANDEZ Airan |
| 163 | SANO Junya |
| 165 | YASUHARA Daiki |
| 166 | MUKAIGAWA Naoki |
| BRIDGESTONE CYCLING | |
| 171 | KUBOKI Kazushige |
| 172 | HORI Takaaki |
| 173 | ISHIBASHI Manabu |
| 174 | OKUBO Jin |
| 175 | HARADA Hiroaki |
| 176 | MAGOSAKI Daiki |
| SHIMANO | |
| 181 | IRIBE Shotaro |
| 182 | KIMURA Keisuke |
| 183 | MINATO Ryo |
| 184 | KUROEDA Saya |
| 185 | YOKOYAMA Kota |
| 186 | NAKATA Takuya |
| NASU BLASEN | |
| 191 | SHIMOJIMA Masaki |
| 192 | KISHI Takahito |
| 193 | NISHIO Hayato |
| 194 | SHIBATA Masayuki |
| 195 | HIGUCHI Takaaki |
| 196 | YUTO Yoshida |
| JAPAN NATIONAL TEAM | |
| 201 | ISHIGAMI Masahiro |
| 202 | MATSUDA Shoi |
| 203 | OMAE Kakeru |
| 204 | KUSABA Keigo |
| 205 | WATANABE Ayumu |
| 206 | ISHIHARA Yuki |
| CRITERIUM SPECIAL RIDERS | |
| 211 | MORI Manuele |
| 212 | NAKAMURA Ryutaro |
| 213 | KOSAKA Hikaru |
| 214 | FUKUDA Shinpei |
| 215 | WATANABE Masamitsu |
| 216 | KUROEDA Shiki |