Mori takes first win in last race of the season

By Gregor Brown

Manuele Mori of Saunier Duval-Prodir closed his 2007 season with his first elite win since turning professional in 2002. The 27 year-old Tuscan rider, guided by Directeur Sportif Matteo Algeri, won the 16th Japan Cup after 151.3 kilometres of racing ahead of German Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner) and compatriot Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre-Fondital).

Mori concluded the race with an advantage of six seconds over a group of six riders that included team-mates Jesús Del Nero and Rubens Bertogliati (fourth and sixth).

It is the team's second win in the one-day Japanese race, following on last year's win by Riccardo Riccò. The Italian from Modena lost time when he crashed in the finale.

Top home rider was Yukiya Arashiro of Team Nippo Corporation.

See the complete results and photo gallery from the 2007 Japan Cup here.