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9th Tour of Japan - 2.2
Japan, May 15-22, 2005
Main Page Results Overall standings Next Stage
Stage 1 - May 15: Senboku Circuit Sakai City (Osaka), 140.8km
Wonderful success for young Australian
By Miwako Sasaki in Osaka
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Australian Mathew Goss won the first stage of the 9th Tour of Japan in Osaka, getting the better of a 1-2 finish with his teammate Nicholas Sanderson in a bunch sprint.
94 riders started the stage under blue skies, and it was a very hot day. The first stage was 11 laps of a flat 12.8km circuit, and there were many attacks in the early part of the race. Luca Celli (Team Barloworld) was particularly aggressive, but the peloton didn't allow any early breakaway.
Finally, seven riders got away from the peloton at four laps to go, including last year's winner Shinichi Fukushima (Team Bridgestone), Gian Paolo Cheula (Team Barloworld), and Kam Po Wong (Purapharm). The breakaway had 50 seconds lead, but the Australian Team worked hard at the front of the peloton and caught them in the final kilometres.
Goss passed the last corner in second or third wheel at 350m to go, but he was the strongest of the bunch, finishing first and holding up his arms with Sanderson. The young Australian is only 18 years old and it was the second race for him in the senior ranks after he rode Giro delle Regioni in Italy (April 25-May 1).
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At the press conference, Goss thanked the Australian National Team who brought him to Japan and worked hard for him today. Goss also took the green leader's jersey and the blue points jersey, and he was the only rider who was celebrated at the protocol ceremony today, because the sprint competition doesn't exist this year, as the race has become very hilly.
Australian Team report
By Brian Stephens, Australian U23 Team Manager
Today's first stage of the Tour of Japan, held in Osaka, ended with a 1-2 victory for the AIS Mapei Aqua Australian team. Matt Goss took his first international win since leaving the junior ranks and Nic Sanderson rattled home to take second. In a great team effort, the boys mowed down a seven-rider break over the last of 11 laps of a 12 km course. They caught the escapers with 3km remaining and forced the pace until the sprint. Another three Australians are here riding for Indonesian team, Wismilak. They are Dave McKenzie, Phil Thuaux and Chris Bradford. Matt Also leads the points classification.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Miwako Sasaki/Cyclingnews.com
- Supporters of the Fukushima brothers get ready for the race.
- The Fukushima brothers Koji (middle) and Shinichi (right) are the most popular in the Tour of Japan.
- The Australian national team at the start of the first stage
- The peloton goes up a hill in Osaka city.
- Small Japanese spectators watch the race for the first time.
- The crowd waits for a dramatic sprint at the finish.
- Australian Mathew Goss (left) takes the first stage, with his teammate Nicholas Sanderson in second.
- '"We did it!" Mathew Goss (left) and Nicholas Sanderson (right).
- Mathew Goss gets the green leader's jersey.
- Mathew Goss also gets the blue points jersey.
Results
1 Mathew Goss (Aus) Australian National Team 3.01.58 2 Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Australian National Team 3 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 4 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 5 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 6 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 7 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 8 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 9 Jacques Fullard (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 10 Ngai Ching Wong (HKg) Purapharm 11 Kaoru Ouchi (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 12 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 13 Kaoru Obata (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 14 Matnur Matnur (Ina) Wismilak International Team 15 Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Purapharm 16 Bernard Luzon (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 17 Wang Yip Tang (HKg) Purapharm 18 Ken Hashikawa (Jpn) Kinan CCD 19 Paolo Longoborghini (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 20 Eugen Wacker (Kgz) Cycling Team Capec 21 Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 22 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 23 Kin San Wu (HKg) Purapharm 24 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Australian National Team 25 Kai Tsun Lam (HKg) Purapharm 26 Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 27 Manabu Hirose (Jpn) Kinan CCD 28 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Kinan CCD 29 Kuei Hsiang Peng (Jpn) Kinan CCD 30 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 31 Tomas Martinez (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 32 Merculio Ramos (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 33 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Team Nippo 34 Fredrik Johansson (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 35 David Mckenzie (Aus) Wismilak International Team 36 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 37 John-Lee Augustyn (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 38 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 39 Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 40 George Schoonraad (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 41 Yasuhiro Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Nippo 42 Victor Espiritu (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 43 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 44 Atsushi Takano (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 45 Ronald Gorantes (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 46 Hideo Yoshida (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 47 David Plaza (Spa) Team Barloworld-Valsir 48 Christopher Bradford (Aus) Wismilak International Team 49 James Perry (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 50 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Wismilak International Team 51 Luca Celli (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 52 Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 53 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 54 Yuyu Nakamoto (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 55 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 56 Takuya Nishimura (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 57 Kairat Baigudinov (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 58 Gian Paolo Cheula (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 59 Satoshi Hirose (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 60 Mitsuteru Tanaka (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 61 Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 62 Felix Rafael Cardenas Ravalo (Col) Team Barloworld-Valsir 63 Joel Calderon (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 64 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 65 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 66 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Team Nippo 67 Daisuke Hioki (Jpn) Kinan CCD 68 Taiki Kawasaki (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 69 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 70 Yasuhiro Nito (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 71 Wawan Setyobudi (Ina) Wismilak International Team 72 Hiroyuki Ogita (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 73 Koki Shimbo (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 74 Shinichi Amagasa (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 75 Tonton Susanto (Ina) Wismilak International Team 76 Viktor Shestakov (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 77 Kam Po Wong (HKg) Purapharm 78 Simon Clarke (Aus) Australian National Team 79 Mathew Rex (Aus) Australian National Team 80 James Meadley (Aus) Australian National Team 81 Yoshiaki Sudo (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 82 Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 83 Kyoshi Miura (Jpn) Kinan CCD 0.20 84 Kojiro Nakagawa (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 85 Junya Sano (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 10.00 86 Kenji Tsuzuki (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 88 Masashi Fujita (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 20.00 89 Toshiyuki Tsuji (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 90 Yuji Osabe (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 91 Katsunosuke Ikeda (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 92 Yoshihisa Kimura (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 93 Takashi Kanda (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design General classification after stage 1 1 Mathew Goss (Aus) Australian National Team 3.01.58 2 Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Australian National Team 3 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 4 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 5 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 6 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 7 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 8 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 9 Jacques Fullard (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 10 Ngai Ching Wong (HKg) Purapharm 11 Kaoru Ouchi (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 12 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 13 Kaoru Obata (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 14 Matnur Matnur (Ina) Wismilak International Team 15 Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Purapharm 16 Bernard Luzon (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 17 Wang Yip Tang (HKg) Purapharm 18 Ken Hashikawa (Jpn) Kinan CCD 19 Paolo Longoborghini (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 20 Eugen Wacker (Kgz) Cycling Team Capec 21 Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 22 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 23 Kin San Wu (HKg) Purapharm 24 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Australian National Team 25 Kai Tsun Lam (HKg) Purapharm 26 Andrey Mizurov (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 27 Manabu Hirose (Jpn) Kinan CCD 28 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Kinan CCD 29 Kuei Hsiang Peng (Jpn) Kinan CCD 30 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 31 Tomas Martinez (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 32 Merculio Ramos (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 33 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Team Nippo 34 Fredrik Johansson (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 35 David Mckenzie (Aus) Wismilak International Team 36 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 37 John-Lee Augustyn (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 38 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 39 Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 40 George Schoonraad (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 41 Yasuhiro Yamamoto (Jpn) Team Nippo 42 Victor Espiritu (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 43 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 44 Atsushi Takano (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 45 Ronald Gorantes (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 46 Hideo Yoshida (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 47 David Plaza (Spa) Team Barloworld-Valsir 48 Christopher Bradford (Aus) Wismilak International Team 49 James Perry (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 50 Phillip Thuaux (Aus) Wismilak International Team 51 Luca Celli (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 52 Yoshimasa Hirose (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 53 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 54 Yuyu Nakamoto (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 55 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 56 Takuya Nishimura (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 57 Kairat Baigudinov (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 58 Gian Paolo Cheula (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 59 Satoshi Hirose (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 60 Mitsuteru Tanaka (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 61 Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 62 Felix Rafael Cardenas Ravalo (Col) Team Barloworld-Valsir 63 Joel Calderon (Phi) Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 64 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 65 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Shimano-Memory Corp 66 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Team Nippo 67 Daisuke Hioki (Jpn) Kinan CCD 68 Taiki Kawasaki (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 69 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 70 Yasuhiro Nito (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 71 Wawan Setyobudi (Ina) Wismilak International Team 72 Hiroyuki Ogita (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 73 Koki Shimbo (Jpn) Aisan-Ind Racing Team 74 Shinichi Amagasa (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 75 Tonton Susanto (Ina) Wismilak International Team 76 Viktor Shestakov (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 77 Kam Po Wong (HKg) Purapharm 78 Simon Clarke (Aus) Australian National Team 79 Mathew Rex (Aus) Australian National Team 80 James Meadley (Aus) Australian National Team 81 Yoshiaki Sudo (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 82 Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 83 Kyoshi Miura (Jpn) Kinan CCD 0.20 84 Kojiro Nakagawa (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 85 Junya Sano (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 10.00 86 Kenji Tsuzuki (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 88 Masashi Fujita (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 20.00 89 Toshiyuki Tsuji (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design 90 Yuji Osabe (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 91 Katsunosuke Ikeda (Jpn) Nalsima Friend 92 Yoshihisa Kimura (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 93 Takashi Kanda (Jpn) Nakagawa As K'design Points classification 1 Mathew Goss (Aus) Australian National Team 15 pts 2 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 14 3 Nicholas Sanderson (Aus) Australian National Team 12 4 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Cycling Team Capec 10 5 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Australian National Team 8 6 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Team Barloworld-Valsir 8 7 Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 7 8 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Miyata-Subaru 6 9 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 6 10 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 5 11 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor 2 12 Jacques Fullard (RSA) Team Konica Minolta 2 13 Ngai Ching Wong (HKg) Purapharm 1 Teams classification 1 Australian National Team 9.05.54 2 Purapharm 3 Cycling Team Capec 4 Miyata-Subaru 5 Team Barloworld-Valsir 6 Kinan CCD 7 Casino Filipino-Pro Cycling Team 8 Team Konica Minolta 9 Sumita Ravanello Pearl Izumi 10 Shimano-Memory Corp 11 Team Bridgestone Anchor 12 Wismilak International Team 13 Nalsima Friend 14 Aisan-Ind Racing Team 15 Team Nippo 16 Nakagawa As K'design 10.00
