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Tour of Japan - 2.2

Japan, May 20-27, 2007

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Stage 6 - May 26: Shuzenji Stadium - Japan Cycle Sports Center, 128.5 km

Froome's solo break, Masciarelli holds the lead

By Miwako Sasaki

Chris Froome wins
Photo ©: Miwako Sasaki
(Click for larger image)

Kenyan-born Briton Chris Froome (Team Konica Minolta) won the sixth stage of the 11th Tour of Japan in Izu after a successful solo break. Points jersey competition leader Valentin Iglinskiy (Kazakhstan National Team) finished in second, 40 seconds behind Froome while Italian Francesco Masciarelli (Acqua e Sappone-Caffe Mokambo) kept his green leader's jersey with just one stage remaining.

The sixth stage started in front of Shuzenji station for the first time, and the peloton rode an 8.5 km neutral course from the station to the circuit at Japan Cycle Sports Center which featured a very hilly 8km section. Andrea Masciarell (Acqua e Sappone-Caffe Mokambo) - brother of race leader Francesco - fell on the circuit breaking his hand and was forced to abandon the race.

How it unfolded

On the first of 14 laps on the circuit, Froome jumped from the peloton. Two Kazakhs, Alexandr Dyachenko and Andrey Medyanikov (Kazakhstan National Team), and Alessandro Donati (Acqua e Sappone-Caffe Mokambo) caught Froome - along with Yukiya Arashiro and Koji Fukushima (Nippo Corporation) and Kazuyuki Manabe (Team JBCF). The eight-man break gained a 50 second advantage on the peloton, which was controlled by French sprinter Aurelien Passeron of 'la squadra rossa' Acqua e Sappone.

Francesco Masciarelli
Photo ©: Miwako Sasaki
(Click for larger image)

Arashiro attacked the break just before the mountain point at seven laps to go, and Donati immediately followed the Japanese rider. The two gained 20 seconds on the other breakaways and 1'20 to the peloton with five laps to go, but they were eventually caught by the two Kazakhs as well as Froome and Fukushima.

Froome was next to attack. Indeed, the hot weather appear to suit the Konica Minolta rider. ''In Kenya and South Africa, the temperature like today is average," Froome said after the finish. "The hot weather was advantageous for me."

Twenty-two year-old Froome still had 40-seconds to the chasing group on the final laps and kept his advantage until the finish. ''Today is a very important day for my team," he continued. "Today I tried to get something to the team and specially to Konica Minolta, a Japanese Company.''

Ater Saturday's stage, Francesco Masciarelli is almost assured the title in the 2007 Tour of Japan but the Italian was instead focused on his brother's well-being. ''The stage was good and a tough one," he said. "And I was worried about my brother during the race... I thank to my team today. Without their work, I couldn't keep my jersey.''

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Miwako Sasaki

Results

1 Chris Froome (Ken) Team Konica Minolta                                     3.52.26
2 Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             0.41
3 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                           
4 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada            
5 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                            
6 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                                 
7 Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                        
8 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                              
9 Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                  
10 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                   
11 Andrey Medyannikov (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                                
12 Thijs Zonneveld (Ned) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                          
13 Timo Honstein (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                               
14 Alexandr Dymovskikh (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                           0.50
15 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                             0.56
16 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                       
17 Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                             1.03
18 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                             1.05
19 Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                         1.15
20 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        1.59
21 Norihide Murayama (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                              2.46
22 Kenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                       4.30
23 Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                   5.50
24 Aleksey Lyalko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                                    
25 Kazunari Asano (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                             5.56
26 Kam-Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                          
27 Mitsunari Mitaki (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                               5.59
28 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                                   
29 William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                     
30 Ken Hashikawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                          6.09
31 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada     6.15
32 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                          
33 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada             
34 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada         8.45
35 Yasuhiro Nito (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                            9.04
36 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                     13.40
37 Dennis Van Niekerk (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                     
38 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                      
39 Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                    
40 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                       13.47
41 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                            
42 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                          16.30
DNF Masanari Komuro (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                
DNF Daisuke Hioki (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                            
DNF Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                
DNF Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                
DNF Cameron Meyer (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                  
DNF Jay Thompson (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                         
DNF Andrea Rossi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                              
DNF Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                         
DNF Jumpei Murakami (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                
DNF Yoshimitsu Tsuji (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                         
DNF Shinya Oba (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                     
DNF Kaoru Ouchi (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                               
DNF Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                         
DNF Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                  
DNF Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada         
DNF Naoki Mukaigawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                          
DNF Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                          
DNF Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                                
DNF Hitoshi Urushizawa (Jpn) Team JBCF                                             
DNF Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                       
DNF Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                
DNF Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                        
DNF Hideya Akiyama (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                         
DNF Kaoru Obata (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                                
DNF Arthur Ayers (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                                 
DNF Christof Van Heerden (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                 
DNF Tomoya Sano (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                              
DNF Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                 
DNF Yosuke Kojima (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                  
DNF Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                 
DNF Takamitu Tsuji (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                            
DNF Keisuke Kamata (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                               
DNF Sean Finning (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                   
DNF René Schild (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                               
DNF Keita Iwashima (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                             
DNF Gang Xu (Chn) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                            
DNF Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                               
DNF Jonas Owczarek (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                            
DNF Christian Lademann (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                        
DNF Miles Olman (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                    
DNF Kin San Wu (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                         
DNF Hideo Yoshida (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                              
DNF Keita Onishi (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                               
DNF Hisanori Akiyama (Jpn) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                       
DNF Andrea Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                        
 
General classification after stage 6
 
1 Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                19.38.39
2 Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             1.57
3 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             2.24
4 Andrey Medyannikov (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                             2.25
5 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                        2.29
6 Chris Froome (Ken) Team Konica Minolta                                        3.33
7 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                3.36
8 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                              3.55
9 Timo Honstein (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                            4.14
10 Alexandr Dymovskikh (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                               
11 Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                             4.45
12 Takumi Beppu (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                         5.01
13 Thijs Zonneveld (Ned) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                      5.11
14 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        6.29
15 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                      6.34
16 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                         6.38
17 Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                             9.21
18 William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                 9.50
19 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada    10.28
20 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                     10.34
21 Kam-Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                     12.27
22 Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                              14.39
23 Chun Hing Chan (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                  16.48
24 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                            16.52
25 Yasuhiro Nito (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                           20.07
26 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                  20.25
27 Aleksey Lyalko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                               20.37
28 Mitsunari Mitaki (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                              28.21
29 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        23.48
30 Yoshiyuki Abe (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                          23.53
31 Kazunari Asano (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                            24.46
32 Norihide Murayama (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                             26.06
33 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        28.15
34 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada      28.57
35 Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                               29.47
36 Dennis Van Niekerk (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                30.12
37 Ken Hashikawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                         32.17
38 Kenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                      32.38
39 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                     34.00
40 Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                       36.25
41 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                 38.46
42 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada      43.52
43 Kazuyuki Manabe (Jpn) Team JBCF                                             44.15
44 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              45.18
45 René Schild (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                            45.53
46 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                       49.51
47 Shinya Oba (Jpn) Team JBCF                                                  50.27
48 Daisuke Hioki (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                         51.30
49 Keita Iwashima (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                          52.24
50 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                      53.03
51 Cameron Meyer (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                               53.14
52 Jonas Owczarek (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                         53.38
53 Masanari Komuro (Jpn) Team JBCF                                             54.58
54 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                             56.14
55 Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                              56.32
56 Jay Thompson (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                           
57 Andrea Rossi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                           56.53
58 Christof Van Heerden (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                              59.04
59 Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                             59.25
60 Yosuke Kojima (Jpn) Team JBCF                                               59.34
61 Kaoru Ouchi (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                          1.00.45
62 Ho Ting Kwok (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                  1.02.03
63 Kaoru Obata (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                           1.08.27
64 Ikki Yoneyama (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                           1.08.36
65 Naoki Mukaigawa (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                     1.12.23
66 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                     1.13.20
67 Sean Finning (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                              1.17.36
68 Keisuke Kamata (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                          1.27.16
69 Gang Xu (Chn) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                       1.32.12
70 Jumpei Murakami (Jpn) Team JBCF                                           1.35.01
71 Yoshimitsu Tsuji (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                    1.38.00
72 Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                    1.38.18
73 Hideya Akiyama (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                    1.44.07
74 Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                             1.44.47
75 Christian Lademann (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                   1.54.03
76 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                          2.03.14
77 Arthur Ayers (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                            2.06.04
78 Hitoshi Urushizawa (Jpn) Team JBCF                                        2.09.24
79 Takamitu Tsuji (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                       2.11.34
80 Tomoya Sano (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                         2.16.31
81 Miles Olman (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                               2.39.47
82 Masamichi Yamamoto (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                   2.41.27
 
Points classification
 
1 Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                               61 pts
2 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada           31
3 Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                      29
4 Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada          27
5 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                          24
6 Kam-Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                         22
7 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                  18
8 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                          18
9 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                17
10 Chris Froome (Ken) Team Konica Minolta                                         15
11 Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                        12
12 Yoshinori Iino (Jpn) Pearlizumi Sumita Ravanello                               12
13 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                        10
14 Masahiko Mifune (Jpn) Matrix Powertag                                          10
15 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                         7
16 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        6
17 Makoto Iijima (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                     6
18 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                               5
19 Shinpei Fukuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                 5
20 Andrey Medyannikov (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                               4
21 Hidenori Nodera (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                            4
22 Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada          3
23 René Schild (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                                3
24 Jonas Owczarek (Ger) Team Sparkasse                                             3
25 Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                2
26 Thijs Zonneveld (Ned) Discovery Channel Marco Polo Team                         2
27 Takeaki Ayabe (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team                                           2
28 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                  1
29 Keita Iwashima (Jpn) Nalsima Frend                                              1
 
Mountains classification
 
1 Alexandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                               22 pts
2 Andrey Medyannikov (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                               19
3 Alessandro Donati (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                          18
4 Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                      15
5 Koji Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada            12
6 Yasutaka Tashiro (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                  12
7 Shinri Suzuki (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                  12
8 Akira Kakinuma (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                 12
9 Kam-Po Wong (HKg) Hong Kong Pro Cycling                                          8
10 Valentin Iglinskiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan National Team                               8
11 Herman Fouche (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                         7
12 Shinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada        5
13 Kazuya Okazaki (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada            5
14 Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Team Bridgestone Anchor                                   5
15 Chris Froome (Ken) Team Konica Minolta                                          5
16 Andrea Rossi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                               5
17 Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Nippo Corporation - Meitan Honpo Co LTD - Asada           3
18 Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Myata - Subaru Racing Team                                3
19 Tiaan Kannemeyer (RSA) Team Konica Minolta                                      3
20 Tomoya Kano (Jpn) Skil - Shimano                                                2
21 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo                         2
22 William Ford (Aus) South Australia.com - AIS                                    1