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.