A few more teams, including Quick Step, the Trek-Marco Polo Cycling Team and Lampre, announced their intentions for the upcoming Japan Cup on October 26.
After his win at the Giro di Lombardia, Damiano Cunego will end his season in Japan Cup. He will be supported by Marco Bandiera, Francesco Gavazzi, Marco Marzano and Paolo Tiralongo.
"Japan Cup is a tough race, the most important in Asia. That's why our team in Japan will be competitive and similar to the one that won Giro di Lombardia," said Lampre's director Fabrizio Bontempi. "Of course Cunego will be there for his Japanese fans. It will be difficult to control the race, because every team will have only five riders. The alternative to Damiano could be Gavazzi, who was last year third."
The Trek-Marco Polo Cycling Team, one of the strongest teams in Asia, will bring a strong line-up. Although without Leon van Bon, who is racing six-day races in Europe, the team will bring Australians Jai Crawford and Rhys Pollock and Malaysian Loh Sea Keong, Chinese Fuyu Li and Japanese Ken Onodera will also take the start.
Crawford hopes to round off a strong season with a top-ranking in the Japan Cup, so he travelled to Japan early to check out the course. "The Japan Cup is a great chance to compete with the top-guys and prove my qualities on a tough course. I hope to be in the finale and am confident I can have a good finish. Next to me there are a few other guys in our team that could surprise, especially Rhys has had an impressive season but Fuyu and Ken can handle parcours like this well, on a good day."
Lampre for Japan Cup: Damiano Cunego, Marco Bandiera, Francesco Gavazzi, Marco Marzano and Paolo Tiralongo under D.S. Fabrizio Bontempi.
Trek - Marco Polo Cycling Team for Japan Cup: Jai Crawford, Rhys Pollock, Loh Sea Keong, Fuyu Li and Ken Onodera under D.S. Remko Kramer.
Quick Step for the Japan Cup: Mauro Facci, Stijn Joseph, Alessandro Proni, Leonardo Scarselli, Giovanni Visconti under D.S. Davide Bramati.
