The Japan Cup returns again in 2016 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The organisers of the end-of-season Japan Cup have announced the initial list of teams and riders for the 2016 race with Fabian Cancellara to bring down the curtain on his career in Utsunomiya. The Swiss rider will ride the Criterium only for Trek-Segafredo who are one six WorldTour teams alongside Cannondale-Drapac, Team Sky, BMC Racing, Lampre-Merida and Orica-BikeExchange.
Defending champion Bauke Mollema will return to the race with Trek-Segafredo who are also fielding Fumiyuki Beppu, Eugenio Alafaci, Gregory Rast and Jasper Stuyven. Mollema won the race ahead of Diego Ulissi (Lampre - Merida) in 2015 although the Italian isn't returning for this year's race. However Lampre-Merida will be bringing fan favourite Yukiya Arashiro to the race who recently completed the Vuelta a Espana.
Another returning team for the 25th edition of the race is Orica-GreenEdge who will have 2016 Paris-Roubaix winner Mat Hayman on show for the crowds. The race is also likely to be a farewell for Canadian Christian Meier who is retiring at the end of this season.
The race organisers also revealed BMC's Taylor Phinney as a starter for the race after the American was unable to race the 2015 edition of the event. The squads of Team Sky and Cannondale-Drapac are to be announced in the coming weeks.
Joining the WorldTour teams for the race are two Pro-Continental outfits, NIPPO Vini Fantini and Novo Nordisk, and six Continental teams. Rounding out the start list is a national Japan team and a composite squad that will feature Dimension Data duo Theo Bos and Edvald Boasson Hagen.
Provisional starters for the 2016 Japan Cup (October 23, 2016)
Orica-BikeExchange Mathew Hayman (Australia) Christopher Juul Jensen (Denmark) Jack Haig (Australia) Christian Meier (Canada) Nicholas Schultz (Australia)
BMC Racing Team Taylor Phinney (USA) Manuel Quinziato (Italy) Amaël Moinard (France) Joey Rosskopf (USA) Taylor Eisenhart (USA)
