Basso wins Japan Cup

Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) won the Japan Cup after out-sprinting Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp) in a spirited race in Utsunomiya.

The initial Liquigas tactic was to set up the sprint for Peter Sagan, and the squad was prominent in pegging back a determined break featuring Simon Clarke (Orica-GreenEdge) on the final two laps of the race.

With 20 kilometres to go, however, Dan Martin threw the cat among the pigeons by attacking fiercely on the main climb, with Basso, Rafal Majka (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) and Julian David Arredondo (Team Nippo) eventually bridging across.

The quartet collaborated smoothly thereafter and on the final lap it was clear that they would fight it out for the win. Martin again forced the pace the final time up the climb, and then attacked in the finale. Basso was smartly across to his wheel, however, and just edged the Irishman out in the sprint to claim victory as Liquigas leaves the professional peloton.

“It’s a win that I really wanted and it’s quite emotional,” Basso said. “The whole team wanted to honour this race for the significance it carried, it’s a sort of thanks to Liquigas for the passion they brought to cycling.”

For Basso himself, the Japan Cup carries a certain personal resonance. In 2008, he made his comeback from suspension at the Japan Cup, his first race in the colours of Liquigas. Basso was on the sidelines for 18 months after he admitted that he had “planned to blood dope” under the supervision of Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes.

“Coming back to Japan four years after my start with Liquigas and winning on their farewell to cycling is something special, I can’t explain it. We’re all very happy. The warmth of the people was fantastic and today is a festive day for everyone."

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Full Results
1Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale4:01:58
2Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - SharpRow 1 - Cell 2
3Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff BankRow 2 - Cell 2
4Julian David Arredondo Moreno (Col) Team NippoRow 3 - Cell 2
5Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEdge0:00:46
6Miyataka Shimizu (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:00:59
7Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdgeRow 6 - Cell 2
8Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Garmin - Sharp0:01:38
9Yusuke Hatanaka (Jpn) Shimano Racing Team0:01:39
10Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin - SharpRow 9 - Cell 2
11Masahiro Shinagawa (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 12 - Cell 2
14Tomoyuki Iino (Jpn) Utsunomiya BlitzenRow 13 - Cell 2
15Francois Parisien (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10Row 14 - Cell 2
16Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Orica GreenEdgeRow 15 - Cell 2
17Jaroslaw Marycz (Pol) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff BankRow 16 - Cell 2
18Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Utsunomiya Blitzen0:01:41
19Mark O'Brien (Aus) Team Budget ForkliftsRow 18 - Cell 2
20Yoshimitsu Hiratsuka (Jpn) Shimano Racing TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Masaru Fukuhara (Jpn) Utsunomiya BlitzenRow 20 - Cell 2
22Brian Vandborg (Den) Team Spidertech p/b C100:01:45
23Ryota Nishizono (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:06:03
24Ryoma Nonaka (Jpn) Shimano Racing TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Luis Enrique Davila (Mex) Jelly Belly Cycling0:06:07
26Alex Hagman (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling0:06:09
27Yuzuru Suzuki (Jpn) Shimano Racing TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Ryan Roth (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C100:06:11
29Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff BankRow 28 - Cell 2
30Nic Hamlton (Can) Jelly Belly CyclingRow 29 - Cell 2
31Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team0:06:15
32Kazuo Inoue (Jpn) Bridgestone Anchor0:09:09
33Ryohei Komori (Jpn) Team NippoRow 32 - Cell 2
34Ki Seok Lee (Kor) Korea0:10:08
35Sho Hatsuyama (Jpn) Utsunomiya BlitzenRow 34 - Cell 2
36Makoto Nakamura (Jpn) Utsunomiya BlitzenRow 35 - Cell 2
37Yasuharu Nakajima (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 36 - Cell 2
38Takayuki Abe (Jpn) Shimano Racing TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Michael Cupitt (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts0:12:44
DNFWesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica GreenEdgeRow 39 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 40 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Cantwell (Aus) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff BankRow 41 - Cell 2
DNFKenji Itami (Jpn) Bridgestone AnchorRow 42 - Cell 2
DNFHayato Yoshida (Jpn) Bridgestone AnchorRow 43 - Cell 2
DNFKenichi Suzuki (Jpn) Aisan Racing TeamRow 44 - Cell 2
DNFKohei Uchima (Jpn) Team NippoRow 45 - Cell 2
DNFKazushige Kuboki (Jpn) Matrix PowertagRow 46 - Cell 2
DNFSam Witmitz (Aus) Team Budget ForkliftsRow 47 - Cell 2
DNFShinichi Fukushima (Jpn) Terengganu Cycling TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
DNFJulian Dean (NZl) Orica GreenEdgeRow 49 - Cell 2
DNFJunya Sano (Jpn) Team NippoRow 50 - Cell 2
DNFMads Christensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff BankRow 51 - Cell 2
DNFSteele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin - SharpRow 52 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Anderson (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10Row 53 - Cell 2
DNFCharles Bradley Huff (USA) Jelly Belly CyclingRow 54 - Cell 2
DNFHideto Nakane (Jpn) Team NippoRow 55 - Cell 2
DNFKeisuke Nakao (Jpn) JapanRow 56 - Cell 2
DNFYukihiro Doi (Jpn) JapanRow 57 - Cell 2
DNFJoon-Wo Kim (Kor) KoreaRow 58 - Cell 2
DNFJuraj Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 59 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Scully (NZl) Garmin - SharpRow 60 - Cell 2
DNFWataru Mutsumine (Jpn) JapanRow 61 - Cell 2
DNFSung-Ho Lee (Kor) KoreaRow 62 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Ockerby (Aus) Team Budget ForkliftsRow 63 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Davison (Aus) Team Budget ForkliftsRow 64 - Cell 2
DNFSang-Hong Park (Kor) KoreaRow 65 - Cell 2
DNFSang-Hong Park (Kor) KoreaRow 66 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 67 - Cell 2

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