Martin triumphs in Japan

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Dan Martin (Garmin-Transitions) put the finishing touches to his season with an emphatic victory in the Japan Cup in Utsunomiya. The Irishman danced clear on the Kogashi climb 38km from the finish and quickly stretched out an unassailable lead. Peter McDonald (Drapac Porsche Cycling) won the sprint for second, 57 seconds behind.

Martin was clearly the classiest climber in the field and determined to make his ability count every time the road tilted skywards on a testing course that saw the peloton face ten laps of 14.1km before tackling a 10.3km finishing circuit. While most anticipated a shoot-out on the final lap, the Garmin rider upset the applecart by making his move early. Nobody could answer Martin’s turn of pace on the Kogashi climb as he opened up a lead of 30 seconds by the summit and he would go on to almost double that advantage over the lumpy terrain to come to put the seal on a victory of considerable quality.

After the race, Martin paid tribute to the groundwork laid down by his Garmin teammates and to the very vocal support he received from the enthusiastic roadside supporters. "When we decided to attack with three laps remaining, I thought it was a little early, but it helped having two team-mates in the group behind,” Martin said after the finish. "The cheers from the roadside helped me get over the pain. I'm very grateful to the fans."

Behind Martin, Johannes Fröhlinger (Milram), home favourite Yukiya Arashiro (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and Luca Mazzanti (Katusha) were among the most prominent chasers they could do nothing to dent the Irishman’s advantage as he soloed to victory. At the finish, it was Peter McDonald who took out the sprint for second place, ahead of Yusuke Hatanaka (Shimano Racing), but the day belonged to the flying Martin.

After victories in the Tre Valli Varesine and the Tour of Poland, allied to a sparkling display at the Giro dell’Emilia, Martin has given consistent notice of his burgeoning potential in 2010. On this kind of form, next season can’t come quickly enough.

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