Kazuhiro Mori (Aisan Racing) finally claimed victory in the Japanese time trial championship. The winner of UCI Track World Cup Scratch race in Copenhagen, who finished just two seconds behind Kazuya Okazaki (Meitan Honpo-Graphite Design) last year, set the fastest time 38:52 minutes over the flat 30km course.
Three time champion Makoto Iijima (Team Bridgestone Anchor) took second place. Mori share team leadership with Taiji Nishitani, who finished third in the time trial, in the road race which will be held in Hiroshima.
20-year-old Yoshiaki Shimada (Team Bridgestone Anchor) again recorded the best time in the Under 23 category, to keep his title. Current champion Mayuko Hagiwara (Cycle Base ASAHI) won the women's race to keep the national championship jersey.
The collective might and will of Tadej Pogačar's team has kept the peloton in check until now but with illness in the ranks that could be about to change
