Preview:

This is the 12th edition of the Japan cup. The 184km race consists of about 14, 13-14km laps around Utsonomiya. This years field is stronger than the last couple years and we are in for an action packed race. The Orica riders and Cristobel Riquelme will go for a sprint, while everyone else will want a small group to make it, Valverde is fast in small group sprints and he has a very strong team around him, while Rodriguez could work some magic up front, as well as that, Schroder, Kakhi and Verboven will be likely to have a few goes off the front.

The beginning of the 12th Japan Cup, we are in for an action packed race!

And the attacks begin! Clarke (UHC) begins the race, while Avila (Colombia), Mojza (Saxobank), Andrews (Garmin), De Negri (Vini), Bernardeua(Europcar), Masuda (Cannondale), Othman (Champion) and Nieve (Orica) follow, they will try to make this break stick.

The climbs have already started! We've still got 182km to go. The break has a minute on the peloton.

The peloton has reeled back the break, they didn't want that group to stay away.

Nieve Goes Again! There is no reaction from the peloton, this could stay away.

100km to go and the peloton aren't taking it too hard so far, Nieve has 4 minutes and 30 seconds on the peloton.

80km to go and Nieve's lead peaks at 5 minutes and 20 seconds, Movistar and Katusha have decided that they want him back.

50km left and the peloton are speeding up, Nieve has 2 minutes left, it looks bleak for him.

The favourites begin to attack, Schroder (Europcar) goes off the front, 28 km left and Nieve only has a minute.

Nieve hits the line, 2 laps, 26km to go! But the peloton are right on him.

Just seconds later, Schroder hits the line, but the peloton practically have him back.

25km left, Schroder catches Nieve but they barely have any distance on the peloton.

Nieve is done, but we still have to congratulate him for his effort, over 150km off the front alone, Schroder is still going, holding a few seconds. Wait, is that Rodriguez on the front of the peloton, What's he doing there?

MOVISTAR SPLITS THE PELOTON! Valverde, Costa, Intxausti, Castrovejo and Amador are in the group for Movistar with Rodriguez (Katusha) in the group as well as Euskatel teammates Anton and Verboven. 22km left, Schroder has 20 seconds on this group and the peloton is 30 seconds down

Whatever happens today, we have to congratulate Gorka Nieve, despite spending more than 150km alone off the front, here he is giving more than everything to bring the Movistar group back for his team. Hats off to him.

20km left and the Movistar group catches Schroder, they have 45 seconds.

Belkin are so desperate that Cristoel Riquelme (Belkin) hits the front, he needs that energy to sprint!

1 Lap Left! 13km to go! The amazing effort by Cristobel Riquelme, Rogers (Saxobank) and the man of the day, Nieve have succeded in bringing everybody back together, but Rodriguez goes again!!!

Costa and Valverde drop the whole peloton in an attempt to catch Rodriguez. 11km left!

10km left! Rodriguez leads, followed by Valverde, then Costa, behind them is the peloton, led by Belkin and Orica, desperately chasing, they only need 30 seconds.

5km left, but if you look really closely you can catch a glimpse of the peloton behind. Who will win?!

The sprint is on, Spilak is the first to go! The break haven't gone yet! They need to sprint now!

The break begins to sprint! They are side-by-side

Valverde and Rodriguez are right next to each other! Just 100 metres left!

RODRIGUEZ WINS!!!!! He pips his compatriot Valverde for the win, Costa is 3rd across! Behind them the peloton comes around the corner, a top 5 is at stake.

De Marchi seems to have 4th but anybody could take 5th!

De Marchi takes a surprise 4th! The photo decides the rest of the top ten, Gerrans 5th, while his Orica team-mates are Albisini in 6th, Impey, 7th and Clarke, 8th, they were unlucky not to get a sprint today, Rudy Verboven takes 9th and Favilli (Vivi) rounds out the top 10, being the only continental pro there.

And the winner of the 12th Japan Cup. Joaquim Rodriguez, he marked every move and it paid off, despite Movistar's strength.