Its the final continental event of 2007, Wegmann and Tinkoff have already wrapped up victory and all eyes now rest on the intriguing battle between Agritubel and Designa Kokken.
The teams have switched places all season and Sebastien Lang's victory in Herbiers has kept the door open for his team but Agritubel hold a strong 62 point lead. Designa Kokken leader Sergio Ghisalberti must come home in the first 2 places, a tough ask for the man who is the highest ranked rider in the continental tour, to have not won anything.
The race also sees some legends of pro cycling bow out: Axel Merckyx and Jens Voigt.
The route of the Japan Cup promises a fairly short, but feisty affair. A total distance of 146km split over 13 laps. There is a very steep climb at the start of each lap, which will surely decide the final result.
12 men went away and kept the crowd interested by attacking each other each time the steep hill came around. Chris Froome sometimes got a gap but it always got back together. As well as Froome, the breakaway was made up of Stevic, Marquez, Tendero, Peterson, Keizer, Fukushima, Traksel, Salazar, Poulhies, Sutherland and Boucher.
There would be no success though as with 4 laps to go, the peleton are closing in.
3 Laps to go
Let the Agritubel-Kokken battle begin! Zaballa attacks as soon as the lap begins, Vandenbroeck and Sinkewitz counter. They combat the hill and catch the breakaway, but fail to get a gap. Zaballa has wasted a lot of energy, which is good news for Designa.
Sinkewitz keeps going though and goes solo, building a lead of around a minute.
2 Laps to go
We reach the hill and Ghisalberti attacks! Vicioso is with him.
Noone else counters and the two of them reach up to Sinkewitz.
Final Lap
Before they start the final lap, Ghisalberti and Sinkewitz are attacking and start to distance Vicioso as they cross the start-finish line.
We finally get some Tinkoff action as Mazzanti attacks, Horner and Bernabeu counter him.
The riders reach the hill and Sinkewitz is ebging away from Ghisalberti.
Wegmann attacks!
Sinkewitz thought he had got away, until he looked to his side to see Ghisalberti storming past and away. Its now or never for Ghisalberti, riding for the win and ProTour promotion!
Vicioso follows, while Wegmann, still attacking, moves past teammate Mazzanti.
Into the descent and 5km to go, Sergio Ghisalberti is giving everything!
Wegmann has caught Vicioso but the Spaniard is looking to attack away from Wegmann. The peleton behind look set to battle for 6th, and is being led by Landbouwkredit, Barloworld and Agritubel.
Wegmann and Vicioso start sprinting first, and then goes Sinkewitz he's closing in on Ghisalberti, does the Italian have an answer?
Ghisalberti looks over his shoulder, realises the danger and finally starts sprinting. Neither are strong sprinters, and Vicioso is coming from too far back. Ghisalberti wins!!!!!
Have Designa sealed a shock promotion? Not yet, it all depends where Agritubel's riders can finish. Sinkewitz is 2nd, Vicioso 3rd, Wegmann 4th and Mazzanti 5th.
In what could be one of his final races, Jens Voigt is powering off the front of the peleton to take 6th but Zaballa and Salmon are both battling at the front, Barloworld's Eibegger could prove very useful for the Danish team.
While the UCI officials count up and double check the continental standings, one result is certain. Sergio Ghisalberti has won the race, and collects the applause on the slanted podium.
