Here we go then for the Japan Cup! The top puncheurs make the list of favorites, as you’d expect. Can someone from the second row follow Calmejane, who surprised everyone and rode his way to the podium last year?
It’s almost exclusively PCT teams that fill the ranks of the breakaway on this rainy day. Just 10 kilometers into the race, a group of 12 has established a solid 3 minute lead on the peloton. Roughly in order of puncheur quality, they are:
Miller
Andriafenomananiaina
Piaskowy
Bovenhuis
Brun
Stancu
Arif Prayogo
Mathis
Vandenabeele
Maccagli
Aquilani
Medvedev
Some nice small country representation in here with a Madagascan and not one but two riders from San Marino.
The group quickly grows their lead to around 7 minutes, but that’s where it stabilizes. A handful of teams share responsibility in the chase at the front of the peloton, with Evonik and Xero commiting multiple riders.
For the first two thirds of the race, there’s not a whole lot to report. Paulinho suffers a puncture with 96 kilometers to go, but it doesn’t take him long to re-join the peloton. Gilmore is the only rider who’s been otherwise distanced, the young time trialist has a long, lonely race ahead of him. Meanwhile, the gap to the breakaway is already down to just over 3 minutes.
With 50 kilometers to go, on the fourth to last climb, Vandenabeele is the first rider dropped from the breakaway. The other 11 remain 2 minutes ahead of the pack.
At the foot of the third to last climb with 36 kilometers to go, the San Marinese duo of Maccagli and Aquilani are swept up. 1’30 for the remaining breakaway.
Just a few hundred meters later, we see the first big attack! Azman accelerates with Kelderman following closely. Lierse seem to be very confident in this move, both Bagioli and De Plus join up. And then, following Ardila, none other than Areruya attacks, too!
The first five realize they don’t want to drag one of the top favorites with them so they stop pretty much immediately. But Areruya keeps on going. The second major favorite Lopez follows in the wheel of … Rumac?
Vansevenant and De Plus close the gap with a big effort. The main group is stretched thin now.
After a short breather, and cleverly using the moment where some of the breakaway riders are caught, Lopez goes again! He quickly opens a gap. Areruya and Kelderman lead the chase.
Lopez moves past four of the last six breakaway riders, only Andriafenomananiaina and Stancu remain ahead. The gap to the main chasing group isn’t very large, but that only consists of 31 riders now, who’ve seperated from the rest of the pack.
Kanerva, Bilbao and Van Garderen are the biggest names missing alongside Paulinho, but while Binance is of course still strong in the front group, and Sauber and Kraftwerk at least have Azman and Rumac up ahead, Indosat only have former breakaway rider Arif Prayogo anywhere near the front.
Lopez was caught on the descent and 35 riders are now together as the main group, while the leading duo still has a gap of around 40 seconds. On the second to last flat stretch, it’s then Storer who attacks.
He doesn’t get away but the attacks don’t stop. It’s Vansevenant’s turn now, and a gap is threatening to open up behind De Bie, the 11th rider in this long row.
Storer holds firm though and keeps the group together. Just as everything calms down a little bit, it’s Calmejane who attacks in an attempt to replicate last year’s success. And he might’ve chosen a great moment: There’s no immediate reaction from anyone.
Sometimes you really have to wonder what goes through peoples’ head. Just as Calmejane passes Andriafenomananiaina and Stancu, it’s his teammate Primozic who accelerates in the chasing group! Bratashcuk also makes a move, and suddenly we have high pace again.
Which leads to Calmejane’s capture just a few moments later. Immediately, it’s then defending champ Buchmann who tries his luck with Kelderman in his slipstream. Meanwhile, the second bigger group has rejoined, making this a peloton of 61 for the moment and giving Indosat a presence again with Abdurrahman.
With another attack from Vansevenant increasing the pace though, the group quickly shatters again. One surprising name who’s losing contact with the front is Kwiatkowski. Binance’s hopes are now all on Sagan.
Said Sagan is currently the first chaser behind a leading duo which consists of Vansevenant and Beltran. Only 11 men remain behind the Binance leader …
… with the biggest name missing easily being Lutsenko! The Kazakh is struggling mightily. Around him are the likes of Turgis, Storer, Ardila, Bagioli and Borges, whose teammate Mas is in between groups trying to catch up. Azman, the so far best Sauber rider, is also falling behind.
Towards the summit of the second to last circuit, Beltran breaks free alone. His teammate Gladysh is one of the bigger surprises to be still in contention here, alongside Primozic.
Heading into the final 10 kilometers, Beltran still has some 20 seconds, which prompts the very active Vansevenant to attack once more. Areruya wants to close the gap, and we also see McCarthy at the front for the first time today.
The group has around 50 seconds on an 18 rider group that includes the likes of Lutsenko, Borges, Turgis and also Mas, who couldn’t make the jump to the front. Up the road, the rider in the distance is poor Gilmore, who’s about to be lapped.
Heading into the final climb, Beltran and Vansevenant have almost 40 seconds on their chasers, though the Belgian seems to have trouble to keep Beltran’s wheel. Sagan now takes the lead in the chasing group.
And Sagan seems to have terrific legs today, he catches up to the two leaders in no time and even gains a small gap to the main group - the finale has begun!
Sagan’s attack doesn’t last long as Buchmann catches him quickly. 14 riders enter the final 5 kilometers together, the other riders are too far behind to still have an impact.
As a quick reminder, we have one slightly longer climb, then two short ones with a steep descent before the final ramp to the finish line. Whoever enters that descent first might have the best chances to win the race.
Interestingly enough, though, this is the first stretch in a while which sees no attacks whatsoever. But maybe that’s simply down to Areruya leading the way at a consistently high pace. Beltran seems to be paying for his earlier attack, his teammate Gladysh and his breakaway companion Vansevenant don’t look too fresh, either.
One more ramp and again, no attacks. If this were purely about sprinting, then Sagan, De Bie and Calmejane would be the favorites, although the French is now closer to the back of the group.
Following the descent, Lopez and Sagan take the lead inside the final kilometer! Areruya is still well positioned, De Bie follows next to Benoot, then Kelderman.
Those six have a small gap, then it’s Buchmann and McCarthy. Sagan has the best initial punch at the front!
200 meters to go and Lopez draws level …
… the Colombian seems to have the upper hand, but it’s going to be so close!
He does it! Miguel Angel Lopez is your 2023 Japan Cup champion! Sagan finishes 2nd, Areruya 3rd.
De Bie is 4th, then Benoot and Kelderman make it three PCT riders in the Top 6. Big points for Colombini in their fight against relegation!
Buchmann and Calmejane can’t repeat last year’s successes, but 7th and 9th are very respectable results. McCarthy slots in between them to finish 8th.
De Plus just hangs on to 10th ahead of Gladysh and Primozic - what a race for Trans Looney Tunes! Beltran in 13th makes it also a good one for Popo4Ever, while Vansevenant might regret some of his many attacks, finding himself only in 14th place.
Lutsenko finds the strength to lead home the next big group, but he can’t be happy with 15th on the day. Polanc complements his captain’s win with a strong 16th place, Mas ends up as ZARA’s best finisher in 17th, with Borges in 20th.
MOL then scores well by sheer numbers, with Brozyna, Ardila, Kennaugh, Filutas and Donovan all between 18th and 26th place. Storer adds another Top 20 result for Amaysim, Rumac does very well to finish 21st, while Warchol at the very least adds a second rider in the Top 25 for Gazelle.
Turgis in 29th, Bystrom in 36th - though his teammates more than made up for that - and Kwiatkowski in 38th are among the more disappointing riders outside of the Top 25. Azman is Sauber’s best rider in 35th place, and while Indosat have the lowest top finisher out of all teams, they at least get some depth by placing 4 riders between 42nd and 48th, led by Setiawa.
And thus concludes the 2023 PTHC season. Just one more day of racing to come!
Japan Cup 
