The 2024 J Pro Tour begins in Kagoshima Prefecture. The first round, the Kanoya Kimotsuki Road Race, became a sprint race with all the losers absorbed in the final stages, with Hayabusa Okamoto (Aisan Kogyo Racing Team) winning. They won the opening game just like last year.
The main group walking in front of the cherry blossom trees The buds are still small photo: Satoru Kato
The opening round of the 2024 J Pro Tour will be held in Kagoshima Prefecture, just like last year. The first race, the Kanoya-Kimotsuki Road Race, will start and finish at Osumi Regional Park, and will be held on a 6.5km course set on public roads around the park, which straddles Kanoya City and Kimotsuki Town. Although the laps were run in the opposite direction from last year, with shorter climbs and steeper slopes, the course’s character remains the same, with less wear and tear if you take advantage of the speed on the descents, and making it difficult for groups to break up.
A small cheer from the side of the course (the race in the photo is E1) photo: Satoru Kato
17 teams started the J Pro Tour opening round photo: Satoru Kato
Lined up at the starting line for the opening round were 17 of the 22 teams registered for this year’s J Pro Tour (5 teams including Utsunomiya Blitzen, Saitama Nasu Sun Brave, Levante Fuji Shizuoka, Yowamushi Pedal Cycling Team, and Kyoto Sangyo University have entered). without). 105 people started in a cold weather that felt like winter had returned.
Attack battle continues from the beginning photo: Satoru Kato
In the first half, a group of about 10 people led the way, but were quickly absorbed. Photo: Satoru Kato
Shota Shimano (Iname Shinano Yamagata) and Takayuki Abe (Velorian Matsuyama) jumped out at the beginning of the race photo: Satoru Kato
There were repeated attacks from the beginning, and there were times when the group seemed to be split, but each time the following players caught up and running away was no longer tolerated. On the fifth lap, Shota Shimano (Iname Shinano Yamagata) and Takayuki Abe (Velorian Matsuyama) jumped out and built a 30 second lead, but it didn’t last long.
A group of 10 people took the lead in the middle of the race photo: Satoru Kato
Before the second half of the race, a group of 10 people took the lead, and the gap quickly widened to more than 1 minute. The members are as follows.
Yuiaki Nakai (Shimano Racing), Yusuke Hatanaka (Kinan Racing Team), Shoki Kono (Team Bridgestone Cycling), Kai Kobayashi, Sei Oda, Agrotis Alexandros (Matrix Power Tag), Yudai Ishigami (Aisan Kogyo Racing Team) , Kazutaka Watanabe (Avenir Cycling Yamanashi), Takato Shinkai (Velorian Matsuyama), Masayuki Shibata (Victoire Hiroshima).
From the middle onwards, Team Cyclers Snell plays a central role and controls the main group. Photo: Satoru Kato
At the end of the stage, the leading group had reduced to 8 members. Photo: Satoru Kato
The main group was controlled by Team Cyclers Snell. The laps continued with a difference of less than 1 minute to 1 minute and 30 seconds.
As the race approached the final stages, Shibata and Shinkai fell behind from the lead group, reducing the number of riders to eight. With less than five laps remaining, control of the main group was handed over to the Kinan Racing Team, and the gap with the leading group was quickly reduced to 30 seconds.
The leading group collapses as Kai Kobayashi (Matrix Power Tag) takes the lead. Photo: Satoru Kato
A group approaches the fleeing Kai Kobayashi (Matrix Power Tag) and Keigo Kusaba (Aisan Kogyo Racing Team) photo:Satoru Kato
Perhaps hating this move, Kai Kobayashi (Matrix Power Tag) took the lead from the lead group. This movement caused the leading group to collapse. Keigo Kusaba (Aisan Kogyo Racing Team) from the main group caught up with Kobayashi, who was leading alone, and the pair entered the 18th lap. However, the gap between them and the main group quickly narrowed, and they absorbed the lead before the final lap. The group heads to the finish as one.
With 100m left, Jun Okamoto (Aisan Kogyo Racing Team) comes forward in the climbing sprint to the finish photo: Satoru Kato
Hayabusa Okamoto (Aisan Industrial Racing Team) finishes with an emphasis on winning the tournament for the second consecutive time. Photo: Satoru Kato
With 100m remaining, Jun Okamoto (Aisan Kogyo Racing Team) appeared in the lead on the climb to the finish. As he said, “Kusaba (Keigo) had assisted me right up until the last minute, so I went with the intention of taking the plunge.” As he said, he widened the gap between him and those in second place and finished. He held high the V sign with his left hand, indicating his second consecutive victory in the tournament following last year, and clinched the victory.
The battle for second place was Rei Onodera (Victoire Hiroshima), and third place went to Rui Udagawa (Gunma Griffin Racing Team).
2024-02-24 16:11:00
#Hayabusa #Okamoto #wins #Pro #Tour #opening #winning #Kanoya #Kimotsuki #tournament #time #row #year #Pro #Tour #Kanoya #Kimotsuki #Road #Race #cyclowired