Third stage of the Tour of Japan and second victory of Marco Canola that consolidate also the leadership in the General Ranking. An incredible month of May for the NIPPO Vini Fantini team that already has 3 victories in 1 month with Iuri Filosi in Lugano and the double victory of Canola in Japan, with a total of 4 seasonal victories.
Tour of Japan, Inabe – Inabe 127km
Marco Canola is again the winner of the stage of the Tour of Japan. The #OrangeBlue rider wins the 3rd stage and consolidate his leadership in the general ranking (and also in the points ranking).
For the NIPPO Vini Fantini team, that today worked very hard to reach this victory is a month of May very important with already 3 success, all reached with young Italian talents: Iuri Filosi in GP Lugano and Marco Canola, 2nd and 3rd stage of the Tour of Japan.
THE STAGE.
Today a very dynamic stage, with a first big breakaway of 25 riders, among them Alan Marangoni and Ivan Santaromita. 4 riders remains in the top, with Barhain Merida team working to close the big gap. At 25 km from the finish line it’s time for NIPPO Vini Fantini riders to work to close at all the escape.
On the last climb Oscar Puyol (Team UKYO) decided to attack and the first rider to answer is Marco Canola, together with his team-mates Hideto Nakane, leading the race for some km, but today it’s time for a group sprint.
A strong work of Masakazu Ito and then of Kazushige Kuboki to help Marco Canola to take the final meters in the top of the group gives to the NIPPO Vini Fantini another important victory.
THE WINNER.
“What a stage, what a victory and incredible team-work. To win that way is exciting.” these the words of Marco Canola on the finish-line. “Today was more complicated than yesterday and I have to thanks all the team-mates for the reached result. At first we have worked very well as a team to close the gap between us and the breakaway, then on the Puyol offensive I decided to answer personally, together with my teammates Hideto Nakane, but on the final I have to thanks my Japanese teammates. At first Masakazu Ito, then Kazushige Kuboki, they have done a great job. The final part was full of bends and complicated, but Kazushige Kuboki drives me perfectly in the perfect position to win in the final sprint. After such a team-work I was strongly motivated to win for all the team.”
THE NUMBERS
4 victories for the NIPPO Vini Fantini team in 2017, 3 of them arrived in the month of May.
3 victories also the personal score of Marco Canola, among most winning Italian riders in this season.
2 special jersey are at the moment of Marco Canola, the green general jersey and the blue point jersey.
The NIPPO Vini Fantini team victories in 2017:
1st April – Volta Limburg (NED), Marco Canola
7th May – GP Città di Lugano (SVI), Iuri Filosi
22nd May – Tour of Japan – tappa 2 (JAP), Marco Canola
23rd May – Tour of Japan – tappa 3 (JAP), Marco Canola
The special jersey already won by the NIPPO Vini Fantini in 2017:
Tour de Langkawi (MAL), Hideto Nakane: Best of Asian.
STAGE RANKING:
1 CANOLA Marco – Nippo – Vini Fantini
2 HAEDO Lucas Sebastian UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
3 ABERASTURI Jon Team UKYO
4 HUCKER Robbie Iso Whey Sports Swiss Wellness team
5 PRADES BenjaminTeam UKYO
6 GARCIA CORTINA Ivan – Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team
GENERAL RANKING:
1 CANOLA Marco – Nippo – Vini Fantini
2 ABERASTURI Jon – Team UKYO +0:15”
3 GARCIA CORTINA IvanBahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team + 0:27
4 HAEDO Lucas Sebastian UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team “
5 PUJOL OscarTeam UKYO + 0:30
6 EARLE NathanTeam UKYO “
7 OKA Atsushi Utsunomiya Blitzen “
8 HUCKER Robbie Iso Whey Sports SwissWellness team “
9 PRADES BenjaminTeam UKYO + 0:31
10 SANTAROMITA Ivan – Nippo – Vini Fantini + 0:33
POINTS RANKING:
1 CANOLA Marco Nippo – Vini Fantini 56
2 ABERASTURI Jon Team UKYO 43
3 HAEDO Lucas Sebastian UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 36
4 GARCIA CORTINA Ivan – Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team 28