NIPPO Vini Fantini is ready for the Tour of Japan, 20th edition, a key race in the #OrangeBlue racing calendar.
3 Japanese riders have been selected: the sprinter Kazushige Kuboki and the climbers Hideto Nakane and Masakazu Ito.
With them 3 Italian athletes, the former Italian National Champion Ivan Santaromita, the Volta Limburg 2017 winner Marco Canola and the team-worker and experienced rider Alan Marangoni.
Tour of Japan, May 21-28.
From Sunday to Sunday, from Sakai to Tokyo, throughout Kyoto and including the great climb of Mount Fuji, that at the sixth stage will be as usual the most important for the General Ranking. This the Tour of Japan, that in 2017 will celebrate his 20th edition.
For this key moment of the NIPPO Vini Fantini season, the team, the only Italian-Japanese team of the Professional level, selected a balanced line-up, with the aim to battle both for the general ranking and stage victories.
LINE-UP.
3 Japanese riders are in the official line-up:
The sprinter Kazushige Kuboki.
The climber, “Asian Best” in Tour of Langkawi, Hideto Nakane.
The climber and team-worker Masakazu Ito.
With them 3 Italian athletes:
The winner of Volta Limburg 2017, Marco Canola.
The 2013 Italian Champion, Ivan Santaromita.
The team-worker, experienced rider, leading light for the young Japanese talents of the team and charismatic rider in group, Alan Marangoni.
The #OrangeBlue line-up is ready to approach one of the most important races of his calendar to battle both for the stage victories and for the general ranking and special jersey. Here is the list of the 6 riders:
Hideto Nakane, Ivan Santaromita, Marco Canola, Masakazu Ito, Kazushige Kuboki, Alan Marangoni.
Sports Director: Hiroshi Daimon.
STATEMENTS.
Francesco Pelosi, General Manager of the Italian-Japanese team, underlines the relevance of this race for the team and for the project: “Our six riders are going to live a great experience in a country that is already growing up and giving a lot to this sport. Also for this reason we will have 3 Japanese riders that already did good things in this begin of the season, supported by an experienced rider as Alan Marangoni that perfectly understands his role of leading and teaching his youngest Japanese team-mates. The first goal for us is the one of the growth of our young talents, Italian and Japanese.
From the team point of view it is a key race, both for the project and our sponsors. Our partners Italian and Japanese have in the Japan a key market for their business. The team is ready to honor this race, that thanks to the public is always a great festival of cycling.”
STARTLIST.
The 20th edition of the Tour of Japan has a Start-list with International teams coming from each kind of Pro cycling category. The most important will be the Barhain Merida as World Tour team. In the Professional level NIPPO Vini Fantini is not alone: from USA the United Healthcare team. Australia is represented by the continental team IsoWhey, Japan is represented by many important Continental team as the team Aisan, team Bridgestone, team UKYO, the Japanese National Selection and other important national teams.
LIVE-STREAMING.
The organizers give the possibility to watch the race in web-streaming also from Italy, Europe and all-over the world following this link.
THE STAGES:
21/05/2017 Sakai > Sakai 2.65km (ITT)
22/05/2017 Kyoto > Kyoto 105km
23/05/2017 Inabe > Inabe 127km
24/05/2017 Mino > Mino 139.4km
25/05/2017 Minami > Shinshu 123.6km
26/05/2017 Fujisan > Fujisan 11.4km
27/05/2017 Izu > Izu 122km
28/05/2017 Tokyo > Tokyo 112.7km