Michael Matthews takes the overall points classification in Japan while Rohan Dennis takes fourth overall in the Olympia’s Tour in the Netherlands.
Matthews clinches points jersey in Japan
Team Jayco Skins’ Michael Matthews, 19, has sprinted home in second place on the final stage of the Tour of Japan in Tokyo to clinch the points classification and finish fourth overall.
Stage 7 took the riders over a distance of 112km including 14 laps of a flat 7km circuit near Oi Wharf at the Port of Tokyo. As expected the finish was decided in a bunch sprint with Italian Claudio Cucinotta (De Rosa) taking the win just ahead of Matthews with Australian Zak Dempster (Rapha Condor) third.
“I wanted to win but you can only do what you can do on the day and at least I kept the points jersey,” said Matthews who went into the final stage with a narrow six point lead over Shinri Suzuki (JPN – Shimano) in the sprinter’s classification. “I was a bit worried today because there were five intermediate sprints before the final sprint.
“He (Suzuki) kept going for all the sprints early on and I had to follow him and try and roll him in every sprint so he couldn’t catch me,” said Matthews. “The boys worked on the front for me really well bringing all the scary breaks back so I could keep my jersey and then he got dropped in the last three laps and I ran second so I won pretty easily in the end.”
The Canberra teenager collected 20 points on the stage to secure the blue jersey on 88 points well clear of second ranked Suzuki on 62 with Cucinotta third on 56 points.
Matthews narrowly missed a podium place on the overall ranking finishing fourth at 2:39. Italy’s Cristiano SAlerno (De Rosa) won the tour by a margin of 1:45 over Kazakhstan’s Andrey Mizurov with another Kazakh, Alexandr Shushemoin, third at 2:15.
“Michael did a great job throughout the Tour and even though we started with only four riders, his team mates rode well above themselves to support him and get results for the team,” said Team Manager, Brian Stephens. “Especially impressed that Michael was able to do well in a lot of different disciplines – sprinting, time trial and climbing – and that showcased his all round ability.”
Matthews was consistent across the week finishing eighth or better on every stage. On day one he claimed the lead in both the overall and points classifications before surrendering the leader’s green jersey on Stage 5. But with second place on two stages, third place on Stage 6 and fourth place on Stages 3 and 5 he kept the blue jersey on his shoulders.
“I’m really happy with the way the week went,” said Matthews. “Before the tour I didn’t know if my climbing form was up to it or my time trial form. I was a little disappointed with my sprinting though and would have like another stage win but all in all it was pretty good.”
Pat Lane was the best placed of the remaining Team Jayco Skins riders in 25th at 13:50 while Richard Lang finished 56th and Nick Aitken 63rd of the 76 riders that completed the Tour.
The Tour of Japan was a seven stage race which finished today in Tokyo. Nick Aitken, Pat Lane, Richard Lang and Michael Matthews lined up for Team Jayco Skins.
Dennis delivers on final stage of Olympia’s Tour
U23 Australian time trial champion Rohan Dennis has powered his way to a fourth place overall finish in the Olympia’s Tour in the Netherlands after an impressive second place in the final stage individual time trial in Hoofddorp Tijdrit.
The final day’s racing in the 830km six day tour, saw the riders contest two stages beginning with a 103km road stage before they lined up in the afternoon for the closing 9.5km race against the clock. Team Jayco Skins conserved their energy in the morning to prepare for the afternoon’s stage.
“It was an amazing final ride by Rohan,” said Team Director James Victor. “He has worked hard and ridden good position all week and he deserved to finish strongly.”
Dennis went into the day ranked 12th overall trailing the leader, America’s Taylor Phinney (Trek Livestrong), by 1:31 but the 19 year old South Australian pulled out all stops in the time trial to clock 11:35.340, the second fastest time of the day. HIs time was nine seconds shy of the winning time posted by Phinney who led the Tour from start to finish.
The result ensured he finished the Tour in fourth place overall, 1:46 off the pace of Phinney who claimed the trophy ahead of Dutch rider Coen Vermeltfoort (Rabobank) at 1:17. Phinney’s team mate Jesse Sergent (NZL) was third overall at 1:27.
Team Jayco Skins had more cause for celebration with the final stage results of teenagers Michael Hepburn and Luke Durbridge. Hepburn placed third, 15 seconds behind Phinney and Durbridge fifth at 21 seconds.
“Michael was off the start ramp early and had the fastest time until another 80-plus riders later when Rohan powered around the flat course,” said Victor. “Rohan was four seconds slower than Michael with five kilometres remaining but he dug deep into the head wind section to take back ten seconds on Michael by the finish.”
Dennis finished second overall in the Best Young Rider (U23) classification.
The Team Jayco Skins riders in the Olympia’s Tour were Rohan Dennis, Aaron Donnelly, Luke Durbridge, and Michael Hepburn. Alex Carver and Malcolm Rudolph withdrew injured after crashing on the second stage. Both Carver (broken right wrist) and Rudolph (broken left elbow) have returned to Australia and are expected to be back in action in four to six weeks.
source: Cycling Australia
