Italian Cyclist Dominates Grueling Shinshu Iida Stage

IIDA CITY, Nagano Prefecture – Simone Laccani of JCL TEAM UKYO (Italy) emerged victorious in the fifth stage of the Tour of japan, a challenging race held in Iida City. Laccani’s triumph came after a fierce battle with Mark Stewart of Solution Tech ViniFantini (UK) in the final two laps of the 120.9-kilometer course. The victory propelled Laccani to the overall lead, taking the leader jersey from his teammate.

The Decisive Sprint

The race culminated in a thrilling showdown between Laccani and Stewart.After Laccani launched an attack on the eighth lap, only Stewart could match his pace, setting the stage for a head-to-head battle in the final circuit. The main group, reduced to approximately 20 riders, trailed by more than 30 seconds, leaving Laccani and Stewart to contest the stage win.

laccani ultimately prevailed, crossing the finish line ahead of Stewart. His victory not only secured the stage win but also placed him in the overall lead, with a nine-second advantage over his teammate, Alessandro Fanchell, who finished with the main group 47 seconds behind.

Japanese Riders in the Mix

Among the japanese competitors, Hashikawa Takeshi of Aisan Kogyo Racing Team achieved the highest ranking, finishing seventh. Kaneko Sohei of the Japan national Team maintained his ninth-place position overall. Yamada Takumi of shimano Racing, a local rider from Iida City, also finished within the main group.

A Grueling Course

The Shinshu Iida Stage,the first race of the second half of the Tour of japan,presented a formidable challenge to the riders. The 120.9km course consisted of 10 laps through mountainous terrain overlooking Iida City in southern Nagano Prefecture.The course featured steep climbs with a maximum gradient of 10% and technical descents, making it a true test of endurance and skill.

the highest point of the course was a first-grade mountain, adding significance to the mountain prize competition and influencing the overall standings. Despite heavy rain the previous night, the weather in Iida City remained clear, even though humid, setting the stage for a war of attrition.

Race Dynamics

Following the official start, a breakaway group of three riders – Tegushbayar Bassaikan (Rujay Insurance), Francisco Mansebo (Matrix Powertag), and Liam Walsh (Seacache X Body wrap) – established an early lead. The main group, controlled by the leader team JCL TEAM UKYO, maintained a gap of approximately three minutes.

Bassaikan led the Mountain Awards, which were contested on the third and fifth laps, overtaking Nicolo Garippo (JCL TEAM UKYO) to become the virtual leader in the mountain prize competition.

on the sixth lap, a chasing group of four riders, including Davide Bardaccini (Solution Tech ViniFantini), Kane Richards, Carter Betrus (both from Loujay Insurance), and Miguel Heideman (Lembé Rado Net), joined the leading trio. The presence of Bardaccini and Heideman, who were within one minute of the overall lead, prompted the main group to increase their pace, ultimately absorbing all breakaway riders by lap seven.

Laccani’s Viewpoint

laccani shared his thoughts on the race and his team’s strategy:

We controlled the team from the beginning, and gradually narrowed the gap between the runaway group and the second half. We attacked at our own discretion and Stewart caught up, and the manager told us that we had a teammate in the leader jersey in the group behind us so we didn’t have to pull ahead, so we did as directed.we set up a long sprint to win. I think my role was fulfilled today and I was able to win the leader jersey.

Simone Laccani, JCL TEAM UKYO

Looking ahead to the next stage, Laccani expressed both confidence and concern:

I’m good at long climbs on Mt. Fuji tomorrow,but I’m worried about the heat. There are still some difficult stages left, but I want to do my best for myself and the team and wear my leader jersey all the way to Tokyo.

Simone laccani, JCL TEAM UKYO