Giro d’Italia, but also Tour of Japan that will start in few days. A double important appointment for the Italian-Japanese. Hideto Nakane will be the leader for the General Ranking, while Imerio Cima and Hayato Yoshida will be the sprinters. The team will ride with the special edition jersey, the same of the Giro d’Italia.
From Sunday 19th of May the Tour of Japan will start. It will be a top race for the team, that in the month of May will ride the two “home competitions”. Hideto Nakane will be the designed leader of the team for the General Ranking that will be decided mainly in the Mont Fuji stage. There will be opportunities also for the sprinters such as Imerio Cima and Hayato Yoshida.
THE LINE-UP.
The line-up has been composed by the Sports Director Valerio Tebaldi together with the Japanese Manager Hiroshi Daimon. Hideto Nakane will be the top climber, together with Masakazu Ito, Filippo Zaccanti and Joan Bou. These last two riders are back from their injuries occurred in Tour of Sicily in April. For the fast stages the sprinters will be Imerio Cima and Hayato Yoshida.
Here the full line-up:
Hideto Nakane, Filippo Zaccanti, Masakazu Ito, Imerio Cima, Hayato Yoshida, Joan Bou.On the team car the sports director will be Valerio Tebaldi, here his pre-race words:
THE SPORT DIRECTOR DECLARATION.
“We have been here for a couple of days and we have already done the reconnaissance of some stages. The sensations are good and we want to be at the top to try to do well in our main sponsor’s home race. Ours is a formation that can do well both on Mount Fuji and in the fastest stages. In a stage race all the teams are always aggressive but we will try to make our result a result. “
THE SPECIAL JERSEY, DESIGNED BY SANTINI.
The team will be riding the Tour of Japan with the same special jersey of the Giro d’Italia. The special design made by Santini Cycling Wear has been created in honor of the Japan and the main sponsor NIPPO Corporation.