What a race at the #JapanCup! We have both @IlanWilder and @MVansevenant99 in a strong five-man leading group which has a gap of one minute with just 20 kilometers to go! Photo: @GettySport
Powless strongest of elite group in Japan Cup and takes second win in traditional season finale
CyclingSunday, 20 October 2024 at 10:56
Neilson Powless won the Japan Cup. The American of EF Education—EasyPost was in the strongest group of five in the hilly one-day race. He defeated Ilan Van Wilder ( Soudal Quick-Step) and Matej Mohoric ( Bahrain-Victorious) to take his second win in Japan.
The Japan Cup is a classic finale to the cycling season. The race consists of a ten-kilometer lap completed fourteen times for 140 kilometers. In that lap, the climb to Kogashiyama is the decisive factor: a 4.7-kilometer col at 3.5 percent. Last year, Rui Costa (Intermarché-Wanty) won the Japanese one-day race. He then defeated young German Felix Engelhardt (Jayco AlUla).
From the start, it was an all-out war. Simon Yates, who will swap Jayco AlUla for Visma | Lease a Bike, was active from the beginning, going on the attack solo. Toms Skujins (Lidl-Trek) and Fausto Masnada (Soudal Quick-Step) also made an early course. However, his teammate Mauri Vansevenant created a gap, laying the foundation for the final group that would make it to the finish. Michael Woods (Israel - Premier Tech) was the first to cross, and Powless, Mohoric, and Van Wilder later joined him. So we had a front group of five. They quickly rode away from the rest of the pack: the battle was struck.
Soudal Quick-Step with two, but Powless is super strong
Soudal Quick-Step was, therefore, well-represented in the group that would battle for the win. However, Powless was the strongest on the road: he pressured his breakaway companions several times. It became a tactical game in the final kilometers: Van Wilder was the first to attack, but Woods and Vansevenant also tried. The riders didn't give each other an inch until Powless went all out in the sprint. Nobody had an answer to the acceleration of the American, who had been labeled a favorite beforehand. He lived up to the favorites and triumphed in his last race of the season. Van Wilder bowed his head and finished second, ahead of Matej Mohoric.
Results Japan Cup 2024
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
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Latest Comments
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024