The first stage of the 2013 Tour Of Japan took place in Sakai, Osaka yesterday. Before the main individual time trial for the tour the venue played host to the Sakai International Criterium races.
Meanwhile "backstage" the mechanics and riders were getting ready to do their thing...
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| The legend that is Yoshiaki Nagasawa was on hand to offer advice |
And then, right on cue as the time trial was about to begin, the heavens opened and the real, heavy rain came...
The stage was won by Taiji Nishitani of the Asian Racing Team, by that time we were in the Bicycle Museum drying ourselves out! More on that later. You can see the thrills and spills from the day's racing on the Tour Of Japan's Youtube channel.