Nariyuki Masuda (Utsunomiya Blitzen) won the Tour of Hokkaido (2.2) in his come country today. The 32 year-old has a huge pedigree in the race and after taking Thursday's second stage he held the jersey all the way to the finish.
By Brian Canty
Daire Feeley has finished best of the Irish in the 2.2-ranked Tour of Hokkaido in Japan today, the young Roscommon man taking 22nd overall, 7:07 behind winner Nariyuki Masuda (Utsonomiya Blitzen).
Today, Feeley was 14th across the line in a group of around 25 riders some fifth in the mountains’ classification.
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And while 18 points off the leader - with six points - it was a performance that once again proved how far the country’s highest-ranked rider has come in 2016.
He’s raced the full season but is showing no signs of fatigue, with this most recent assignment clear proof of that.
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The iTap rider’s worst result was 31st in stage two on a day the race turned on its head and he was in the main peloton some 6:41 behind the stage winner.
Next best of the Irish was Ronan McLaughlin who was 9:47 down overall in 34th while Darragh O’Mahoney was 43rd at 13:45.
Unfortunately from an Irish perspective not all the news is good. Craig McAuley’s race is over after a bad crash on stage 2.
And on stage 3 Chris McGlinchey suffered untimely mechanicals and his race was also over.
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