Irish riders Jesse Ewart (Terengganu Polygon CT) and Dean Harvey (Trinity Racing) have been on the attack on stage 5 at Tour of Japan, where compatriot Kevin McCambridge (Trinity Racing) has also been riding strongly.
Harvey's and McCambridge's team had the race lead, via Luke Lamperti, for three stages. While they lost it today, Harvey was up the road helping to animate the race, on what was a hilly course, with the breakaway staying clear by well over two minutes into Shimohisakata.
Today's stage was held over 10 laps of a 12.2km course, featuring a testing climb. The winning breakaway got clear on the third lap. That move initially numbered eight riders, though two more would later bridge over, though Ewart and Harvey were in the group from the start.
By the halfway point of the stage, the breakaway group had an advantage of 4:12 over the main field. That advantaged peaked at just under 4:50 before the peloton started to chase, shaving over a minute off the gap, though the breakaway dug in and had their lead back up over four minutes on lap seven.
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On the last lap - with the breakaway still almost four minutes clear - the attacks split the leaders, with four riders being jettisoned, though Ireland's Ewart and Harvey were among the front section. On the uphill to the line, Atsushi Oka (JCL Team UKYO) proved strongest.
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He won by five seconds from Australian Ryan Cavanagh (Kinan Cycling Team), with Ewart next; in 3rd place some seven seconds down. Then came another Australian rider, Carter Bettles (Victoire Hiroshima), at 10 seconds with Harvey 5th at 13 seconds.
Harvey's team mate, and yellow jersey today, Lamperti won the bunch sprint for 11th, some 2:32 down on the stage winner, who also took the yellow jersey thanks to his efforts today. McCambridge was 31st today, at 2:38.
McCambridge was best of the three Irish riders in the race in the 2.6km opening stage TT in Sakai last Sunday, placing 14th from a 96-rider start list - at five seconds. Harvey was 21st at nine seconds and Ewart 78th at 18 seconds. That TT was won by Lamperti, who also won yesterday's stage 4.
After five stages of action, and with three remaining, McCambridge is 31st overall at 6:05. Ewart is 45th at 13:53 while Harvey is 60th at 20:37.
