<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">The stage race Tour de Kyushu got underway in Japan, with the first stage finishing in Fukuoka decided in a bunch sprint. XDS Astana Team rider Matteo Malucelli took the victory, while his teammate Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Development Team) finished third and team trainee Nikiforos Arvanitou took ninth place.<blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">“It was quite a difficult day, but the team worked brilliantly today. We knew this was most likely the only opportunity for a bunch sprint, so we were especially focused on this stage. We understood that we had to be at the front in the finale, especially at the final corner – we had to take it among the first riders, and everything worked out perfectly. I was among the first three through the corner, and then Niki (Arvanitou) delivered a perfect lead-out for me, after which all I had to do was win. This is my ninth victory of the season. I think it has been a successful year overall and, in any case, I have done everything I could. We now have two days of fighting for the General Classification ahead of us. Our team will fight for it, so we will see what we can achieve”, – said Matteo Malucelli.</blockquote><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Matteo Malucelli took the lead in the General Classification of the Tour de Kyushu and also leads the points classification. Alessio Delle Vedove leads the youth classification.<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Aptos, sans-serif;font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18.4px;margin:0cm 0cm 8pt;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-line:none;text-decoration-style:solid;text-decoration-thickness:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Photo credit: ©SprintCycling

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Tour de Kyushu. Malucelli wins Stage 1 Read more

Tour de Kyushu. Malucelli wins Stage 1