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Tour of Japan 2010 stage 7 · 23/05/10

Zak Dempster takes 3rd place

Stage 7, the final day of the 2010 Tour of Japan. As befits a national tour, our race finished with a stage in the capital city Tokyo where the bunch tackled a 112km circuit race.

In stark contrast to the previous day there was torrential rain throughout the stage, largely neutralising the race as the conditions encouraged the bunch to remain largely as one homogenous mass of spray and grey throughout.

Many riders tried their hand at escaping, but no group gained more than a 10 second lead and life in the team car was only briefly enlivened by a mechanical problem for Dean Windsor after 25km. After a quick tweak with an allen key to adjust his saddle, he wasted no time working his way back up through the convoy with the assistance of team director John Herety.

It wasn’t until 75km into the stage that a breakaway attempt looked like forging a lead over the main bunch and unsurprisingly amongst the group of 5 riders was two Rapha Condor Sharp jerseys in the shape of Dean Downing and Kristian House. At one point their lead reached 30 seconds and as the bell rang with 1 lap to go there was still the slim hope that they might stay away. However as the bunch reached the hairpin turn at the end of the long finish straight it was ‘gruppo compatto’ once again and a bunch sprint now the only likely outcome.

With four criterium specialists in the race this was an ideal opportunity for Rapha Condor Sharp to test their leadout train in advance of the forthcoming Tour Series races and the team didn’t disappoint as Zak Dempster popped up to take third place on this rain soaked stage. A fitting end to a memorable and successful race for Rapha Condor Sharp.

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