World Wide Cycling
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Japan's largest stage-race, the Tour de Hokkiado will this year take place from September 14 to september 20. This race will take the riders in 7 stages from Aibetsu to Saporro and covers a total distance of 810 km.
Here you can find reports of the team World Wide Cycling send to this event. We will show the results and interviews with the riders. There will be stories from the riders about their travel and their adventures.
September 12th:
A part of the Team of RTV de Zwaluwen has arrived in the city of Saporro, on Hokkaido one of the most nothern Islands of Japan. Luckily the bad wheater that hit Japan was on another part. It is dry and the temperature is nice, perfect conditions for the race. The rest of the team will arrive tomorrow from Beijing, China.
September 14:
Everybody has arrived well. We are now in Ishikawa where the openingceremoniy will be. It was raining today, so the riders only did a ride of an hour to losen the legs. The weatherforecast for tomorrow sounds better.I
The field of this years Tour de Hokkaido is very strong. The Canadians have come with a very strong team. For example Eric Wohlberg and, Czeslaw Lukaszewicz the Canadian Champion are here to prepare for the Olympics in Sydney. The Irish national team is also one of the favourites. Then there are some Kazachs (and we know them from China!) in a Turkish team. The top three from last year will be there again; the winner of 1999, Ken Hashikawa; number 2, Yoshiuki Abe; and number 3 Kazuyuki Manabe.
Teamleader Gudo Kramer has set the following goals for his team: - 1 rider with the first three in the general classification - 1 stagewin - first three in the team classification - 3 riders with the first 15 in the general classification - 1 rider with the first three in the points classification
Team manager Gudo Kramer talks with Andre Schrader before the start of a stage.(Photo:Jill)
September 15:
Today it was very hard for the cyclist in the Tour de Hokkaido. It was raining all day and the temperatures were just above 10 degrees Celsius. On the Jomon-Pass (altitude 800 meter) there was a stormy wind. Only Nathan Dahlberg and Pete Swenson could keep up with the first group. The others of the team lost time. At this moment we don't have the results yet. Winner was Mark Scanlon from Ireland. The juniors world championships from Valkenburg 1998. For a long time he was leading by himself, he got caught back but still had enough power to win the sprint!
1st stage
Anno Pedersen in a chase with two New Zealanders and a Japanese rider.(Photo:Jill)
September 16:
Nathan Dahlberg gives it all on one of the many hard climbs. (Photo:Jill) From the one extreme into the other. After the cold and rain yesterday. Today the peloton was tortured bij extreme heat. The mountains were harder then we thought. On the stage profiles this stage seemed to be not to hard. This brings promisses for the real hard stages that are coming. The peloton went into little pieces today. Only Pete Swenson could stay in the first group. Dennis Hammink had to go to the doping control today. He was dried out by the long stage in the heat. To be able to urinate he drunk a lot of cold water. His stomag could not handle it and he threw up. He also got dizzy and the doctor decided to give him an infusion. Team leader Gudo Kramer, who had almost no food today faded away. Then the doctor had two patients 2nd stage
September 17:
The officials give Dennis Hammink the starting sign for his time trial.(Photo:Jill)
In the short time trial the Zwaluwen team had no good results. Eric Wohlberg who won the time trial can start to defend the leader jersey. 3rd stage
In the Criterium Dennis Hammink showed that he recovered very well from yesterdays problems. Three riders in a front group went for the podium. Dennis was 2nd in the field sprint and became 5th in this stage.
The peloton with high speed through the streets of Takikawa.(Photo:Jill) 4th stage
Dennis Hammink in the criterium, in front of him the Canadian Champion; Lukaszewicz. (Photo:Jill)
September 18:
Nathan Dahlberg went in an early break with 9 riders. A group of 25 caught the break on the Mt. Tokachi (altitude 1100 meters). Dahlberg became 16th in the stage.
Leader in the General Classification is Eric Wohlberg from Canada. The Japanese rider Ken Hashikawa (the winner of 1999) is 2nd on 4 seconds.
The Canadians are here to prepare for the olympic road race in Sydney. They are in topshape and are probably strong enough to defend the first place of Wohlberg.
5th stage
September 19:
Today Dennis Hammink became 2nd in the stage over 194 kilometer. Only Marc Scanlon (worldchampion juniors 1998) was faster in the field sprint and wins his second stage. Too bad that Hammink got caught in with 800 meters to go but he still made it for the podium.
Dennis Hammink on the podium next to Marc Scanlon (Ireland) and Matthew Yates (New-Zeeland). (Foto:Jill) 6e etappe
The Zwaluwen will start with all their 5 riders in tomorrows last stage in Saporro. They are one of the few teams that are still in the race with all 5 riders. The Canadians for example only have 3 riders left to defend the leader jersey of Wohlberg.
Teamleader Gudo Kramer says that the Zwaluwen-riders recover well. Maybe tomorrow in the last stage, the criterium in Saporro they can get another good result. This criterium will give Dennis Hammink another chance to get a good placing. After his 5th and 2nd place he might win this time!
September 20:
Eric Wohlberg (Canada) could defend his leader jersey succesfully in the seventh and last stage of the Tour de Hokkaido. The Japanese cyclists Ken Hashikawa and Junichi Shibuya could keep their second and third placing in the General Classification.
Dennis Hammink sprinted to another 5th price in the fieldsprint of this final stage. The circuit of this stage was harder then expected and Dennis came to late into gear in the sprint uphill
7th stage
General Classification
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