"Miyazaki’s way too back, Delepierre’s got the perfect leadout and rushes to the line, but Karda is close! Karda is close! 50 to go and Karda will get it! Yes! Karda wins Mito – Tokyo!; Delepierre second and I think Kincheloe got third. Miyazaki crosses the line visibly angered. What a pity!” That’s how the Japanese Television narrated the final metres of Mito – Tokyo back in season 14. It was the first time a Japanese rider started this classic for sprinters in Zyte division, and it was a revolution for Japanese cycling even if “Susu” Miyazaki finished a distant 15th. He was a recently discovered talent of Hommerts Cycling Team, aged just 23, and when he punched his handlebar while crossing the line, the entire nation fell in love with this race.
  
  Mixing bad luck and bad scheduling (there are a lot of interesting sprint races before Mito – Tokyo!), he has never been able to do well here. While he’s finished twice in the top 10 of the OCM ranks, he's never seemed to be the rider he was when he arrived to Mito. Gripped by fear, nerves, he was unable to place himself well, and the small home stretch gives no option to a wrongly placed rider. What had been a dream for him turned into an obsession, and he seemed to repeat the same role year after year (if he participated, as he’s withdrawn from the race twice in the hours previous to the start, allegedly feeling sick). Two seasons ago, he repeated his best place on this race: a 13th. His team even created a school for Japanese riders, and sent a 100% Japanese team to the race (that was a notably good pack of leadouts, by the way), but it had no

major effect, it seems.
  
  After that, he moved to Asymm Project, a team that tries to develop Asian cycling but with one problem: it was oriented to the mountains back then. Holger and Justin, manager and ex manager of “Susu” (who is also called “Sumito” in his new home), were reported preparing the race together, selecting the best possible calendar for Miyazaki, and despite the fact that he was given just three leadouts, he managed to finish 5th. He still needed to make up his bad place in the last turn, but part of the nerves he uses to display in this race were apparently gone. However, he was already 30, and now, 31, the time is running out on him. It’s probably now or never, but the Japanese fans saw a glimpse of hope last season.
  
  Proof that he has the legs to win such a race is, for example, the fact that he has won Kirovohrad Zyte Tour twice lately (seasons 19 and 20). This is probably the best race placed in the calendar to prepare Mito – Tokyo, which usually gathers, even if few, a good pack of sprinters. Once again, and probably the last time he stands a chance, the nervous “Susu” is about to cycle against his fears.
  
  On the other hand, there’s a new generation coming out of the youth academy (ahem). Cadman Kantor of thedutchies, who has already won 4 races this season, is the new hope for English fans once Avery Nijholt’s 15 minutes of glory is over. Aged 23, and with super leadouts as Igor Agia, he is probably the favourite.
  
  Moreover, it seems that Miyazaki is soon to

concede the Red and White maillot of National Champion to an upcoming (and controversial to many) star: Tadaki Ko of Team Caridade. Also 23 (the age of Miyazaki when he first took part in this race), and out of an intriguing and exotic team such as Mamachari, which amazing talents have been on the mouth of the OCM fans during the last weeks, this guy is called to do great things in the world of cycling if he’s able to survive both Mito – Tokyo’s curse and the controversy around him. In addition to his promising skills (he’s an unmaxed 235 points sprinter!), he has an amazing set of helpers, and his team knows what winning this race is (Ugolinkov won last race here, then moved to Yuri SuperTeam).
  
  One man that also has this race with a great mark on his calendar is Yannick Elsen of Team JAN. He’s been on the podium for the last three editions of the race, which puts him as the most solid candidate to climb up the podium.
  
  Apetri, Bellamy, Hermanssen, or Dehaese (second last year) are contrasting competitors that one might expect to get a result, but once again, uncertainty is the motto of a sprint. Miyazaki would prefer a quick race, so he could avoid the pure sprinters to reach the line fresh. It is indeed a good parcours to complicate things for pure sprinters but, on the other hand, the race is only 121km long and that leads, usually, to a textbook’s train of leadouts.
  
  “Susu”: Once and for all? We’ll get an answer this Sunday.
  
  Written by Holger Czukay of Asymm Project to OCM Magazine