Tadaki Ko

Known by many, feared by even more Tadaki Ko is a rider OCM will never forget. Not only he dominated the sprints back then, but was also involved in scandal on the beginning of his career.

Tadaki was born in Tokyo, Japan back when was OCM still didn't exist. He was 3 yo when the first season took place. As a true Japanese he was, his family was truly dedicated to exceed at everything they put they focus on. Tadaki's focus was cycling. To help his father with some deliveries from his own Car Repair business, he used to cycle all along Tokyo to buy or deliver some small car parts. On the weekends he used to join some friends and travel to Kisaruzu at the other side of the Tokyo Bay. Due to the distance they always came back by train. Already back then, everyone knew Tadaki was special. No one was faster than him when it came to sprint.

At the age of 23, a man called Mico came to hi...

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Known by many, feared by even more Tadaki Ko is a rider OCM will never forget. Not only he dominated the sprints back then, but was also involved in scandal on the beginning of his career.

Tadaki was born in Tokyo, Japan back when was OCM still didn't exist. He was 3 yo when the first season took place. As a true Japanese he was, his family was truly dedicated to exceed at everything they put they focus on. Tadaki's focus was cycling. To help his father with some deliveries from his own Car Repair business, he used to cycle all along Tokyo to buy or deliver some small car parts. On the weekends he used to join some friends and travel to Kisaruzu at the other side of the Tokyo Bay. Due to the distance they always came back by train. Already back then, everyone knew Tadaki was special. No one was faster than him when it came to sprint.

At the age of 23, a man called Mico came to him to offer a contract for a cycling team he was starting called Mamachari. Mico was known for some dodgy deals back then and so Tadaki was a bit nervous to accept the contract. But due to some pressure at home from his parents, he was forced to accept it and so his professional cycling adventure started.

It didn't took long, less than a season to be more precise, for Mico to tell him he was sold to Team caridade from Mr. Rebocho. No more explanations from Mico, even after winning in Brazil the Picos - Floriano race. Wasn't he performing good enough? Or was this a "promotion" due to his good work? Tadaki simply couldn't understand. Mr. Rebocho was a strange portuguese guy with a super positive speech who could motivate even a sloth to run a marathon. That was decisive for Tadaki to keep on improving his sprinting technic. Well, that an the portuguese weather obviously.

Coming from the 10th Division to the Zyte division was obviously hard, but even so, Tadaki excelled all expectations and won both Fredericia - Vejle and Hermanus-Cape Town G2 in quick succession. Everything was going well and just 44 days after signing for Team Caridade another portuguese guy showed up and took Tadaki away. This time it was Mr. Grego who didn't even allow Tadaki to think about whether to sign or not. Tadaki doesn't even remember signing for Lusitano at all. All happened to fast, all sounded too dodgy.

No matter what, Tadaki was already a superstar in Portugal right now. Still, he needed to show himself to the world and that was his goal. We were in Season 22 (2 seasons after joining Mamachari) and being a sprinter, the chosen place to shine was obvious: the Nederlandse Tour. What happened during the Tour is now part of the history, but the outcome is what really matters:
- 1 2nd place;
- 3 stage wins;
- The YC;
- AND THE OVERALL VICTORY!

Yes, Tadaki won the NL Tour on his first try! A legend was born!

Season 22 was special not only for this victory, but also for his first ever victory representing his nation on his 8th race... and even at home soil in Ningde - Luoyuan. He finished the season on 4th place overall just behind names like Nico Woltelboer, Rolf Enoch and Gert Sijmonds.

Everything was running smoothly. Tadaki was winning on the roads and outside them (he even posed for Men's Health). Until one day Mr. Grego came to him and told him he should find himself another home. The team was close to being caught on some financial problems and was about to be closed by OCM authorities. It was a true surprise when Tadaki was seen on transfer market. Mr. Boonstra from Hommerts Cycling Team was the faster to react and was able to sign a contract with the Japanese star and was able to take Tadaki to the place where he got his biggest win so far, Netherlands.

2 Seasons with the dutch team meant nothing else than OCM World domination. Here are some stats proving this:
- 9 race / stage wins;
- A total of 20 results (including a 2nd place at his dream race, Mito - Tokio where a beast called Lean Ahnfeldt-Mollerup stole him the most important trophy);
- 2x 1st on the Overall Ranks;

After this 2 seasons, Hommerts Cycling Team's sponsors decided it was time for the team to change his focus and so Tadaki was forced to leave the team. Once again Tadaki was on the market and this time 2 teams were fiercely trying to get him. Those teams were Team Tirilla and Yuri SuperTeam with the last of them offering 855k to the dutch team to get the Japanese Star's services. Back then, this was the 4th biggest transfer ever. But Tadaki was worth every penny.

The 2nd round in portuguese soil for Tadaki was about to start. From the 9 seasons for YST, there were many great moments. The biggest of them must be the victory in Norwich-London on Season 26. Tadaki finished on the Top10 overall 4 times in a row, and at the age of 32, Tadaki started to lose some space inside the team with the arrival of Øystein Ottesen.

And at the age of 36, Tadaki retired. Nowadays, Tadaki still lives in Portugal where he bought a great house in Porto. Tadaki is still connected to Yuri SuperTeam and cheers for every japanese rider in OCM.

Ko, Tadaki Ko, the legend!



Most important marks:

Season 20:
Joined Mamachari and the professional cycling;
Aalborg - Aalborg - First professional race;
Uusikaarlepyy - Pietarsaari - First professional victory;

Season 21:
Joined Team Caridade;
Göteborg ITT (WT) - First race representing Japan;
Joined Lusitano;

Season 22:
Won the Netherlandse Tour;
Vila de Manhica - Maputo - First victory at the Top Division;
Ningde - Luoyuan (WT) - First victory for Japan;
4th in the Overall Ranks;

Season 23:
Joined Hommerts Cycling Team;
2nd in Mito - Tokyo;
1st in the Overall Ranks;

Season 24:
1st in the Overall Ranks;

Season 25:
Joined Yuri SuperTeam;

Season 26:
Norwich-London - Won his first and only Top Division classic;

Season 33:
Retired at the age of 36;

Back when Tadaki retired he was the 4th rider with more points won in OCM. And we know it will be hard to ever take him outside the Top10.