Fumiyuki Beppu Japanese Time Trial Champion

Team RadioShack’s Fumiyuki Beppu is the new Japanese pro time trial champion. In Ogata Village (Akita Prefecture), Beppu was 19 seconds faster than Junya Sano (Team D’Angelo & Antenucci – Nippo). It’s Beppu’s second victory in the national TT championship. In 2006 he won the title in the TT as well as the road championship.

Beppu, in 2009 (along with Yukiya Arashiro) became the first Japanese rider to complete the Tour de France.  He arrived in Japan in great shape after having finished his first Giro d’Italia where he animated some stages.

“For me it was good to come back to Japan after an already long cycling season in Europe. This victory is for my family who have missed me in the last months. We are always in contact with each other by phone and internet. For me it was so hard to not be here when our country was dealing with the earthquake and tsunami.”

In May Beppu introduced a white wristband which many riders wore in the Giro.  On the wristband are the words printed in red “You are not alone”. This was to show solidarity with the people of his country, who are still dealing with the aftermath of the catastrophe that struck back in March.

“The main aim of the wristband is to show those back in Japan that the wearer is thinking of them; it gives moral support rather than financial support.”

Beppu will stay a few more weeks in Japan where he will compete in the national road championship in Hachimantai on June 26.

Result Nation Time Trial Championship Japan / Ogata, 30K
1 Fumiyuki Beppu (Team RadioShack) 37’39″;  2 Junya Sano 19″;  3 Ryota Nishizono 53″;  4 Shinichi Fukushima 1’22″;  5 Takayuki Abe 1’38″;  6 Taiji Nishitani 1’42″;  7 Kazuhiro Mori 1’51″;  8 Junpei Murakami 2’28″;  9 Yoshiyuki Shimizu 2’29″