NEWS お知らせ
[Race Report] STAGE 1 Saga-Fukuoka
Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team), winner of Stage 1 (Saga–Fukuoka Stage)
“We stand with Kumamoto Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2026”: Saga–Fukuoka Stage (Stage 1)
The Saga–Fukuoka Stage, the opening day of the three-day stage race “We stand with Kumamoto Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2026”, covered 152 km from Karatsu City in Saga Prefecture to Fukuoka City in Fukuoka Prefecture, and Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team) claimed the victory in a bunch sprint in Tenjin, the heart of central Fukuoka City. Malucelli also took the lead in the individual general classification, earning the blue leader’s jersey.
Entering its fourth year, the Mynavi Tour de Kyushu was held in Saga Prefecture for the first time. The riders set off for their three-day battle from Cape Hado in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture, overlooking the Genkai Sea.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held prior to the start of the Saga-Fukuoka Stage. From left to right: Joji Furutachi, a sixth-grade student at Nagoya Elementary School; Tatsuro Mine, Mayor of Karatsu City; Kazuhiro Ikebe, Chairman of the Tour de Kyushu 2026 Executive Committee; Yoshinori Yamaguchi, Vice Chairman and Governor of Saga Prefecture; and designer Tetsushin Senzaki.
With three King of the Mountains (KOM) points and two intermediate sprint points situated in the early part of the route, tactical ambitions intersected from riders aiming for the mountains classification jersey to general classification contenders looking to secure bonus seconds. Even before reaching the day’s first KOM point set at the 9 km mark, a 12-rider breakaway including WorldTeam riders was formed.
A powerful 12-rider leading group formed in the early stages. Yuma Koishi (Kinan Racing Team) was the sole Japanese rider to make the group.
The 12 riders making up the breakaway group were Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Team), Jordan Jégat and Fabien Doubey (both from TotalEnergies), Ben Granger (Solution Tech Nippo Rali), Yuma Koishi (Kinan Racing Team), Carter Bettles (Roojai Insurance Winspace), Luke Mudgway and Calum Johnston (Li Ning Star), Tommaso Dati and Nicolò Garibbo (TEAM UKYO), and Gerald Ledesma (VC FUKUOKA).
The formidable 12-rider group, featuring Oliveira and Delle Vedove who had shown strong form in the previous day’s Sasebo Criterium, quickly opened up a gap over the peloton. At one point, their lead expanded to nearly two minutes. Oliveira was the first to cross all three KOM summits at Shobu Pass on the circuit. With this feat, he secured the mountains classification jersey at the end of the stage.
Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG) was first across all three early mountain points.
The battle within the breakaway intensified at the intermediate sprint points located at Route Grand Blue (20.7 km mark) and Karatsu Castle (63.8 km mark). Riders sprinted for the three-second time bonuses awarded to the first rider across each point, and Oliveira won both, sweeping the available bonuses along the way.
Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG) crossing the intermediate sprint point at Karatsu Castle in Saga Prefecture in first place.
Fellow WorldTeam XDS Astana Team perceived Oliveira’s presence as a threat. Although they had placed Delle Vedove in the breakaway, they moved to reel in the escape in order to set up a bunch sprint victory for Matteo Malucelli.
XDS Astana Team leading the peloton in pursuit of the breakaway group.
After passing through Niji no Matsubara and crossing into Fukuoka Prefecture in the middle phase of the race, the 12-rider breakaway was reeled in, resetting the contest. As WorldTeams controlled the bunch, Mathias Bregnhøj (Terengganu Cycling Team), Dylan Hopkins (Roojai Insurance Winspace), and Alexis Pagara (Victoria Sports Pro Cycling) attacked with 55 km remaining.
The three-rider breakaway of Bregnhøj, Hopkins, and Pagara formed during the middle phase of the race.
Bregnhøj, who was targeting bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint with an eye on the general classification, crossed Shima Chuo Park in first place with 44.6 km to go, just as planned. From there, a tug-of-war began between the three leaders and the chasing peloton.
As Bregnhøj reflected after the stage, “I deliberately rode slowly,” the three leaders strategically maintained their gap over the peloton as they approached the finish. Pagara was the first to cross the KOM point established on the Kyushu University Ito Campus.
The main peloton entering the KOM point set inside the Kyushu University campus.
With less than 20 km to go, the gap stood at 1 minute and 7 seconds. Although a breakaway win appeared within reach, the three leaders were unable to resist the hard-charging peloton. Once Bregnhøj, the last survivor, was caught with 5 km remaining, the bunch came together as one and charged into Tenjin, the vibrant center of Fukuoka.
The bunch sprint contested along the main boulevard of Tenjin, Fukuoka City, as tremendous cheers enveloped the riders.
Amidst the chaotic positioning among teams, Malucelli was guided by his lead-out train through the final corner in prime position. Opening his sprint from 200 meters out, he proved untouchable and claimed the stage victory. Mudgway finished second and Delle Vedove took third, demonstrating strong performances by riders who had been active in the early breakaway.
Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team) celebrating victory in the Saga-Fukuoka Stage.
Haruhi Honda (VC FUKUOKA) finished 6th on the stage to claim the Best Japanese Rider Award, adding prestige to his team’s home race in Fukuoka.
Katsuaki Tagawa, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Kyushu Branch of Kajima Corporation, and Matteo Malucelli, winner of the Saga-Fukuoka Stage.
Saga-Fukuoka Stage (Stage 1) Results
1st: Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team) – 3h 09m 51s
2nd: Luke Mudgway (Li Ning Star) same time
3rd: Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Team) same time
Individual General Classification
1st: Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team) 3h 09m 41s
2nd: Luke Mudgway (Li Ning Star) +2s
3rd: Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG) +4s
Shunsuke Kurii, Representative Director, President and Executive Officer of Mynavi Corporation, and Matteo Malucelli, leader of the Individual General Classification.
Nobuyuki Tamura, Director, Representative Executive Officer and East CEO of Bridgestone Corporation, and Matteo Malucelli, leader of the Points Classification.
Comment from Matteo Malucelli (Stage Winner, Individual General Classification & Points Classification Leader):
“I thought today was our biggest opportunity for a bunch sprint across these three days of the Tour de Kyushu. With (Ivo) Oliveira making the early breakaway, it was by no means an easy race. On top of that, I wasn’t feeling at my absolute best, so I decided to focus entirely on my own sprint. Nikiforos delivered a textbook lead-out, and after that, I just poured everything I had into the road. Having won today, I will be racing in the leader’s jersey tomorrow. As a team, we want to keep the overall classification in mind.”
Toshiya Fujino, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Kyushu Branch of Nippo Corporation, and Alessio Delle Vedove, Best Young Rider Classification Leader.
Comment from Alessio Delle Vedove (Best Young Rider Classification Leader):
“We started today with a clear team plan to go for the sprint victory with Malu(celli). The early breakaway was strong, so I waited for my opportunity up front while the team worked to reel in the gap behind. When the trio attacked late in the race, I pulled the bunch to chase them down, but I still had legs left, so I gave it everything in the sprint and took third. It was almost too good of a day, one I will never forget.”
Yutaka Morimoto, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Kyushu Branch of Suntory Foods Limited, and Ivo Oliveira, Mountains Classification Leader.
Comment from Ivo Oliveira (Mountains Classification Leader):
“A large breakaway group was forming early on, so someone from our team had to be in it. Being able to take the mountains jersey from that move was a bonus. Furthermore, collecting bonus seconds at the two intermediate sprints was a great outcome for the general classification. I feel in good form right now, so I should be able to handle the climbs in the coming days. I will fight with all my strength. Just like yesterday and today, I want to show my respect for this race by standing on the podium.”
Hiroshi Koumi, Representative Director of Fukuoka Trans Co., Ltd., and Haruhi Honda (VC FUKUOKA), winner of the Best Japanese Rider Award.
Comment from Haruhi Honda (Best Japanese Rider):
“My sprint form has been great recently (laughs). Since this was our team’s home stage in Fukuoka, I really wanted to deliver a strong ride no matter what. While I couldn’t reach the center of the podium, I’m relieved to have secured the Best Japanese Rider Award. Along the route of over 100 km from Karatsu to here in Tenjin, there were always fans wearing VC FUKUOKA T-shirts. Seeing them really made me feel that I had to give it my all. It made me realize just how special a home race can be.”
Starting for the first time from Cape Hado in Saga Prefecture and finishing in Tenjin, the heart of Kyushu’s major metropolis Fukuoka, the Saga-Fukuoka Stage was an ambitious day of racing. Many fans stayed at the venue until the awards ceremony, showering the riders with warm cheers and generous applause.