[Race Report] STAGE 2 Oita-Kumamoto

 

On Sunday, October 11, 2026, the second day of the “We stand with Kumamoto Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2026” saw the Oita–Kumamoto Stage take place. Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG) won a sprint from a small group to take the overall race lead.

 

The 127.8 km mountain stage started at Bungoono City Hall in Oita Prefecture, circled the outer rim of Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, and finished at Minamiaso Village Hall. It was a crucial day in the battle for the overall standings. In light rain, the race started with the riders wearing the leaders’ jerseys for the various classifications at the front. The race started after a parade through a circuit in Bungoono.

 

 

An initial attack by William Heffernan (CCACHE X Bodywrap) sparked the formation of an eight-rider breakaway at the 6 km mark. The group comprised:

Hayato Okamoto (Aisan Racing Team), William Heffernan (CCACHE X Bodywrap), Yudai Arashiro (Kinan Racing Team), Nils Sinschek (Li Ning Star), Jevin Youn (Roojai Insurance Winspace), Adne Willemjan Van Engelen (Terengganu Cycling Team), Gerard Ledesma Garcia (VC Fukuoka), and Keisuke Nakamura (Victoire Hiroshima).

 

 

The peloton allowed the breakaway, made up entirely of riders from Continental teams, to establish itself. For a time, the eight leaders battled for mountain points and intermediate sprint points.

 

The sprint point was located in Kagura no Sato, or “Home of Kagura,” the birthplace of Ontake-style Kagura, a designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. A demon deity associated with the local tradition watched over the point.

 

 

Meanwhile, Matteo Malucelli (XDS Astana Team), who had won the previous day’s Saga – Fukuoka Stage and started Stage 2 wearing the individual general classification leader’s jersey, was forced to abandon the race due to illness.

 

 

At the Category 2 climb of Kimure Castle Ruins, with 86.7 km remaining, Jevin Youn (Roojai Insurance Winspace) edged out Gerard Ledesma Garcia (VC Fukuoka) to take the mountain points. At the following Category 1 climb of Kuju Kogen, with 66.1 km remaining, Ledesma got ahead of Youn, intensifying their back-and-forth battle for the mountains classification.

 

As the peloton gradually reduced the time gap, William Heffernan (CCACHE X Bodywrap) reached the Ichinomiya intermediate sprint point first, with 44.2 km remaining, earning bonus seconds.

 

The day’s route passed through some of the region’s most scenic landscapes, including Harajiri Falls in Bungoono City, Oita Prefecture. Known as the “Niagara of the Orient,” the falls are approximately 120 meters wide and 20 meters high and are listed among Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls. The course also passed through the streets of Taketa, a city celebrated for its pure water, hot springs and rural scenery. Large numbers of fans lined the roads to watch the world-class road race.

 

 

The race came alive at the Category 1 climb of Hakoishi Pass, with 32.3 km remaining, overlooking the spectacular landscape of Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture. From the breakaway, Van Engelen (Terengganu Cycling Team) increased his pace and went clear on his own. Meanwhile, TotalEnergies launched a coordinated team attack in the peloton, sending Thomas Bonnet up the road. UAE Team Emirates XRG, however, refused to let him get away.

 

 

After the descent from Hakoishi Pass, the front group was reduced and reorganised into a group of just over 20 riders. With many of the overall contenders among them, the battle intensified at the intermediate sprint point in Iromi, with 20 km remaining. Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG) crossed the line first.

 

With 13 km remaining, Marco Schrettl (XDS Astana Team) attacked from the lead group but was caught. Then, with 3 km to go, Rein Taaramäe (Kinan Racing Team), runner-up in the overall standings at last year’s event, launched a powerful attack. He was caught with just 400 meters remaining.

 

 

The stage came down to a sprint from a small group. Although Oliveira was boxed in and slow to launch his sprint, he produced a remarkable acceleration to overtake Heffernan, who had moved ahead. Oliveira claimed a dramatic stage victory and took over the overall race lead.

 

 

Stage 2 Results: Oita – Kumamoto

1.Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG)  3:03:31

2.William Heffernan (CCACHE X Bodywrap) same time

3.Luke Mudgway (Li Ning Star) same time

 

 

Individual General Classification

1.Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates XRG)  6:13:03

2.Luke Mudgway (Li Ning Star) +7 seconds

3.William Heffernan (CCACHE X Bodywrap) +9 seconds

 

 

Comments from Ivo Oliveira, Stage Winner and Individual General Classification Leader

“Finally! We achieved our goal as a team. I thought that if I could win the stage, the overall leader’s jersey would follow, but I have no words to describe the incredible work my teammates did.

I was completely boxed in with 200 meters to go, and at 150 meters, I somehow managed to find some space on the outside and launch my sprint. It was a bit of a risky move, but I’m proud to have won.”

 

 

Comments from Luke Mudgway, Points Classification Leader

“I got dropped from the group at Hakoishi Pass and fought hard in the chasing group. We only caught the leaders with 3 km remaining. It was extremely difficult to get everything organized for the sprint from there, but I’m happy that I managed to finish third.

The result might have been different if I hadn’t been dropped at Hakoishi Pass. However, thanks to my strong teammates, we’ve been achieving good results day after day.”

 

 

the best young rider classification leader.

Comments from William Heffernan, Best Young Rider Classification Leader

“With 100 meters to go, there was nobody on my left. With 50 meters to go, there was still nobody on my left. Then, suddenly, he (Oliveira) appeared with 20 meters remaining.

Of course, I’m disappointed, but finishing second on the stage is still a result I can be happy with. Tomorrow will be a tough race. I’m not the best climber in this race, so I’ll focus on hanging on and trying to maintain the best possible position throughout the race.”

 

 

Comments from Gerard Ledesma Garcia, Mountains Classification Leader

“In a race like this, bonus seconds are key, so the plan today was to get into the breakaway and go for them. The race also gave me a chance to target the mountains classification, so I pushed hard at the summits.

I haven’t set a specific goal for the overall standings, but I’d be happy to finish in the top 10. And if I could win the mountains classification as well, that would be fantastic, so I’ll try to get into the breakaway again tomorrow.”

 

 

Comments from Hayato Okamoto, Best Japanese Rider Award Winner

“I wasn’t confident that I could get over today’s climbs with the main group, so I thought I might have a chance if I went ahead and could rejoin the group in a good position.

After Hakoishi Pass, I rode in the chasing group, and we caught the leaders with 3 km to go. It was really tough, but in terms of sticking to the plan, things went even better than I could have hoped.

I’m feeling good physically, so I think I can head into tomorrow’s stage with confidence.”

 

 

Comments from Adne Willemjan Van Engelen, Most Combative Rider Award Winner

“I thought today’s eight-rider breakaway had a chance of making it all the way to the finish, but my feeling was that not everyone was taking full turns at the front.

The peloton was closing in, so I decided to attack at Hakoishi Pass earlier than planned and go solo. If I’d been caught with 1 km remaining before the summit, I didn’t think I would have been able to stay with the group.

In that sense, I think I rode the race well.”