TEAMS
／ TEAMS ／
BGT
TEAM BRIDGESTONE CYCLING チームブリヂストンサイクリング
（CT / Japan）
Founded in 1964, the same year the Tokyo Olympics were first held, this team marks its 60th anniversary, carrying on a long tradition. The team is known for having many track event specialists, including Kazushige Kuboki, Shunsuke Imamura, and Eiya Hashimoto, who have just competed as representatives of Japan at the Paris Olympics. Since Kurume City in Fukuoka Prefecture is the birthplace of Bridgestone, the MyNavi Tour de Kyushu is considered a second home race for the team.
Naoki Kojima, who claimed victory in last year's Kokura Criterium and went on to win Stage 1 as well, capturing the points classification title, is one of the most promising young riders. In September, he achieved a dominant third consecutive win in the points race at the All Japan Track Championships. As a Fukuoka native, he is expected to draw even more attention this year. While the team has many sprinter-type riders, Tetsuo Yamamoto and Shoi Matsuda are known for their aggressive racing style, especially from the middle stages of races. Once again, all eyes will be on Team Bridgestone Cycling to deliver an exciting performance.
