Saturday 18 October 2014 13:45, UK
Team Sky’s Chris Sutton sprinted to victory at the Japan Cup Criterium in Utsonomiya.
The Australian defeated compatriot and 2013 winner Steele von Hoff in a photo finish, while Britain’s Ben Swift rounded out the podium to give Team Sky two riders in the top three.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Sutton told teamsky.com after the race. “It was so quick at the start, but probably after five laps, when the cobwebs had gone from the legs, I actually felt pretty comfortable.
“It was the best lead-out I’ve ever had. I just finished it off and it was really nice to get a win. You know it’s a good lead-out when your lead-out man can still finish on the podium.”
The criterium was a precursor to the Japan Cup Cycle Race, which takes place on Sunday.
