Travis Meyer Well Placed in Tour of Japan

AIS-WAIS athlete Travis Meyer has continued his strong form in the Tour of Japan with the cyclist finishing the third stage in the main bunch to keep himself fifth overall and well in contention for the general classification win.

Meyer’s Team AIS is performing well with fellow Australian Leigh Howard taking the stage win to put himself in the lead bunch, with Hong Kong’s Kam Po Wong currently leading.

Meyer was assisted by a crash which helped to reel in two breakaway groups that had threatened to break up the peloton. The resulting neutralization cut down the leading groups advantage to just one minute which Team AIS easily worked back for the final sprint.

Howard’s stage win placed him at the head of the sprinter’s points with 40, but he revealed his next challenge will be to help Meyer in his pursuit of the general classification win, a feat Meyer’s older brother Cameron Meyer achieved in 2008 edition.

“I’m really going for the sprint jersey but realistically the next stage that will suit me for the sprint is probably the final stage circuit in Tokyo,” said Howard. “The job until then is to look after the boys (Travis Meyer and Michael Matthews) and stay out of trouble.”

Team Director Brian Stephens predicted stage four could set Meyer’s challenge with a 148km route around Minami Shinsu that includes a 1.6km finishing circuit.

“The team is riding really well and tomorrow’s stage should suit both Michael and Travis,” Stephens said. “It’s a tough little course with pretty solid climbs and I expect the boys will do well.”

Thursday is a rest day before Friday pits the tour against Mount Fuji, a difficult time trial stage which includes a 11.4km climb against a ten percent gradient.