Solid finish for Team Sky at Japan Cup

Sebastian Henao and Ben Swift round off the 2015 season by battling to top-10 finishes at the Japan Cup.

Sebastian Henao and Ben Swift rounded off a memorable 2015 season for Team Sky by battling to top-10 finishes at the Japan Cup.

The duo claimed seventh and ninth positions respectively after Bauke Mollema had emerged triumphant in Utsunomiya.

The Trek Factory Racing rider spearheaded a four-man move which broke clear on the final Kogashi forest road ascent and then outpaced Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) and home favourite Yukiya Arashiro (Japan national team) in a flat-out counclusion. Henao crossed the line 21 seconds later, with Swift a minute behind his team-mate.

Back at the hotel, Sports Director Servais Knaven was pleased with his riders' efforts and felt they gave a good account of themselves as their campaign came to a close.

He told us:  "The race was only 144km long but 14 times up that climb gradually took its toll. An early break went clear and Trek must've known Mollema was feeling good because they did most of the chasing.

"They brought things back together and then went full gas on the second-to-last loop. Only nine riders survived that and it was good to see Ben and Sebastian both in there.

"Sebastian went on the attack on the final climb but when he was caught, Mollema's group made their move.

"The rest of the guys rode well. With it being his last race for us, Bernie [Eisel] had really wanted to finish it but had to sit up after getting dropped with three laps to go. Tao [Geoghegan Hart] managed one more lap, but he too got distanced after being one of many riders who suffered from cramps in the heat.

"All in all it's been a good trip and we'll relax tonight before flying back to Europe."