Japan's EquipeASADA to keep Tour de France hopes alive

Japan's Yasuharu Nakajima wins the Kumamoto one-day race

Japan's Yasuharu Nakajima wins the Kumamoto one-day race (Image credit: Hitoshi Omae)

EquipeASADA have confirmed their intention to become the first Japanese team to race the Tour de France. The Continental squad is currently without sponsors for next year, but plans to return by 2011 and race the Tour soon after.