Mizuki Ikeda, Yurina Kinoshita, and Tsuyaka Uchino have joined the new Swiss women’s team NEXETIS, in a move tied to a sponsorship agreement with the Japanese construction company NIPPO.
The UCI Continental team, launched by Swiss Cycling in November, has secured backing from Japan both in terms of talent and sponsorship. Ikeda, Kinoshita, and Uchino bolster team manager Anna Wiese’s roster, while NIPPO will feature as a partner on the squad’s jerseys.
Ikeda and Uchino bring track pedigree, having competed at the Olympics in Paris, with Uchino earning a bronze medal in the points race at the World Championships in Glasgow the previous year. Kinoshita, meanwhile, was part of Japan’s road team at the World Championships in Zurich last September.
The recruitment of the trio was facilitated by their ties to Daniel Gisiger, the long-serving Swiss national track coach, who has been working at Japan’s High Performance Centre (HPCJC) for two years.
NIPPO, known for its work in road construction, also has a strong presence in cycling through its involvement in velodrome construction and team sponsorships. Over the last decade, it has partnered with several international teams.
“I’m looking forward to working with the HPCJC and NIPPO, and I’m sure that the talented Japanese athletes will be an asset to our young team,” said Wiese.
