(born November 23, 1981) is a Japanese former professional racing cyclist.
Career Shimizu was born in Saitama Prefecture. After beginning cycling at Hatoyama High School, he attended the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya before becoming a professional in 2004. Shimizu was in general considered an all-rounder. His victory at Paris–Corrèze in 2008, the first of a UCI category 1 stage race by a Japanese, has been termed "epoch making." In 2014, he was chosen to represent Japan at the 2014 UCI Road World Championships in the men's road race. He announced he would retire at the end of the 2014 season.
Major results
2005 3rd Overall Tour de Hokkaido 2007 1st Overall Vuelta Ciclista a León 1st Stage 1 2008 1st Overall Tour de Kumano 1st Stages 2 & 3 1st Overall Paris–Corrèze 1st Stage 1 2nd Overall Tour de Okinawa 2009 3rd Kumamoto International Road Race 2010 1st Overall Tour de Martinique 1st Stage 7 1st Overall Tour de Hokkaido 1st Stage 2 1st Stage 2 Tour de Taiwan 2011 2nd Overall Tour of Thailand 3rd Road race, National Road Championships 2012 3rd Road race, National Road Championships 2013 1st Mountains classification Tour Alsace 2nd Road race, National Road Championships 3rd Overall Tour de Guadeloupe 1st Combination classification 1st Mountains classification 2014 3rd Overall Tour International de Constantine 3rd Circuit International d'Alger 8th Overall Tour International de Sétif
References
External links
Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team (official blog, Japanese)