{{short description|Japanese cyclist}} {{Infobox cyclist | name = Ryota Nishizono | image = TdB_2015_-_Ryota_Nishizono.jpg | image_size = | caption = Nishizono at the 2015 [[Tour de Bretagne]] | fullname = {{ubl|Ryota Nishizono|{{langx|ja|西薗 良太}}}} | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1987|9|1}} | birth_place = [[Kirishima, Kagoshima]], Japan | death_date = | death_place = | height = {{height|m=1.70}} | weight = {{convert|62|kg|lb st|abbr=on}} | currentteam = | discipline = Road | role = Rider | ridertype = | majorwins = '''[[Classic cycle races|One-day races and Classics]]''' :[[Japanese National Time Trial Championships|National Time Trial Championships]]<br>(2012, 2016, 2017) | medaltemplates = | show-medals = | amateuryears1 = | amateurteam1 = | amateurteam2 = | amateuryears2 = | proyears1 = 2011 | proteam1 = {{UCI team code|SMN|2011}} | proyears2 = 2012 | proteam2 = {{UCI team code|BGT|2012}} | proyears3 = 2013 | proteam3 = {{UCI team code|Champion System|2013}} | proyears4 = 2015–2017 | proteam4 = {{UCI team code|BGT|2015}} }} {{Nihongo|'''Ryota Nishizono'''|西薗 良太|Nishizono Ryōta|born 1 September 1987}} is a Japanese former professional [[racing cyclist]].
==Career== Born in [[Kirishima, Kagoshima]], Nishizono attended [[Tokyo University]], Japan's most elite university. While there in 2009, he won the Inter-College Championships.<ref name=Interview>{{cite web|last=Hideaki|first=Takagi|title=Nishizono Ryōta intabyū|url=http://www.cyclowired.jp/?q=node/26964|work=Cyclowired|language=ja}}</ref> After graduation, he first joined {{UCI team code|SMN|2011}}, for which he won the first stage of the [[Tour de Hokkaido]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:シマノ西薗良太、畑中勇介がワン・ツー！|url=http://www.cyclowired.jp/?q=node/68296|work=Cyclowired|access-date=26 May 2013|language=ja}}</ref> He moved to {{UCI team code|BGT|2012}} in 2012<ref>{{cite web|last=Ayano|first=Makoto|title=メンバー大刷新のブリヂストン・アンカー|url=http://www.cyclowired.jp/?q=node/74398|work=Cyclowired|access-date=26 May 2013}}</ref> and won the men's time trial at the [[Japanese National Road Race Championships]].<ref name=Tsuji>{{cite web|last=Tsuji|first=Kei|title=全日本TTチャンピオンの西薗良太がチャンピオンシステムと契約|url=http://www.cyclowired.jp/?q=node/96424|work=Cyclowired|access-date=26 May 2013}}</ref> For the 2013 season, he signed with [[UCI Professional Continental team]] {{UCI team code|Champion System|2013}}.<ref name=Tsuji />
In December 2013, Nishizono announced his retirement as a professional cyclist.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:西薗良太が引退を発表|url=http://www.cyclowired.jp/?q=node/124097|work=Cyclowired|access-date=31 December 2013|language=ja}}</ref> He came out of retirement to join {{UCI team code|BGT|2015}} for the 2015 season.<ref name=Cyclo>{{cite web|title=西薗良太が現役復帰|url=http://www.cyclowired.jp/news/node/155188|website=Cyclowired|access-date=17 March 2015|language=ja}}</ref> In 2016 he regained his national time trial title.<ref>{{cite web|title=西薗良太念願のタイトル奪還 與那嶺恵理圧倒の連覇|url=http://www.cyclowired.jp/news/node/202802|website=Cyclowired|access-date=24 June 2016|language=ja-JP|date=24 June 2016}}</ref> In 2017 he announced to retire again by the end of season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cyclist.sanspo.com/365013 |script-title=ja:西薗良太が2度目の引退を発表 30歳を区切りに「家族との時間を大切にしたい」 |language=ja |date=18 October 2017 |publisher=sanspo.com |access-date=24 May 2018}}</ref>
==Major results== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} ;2011 : National Road Championships ::3rd [[Japanese National Time Trial Championships|Time trial]] ::4th [[Japanese National Road Race Championships|Road race]] : 8th Overall [[Tour de Hokkaido]] ::1st Stage 1 ;2012 : 1st [[File:MaillotJapón.PNG|20px]] [[Japanese National Time Trial Championships|Time trial]], National Road Championships : 2nd Overall [[Tour de Hokkaido]] ;2013 : 2nd [[Japanese National Time Trial Championships|Time trial]], National Road Championships : 6th Overall [[Tour of Japan]] ;2015 : 3rd [[Japanese National Time Trial Championships|Time trial]], National Road Championships : 5th Overall [[Tour de Hokkaido]] ;2016 : National Road Championships ::1st [[File:MaillotJapón.PNG|20px]] [[Japanese National Time Trial Championships|Time trial]] ::2nd [[Japanese National Road Race Championships|Road race]] : 7th [[Tour de Okinawa]] ;2017 : 1st [[File:MaillotJapón.PNG|20px]] [[Japanese National Time Trial Championships|Time trial]], National Road Championships : [[2017 Asian Road Cycling Championships|Asian Road Championships]] ::2nd Team time trial ::7th Individual time trial : 2nd Overall [[Tour de Hokkaido]] : 4th Overall [[Tour de Kumano]] {{div col end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|http://nishizonoryota.com/}} *{{sports links}} *{{UCI rider|76332}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nishizono, Ryota}} [[Category:1987 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Japanese male cyclists]] [[Category:People from Kirishima, Kagoshima]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Kagoshima Prefecture]] [[Category:University of Tokyo alumni]]