Olympic Time Trials at Fuji Speedway - Women's TT

I got a message from a friend last week that his friend had an extra ticket and was looking for someone who wanted to see the two road cycling time trials on Wednesday, July 28, at Fuji Speedway in Oyama/Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture. Apparently Peter S. and his wife Michiyo had gotten the tickets, but Michiyo ended up working as a coordinator of the interpreters for the cycling events, so they had a spare ticket. I jumped at the chance.

Spectator ticket? What? I thought this was a "no spectator Olympics". Well, apparently the decision is up to the governor. Most governors have not allowed spectators in events in Saitama, Kanagawa, Fukushima and elsewhere. But the Shizuoka governor allowed them so the tickets remain valid. Maybe 1 out of 100 Olympic events that allowed spectators!

I had entered the lottery for many of the track cycling events at Shuzenji CSC velodrome, but not for the road race or time trial events where there was seating at Fuji Speedway. It seemed like a long way to go to watch a TT from the stands of a massive motor circuit. And I figured that if I could actually get to Gotemba/Oyama -- it would be a long day getting there and back -- I could watch from somewhere out on the course. 

But by the time this invitation came up, I had already had a taste of watching the best in the world, and wanted more. 

I left home at 430AM and rode my Pelso Brevet 62kms to Hiratsuka. I had planned to try and get to Kozu, 3 stops further SW along the coast, but was not sure I would be in time to catch the connecting Gotemba Line train, nor that I would want a ride of more than 70kms back at night. So I parked my bicycle and got a Tokaido Line train to Kozu, then a 747AM Gotemba Line train for Gotemba. I next took a 20-25 minute 9AM shuttle bus (the last schedule one available before the roads closed ... though it turned out that they also at a 930AM shuttle) to the Fuji Speedway. We walked what seemed a very long way, and then started through the entry procedures -- ticket check, etc. I was in the stadium at my seat by 945AM, for an 1130AM start to the women's TT. Peter joined me a few minutes later.

We noticed that the start of the TT was just a few hundred meters beyond the end of the viewing stands ... and would have the riders heading AWAY from us out onto the course. And the finish line was a few hundred meters in the other direction from our (inexpensive "B" class) seating area. Fortunately, the riders would come by us once after the entered the speedway and before a short final loop that brought them onto the finish straightaway. And we would be able to see them as the finished and barreled down the raceway -- in fact, the "hot seat" where the leader would sit was beyond us, and the media booths for rider interviews were just below us. So we could see plenty of the action. And we could see across into the areas where teams would be warming up.

Anyway, Annemiek Van Vleuten crushed it, and another Dutch rider took the bronze, so the Dutch got 2 of the 3 medals with the Swiss getting Silver. Van Vleuten was obviously elated to win -- erasing the severe criticism of the Dutch team tactics that followed the road race. We could see her parading around with the Dutch team entourage after the medal ceremony. As Tom Dumoulin warmed up for the Men's TT more than an hour later, she was STILL elated, wearing the medal and visibly celebrating.

Bike parking at Hiratsuka Station S entrance -- 200 yen for 24 hrs

Volunteer briefing -- from the shuttle bus

Fuji Speedway approach never looked better.

Flowers grown by local school children to commemorate the event

Finally, on the grounds.

View toward the finish line w telephoto

Complimentary cooling ice

Complimentary cardboard fan

Free seat cover -- insulated for cooling

Fuji Speedway

Somehow I think we may be watching the end on TV?

The start area

Dutch team / Van Vleuten parade

Still showing off her gold medal ... as Dumoulin warms up in the backgronnd. He was in the last Men's stasrt wave (of 3) so was riding after 4PM in the afternoon!

Viewing the Mens and Womens Olympic Road Races from Inagi-shi

On Saturday morning, John K., Pieter F., Jerome and I headed out on a well-trodden ride path for Onekansen Doro -- a regular route to the west of town. This time would be different, however, as the Olympic road race course twisted and crossed Onekan a number of times as it headed out of Tokyo and toward the mountains. 

We quickly found a spot along the course on the second very short climb the riders would ascent after the passed the Tamagawa, in the shade, on the edge of a public park. We had been thinking to go further out, but this looked like a perfect spot. And it was. We could relax in the shade for the hour or so until the race would start at 11AM. Actually, the riders would start to roll at 11AM but it was a lengthy neutralized start, and it was only 20 minutes later than they actually crossed the river. There were caravans of vehicles -- crews headed to man the feeding zones up the road,  VIPs, etc. A few minutes later, a small breakaway group passed us. Then soon thereafter was the Peleton, Belgian and Slovenian riders prominent in the front row. Faster than the "parade" of the neutralized section, but still a relaxed pace very early in the 235km, 4800m elevation gain monster course.

We enjoyed the spectacle, then went to Makoto Artisan Bistro in Futako Shinchi for a long, delicious French lunch. We could follow the race via streaming as we ate, and made it home in time to watch the climactic final 50kms, includng the brilliant and gutsy deciding move by Brandon McNulty and Richard Carapaz that brought Carapaz the gold medal. 

Waiting for the riders

We could follow their progress via the web streaming service to our mobile phones

Any minute now!

And there is the peleton, the Belgians and Slovenians in front

And then they were gone!

Jan Tratnik of Slovenia wins best power domestique -- here between the Fuji and Mikuni climbs

Well worth the modest effort!

The next day, also a scorcher, my wife and I drove to a spot not too far from Inagi, then rode to the same place as I had watched the day before, and met Peter J, for a repeat of the experience, and home in time to catch the last 1/3 of the race on a big screen streamed at home.

The women's race also had a breakaway from the start, as four riders passed us minutes before the main group -- three of them, Anna P. from Poland, Omar Shapira of Israel, and Anna Kiesenhofer, self-coached cyclist and mathematician of Austria, would hold off the peleton until Kagozaka Pass, and Kiesenhofer would ride solo the rest of the way to the finish for an incredible, inspirational victory.

If you have not followed her story, you really should! And the favored Dutch riders (who the oddsmakers strongly favored for gold, silver, and bronze), came away with only one medal, a silver by Annemiek van Vleuten, who did not realize that Keisenhofer was ahead of her (out of sight) up the road.

The early parade -- via streaming -- only 67 starters.

Ayu and I wait at the park

Peter J., Ayu, and I wait with the rest of the viewers.
A bigger group appeared on Sunday than on Saturday -- word spread!

The breakaway -- Omar Shapira, Anna P., and Anna Kiesenhofer are 1, 2, and 3.

Ethiopian rider quickly thought better of trying to stay in the break

The peleton

Rear view of the peleton

Kiesenhofer at the finish!

Kiesenhofer at the finish

Two days, two great races.

Olympic Rider Recon Ride #2

My second Olympic rider recon ride, Friday, July 23, started at Aihara near Sagamihara, went up Doshi Michi, over Mikuni Pass, and down to a station on the Odakyu Line near Odawara. It was another beastly hot day, but tolerable once up around or above 400m elevation. Doshimichi was a mob scene of local cyclists, motorbikers, and motor vehicles on the holiday weekend. Yamanakako was even worse. The only Olympians I saw were the Great Britain team (G. Thomas, T. Hart, and the Yates brothers?), heading down from Mikuni toward Yamanakako as I climbed, but not enough time for me to get out my camera or even confirm who was whom -- similar to my experience on Wednesday with the Slovenians!  I wanted to shout a warning to their trailing car "traffic jam ahead!" ... but they were gone by in a flash.

The climb from the South to Mikuni Pass was mobbed with at least 10x the riders I have ever seen there, mostly walking up the steep South side in the heat. Young, old, families, roadies, cyclotourists, and more.

My route

Detour to avoid the busy traffic around Tsukuiko

Lower Doshimich

The bridge at Ryogoku

A local team rides up Doshimichi

Approaching the real climb

At the michi-no-eki

Endless line of cars trying to enter the michi-no-eki

Upper Doshi

Memorably good steak sandwich here - Yamanakako at the end of Doshimichi

En route to Mikuni

Cyclists walking up the "donut" section of Mikuni

Heading down from Oyama/Ashigara toward Matsuda
Japanese harmony with nature, as the expressway in the sky frames the river and mountains.

Olympic Rider Recon Ride #1

My rides were not "course recon" but "rider recon", as in I was looking to catch a glimpse of the real riders doing THEIR course recon rides.

The first ride, Wednesday, July 21, started at Suruga-Oyama Station (home of the "Cyclegate Fuji" facility) and went over Kagozaka Pass, down Doshi Michi, and then across to Route 20 (Koshu Kaido) and Sagamiko Station. It was a beastly hot day ... but quite tolerable, even nice, for the middle 50% of the ride at slightly higher and cooler elevations.  I saw lots of Olympians, but snapped not enough photos. And on Doshi Michi it was mostly the women riders, as the men's race would focus on the climb to Fuji Skyline, and the other to Mikuni Pass.

My route

Olympic Mascots on the Oyama town hall

Hydrangea (ajisai) still lovely above 300-400m elevation

Shaded climb through Oyama

Mt Fuji - Sponsored by TEPCO

Mt Fuji - without the power lines. Approaching the Fuji Speedway area now

I am pretty sure this was on the TT course, just outside/below the Speedway.

On the climb to Subashiri

A park at Subashiri

Headed for Kagozaka. Three Slovenians whizzed by me heading down -- I only figured out who it was later when I investigated their national team kit.

At Kagozaka Pass

At the Doshi Michi end of Yamanakako

At Yamabushi Pass -- top of Doshi

That is Omar Shipira and another, male, Israeli cyclist training ...
She was in the breakaway 4 days later in the women's road race.

Friendly Australian Olympian
The whole team came by, including the men riding in a group of 4 that included Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis ... but i could not snap a photo before they rounded a bend.

The road is ready for ... spectators who would not show ... 

Many local teams were riding Doshi ...

The Michi no Eki

At the Doshimichi Micho-no-eki

The Japanese women Olympians (Eri Yonamine -- sponsored with Solestar insoles and NRC glasses courtesy of David Marx/RGT -- plus one)