Tour de Utsukushigahara 2009


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Registration for the Tour de Utsukushigahara - the day before the race, the Asama Onsen sports centre carpark is buzzing with cyclists and trepidation ahead of tomorrow's early start. Matt, who'd cycled all the way from England, and me at Misuzu-ko. We just rode (I struggled) up the first section for a practice run the afternoon before the race. I was already stuffed. Matt was eager for more, and went ahead to scout out more of the course. Phil, Matt and I outside the Sakamoto-no-yu ryokan with Phils parents-in-law.
Disaster strikes just 25 minutes before Matt's start time. He took a minor tumble on this grate, and the bolt from his cleat broke off and fell in. No amount of super strength could lift up the grate. Crestfallen, Matt thought he was watching his chances of starting the race go down the drain. The broken shoe. With adrenalin pumping, and only moments before his start time, the broken cleat was repaired at a bike shop. Matt started on time, but the cleat came loose again up the hill - not deterred, Matt still finished the race in blistering time. The start line, just before Champion Class departs at 7:30am.
Lining up with my group before the start of the Tour de Utsukushigahara The first hill is the steepest - an 18% slope. I couldn't make it past about two-thirds of the way up without stopping, so was able to take a photo of everyone else who could. I wasn't the only one walking. The first hairpin - some managed to ride, others had to walk.
It was a slow and steady grind up the mountain. Not everyone could manage it nonstop. Of course, I couldn't have taken photos unless I stopped too... At the finish! From left to right: me, Matt, Naoko, Bruce & Phil. I was the last of our group to finish, but had a rosy feeling of satisfaction inside, and a look of being totally stuffed on the outside.
Weary cyclists at the finish Yatta! Celebrating finishing the Tour de Utsukushigahara 2009. The officials start to pack up as the cloud lifts off the antennae on top of the mountain.
On the ride down, I stopped to take a photo of the high plain. This was almost the only downhill in the whole race - through a mountain plain with orange azaleas.   
Photos 1 - 16 out of 16 | Back to Albums
Description: A 22km bike ride in the mountains? No problems, put my name down. What, a 1270 metre ascent up the mountain? What was I thinking? Japan's "gekisaka" (severe slope) hill climb event - the Tour de Utsukushigahara
Location: Asama Onsen to Utsukushigahara, Nagano-ken

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