READY STEADY TOKYO Cycling (Road) Held on a challenging course

Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the cycling (road race) event of READY STEADY TOKYO (hosted by the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee), a test event aimed at enhancing competition and event management capabilities, was held on July 21. The race covered a total distance of 179 kilometers, starting at Musashino Forest Park in Chofu City, Tokyo, and finishing at Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture.

A total of 20 teams participated: 9 national teams, including powerhouses like Italy and France, and 11 continental teams from Asia and Japan. A total of 96 riders started the race.
A large crowd of fans gathered at Musashino Forest Park for the start. The colorful jerseys of the riders, along with the bikes and cars supporting the teams, created a vibrant atmosphere that felt far from a mere test event.

During pre-race interviews with each team on stage, many riders mentioned the course's difficulty and the challenge of the race, while also expressing their determination to win and their hopes for the 2020 Games. When the favored Italian team took the stage, the crowd erupted in loud cheers.

At noon, Secretary General Toshiro Muto of the Organizing Committee waved the start flag, launching the race. Traffic restrictions were implemented at various points along the course to accommodate the passing race vehicles, making the event feel like the real thing.
Diego Ulissi (Italy) won in 4 hours, 50 minutes, 53 seconds, followed by Davide Formolo (Italy) in second and Nans Peters (France) in third, with European riders dominating the top positions. The highest-placed Japanese rider was Atsushi Oka (Utsunomiya Blitzen) in 15th place.
Of the 96 starters, 49 finished. For the Tokyo Olympics, the course will be extended to include the Fuji foothills area, creating an even more challenging route totaling 234 kilometers.

READY STEADY TOKYO website:
https://readysteady.tokyo2020.org/ja/