Anyone interested in attempting one of Japan's most challenging bicycle hill-climb races? Join an eclectic international group of cyclists, competitive and otherwise, who will be attempting this race (again!) on June 25. Register the day before (saturday), stay the night in local hot spring baths, wake early Sunday to join thousands of others for this race up Utsukushigahara mountain, including picturesque vistas of the Alps on the switchbacks. Completely sealed roads perfect for road bikes. Winners finish in not much more than an hour (some spend three or more hours completing the challenge). Mountain bike and recumbent divisions
also.
Staying at: sakamotonoyu.jpsakamotonoyu.jpOpen ↗
Link to last year's race:
j-cycling.orguthukushigahara2005Open ↗
Access - 20minutes bike from Matsumoto station, which is a 2.5hr train ride from Tokyo. Matsumoto is also a fabulous sightseeing city and good launch point for a bike tour of the Japan alps.
Budget at least 20000yen (USD200) for the weekend, including train fares, accomodation and race entry.
Contact me for details if you are interested: ryantokyo at gmail dotty com
Ryano