The wait is over! The Tokyo Olympic Games kicks off on Saturday with the first cycling event, the Men’s Road Race.
For the first time in Olympics history, the Road Race will be contested on a point-to-point course rather than on loops of a circuit.
The Men’s race will have a total of 130 riders from 57 countries, racing 234km which includes five climbs and 4,865m ascent.
The peloton will race up the lower slopes of Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, peaking at 1,451 metres above sea level. The 14.3km climb, Fuji Sanroku, is crested after 140 kilometres in the saddle, with just less than 100km still remaining.
Mikini Pass, which is much steeper than the iconic Mt Fuji, will undoubtedly prove decisive at 34km to go. Whoever hasn’t been dislodged there will have to hold on over the shorter Kagosaka Pass for the 12km run-in to the finish on the speedway.
We’re ready to cheer on Team South Africa as they mix it up on the slopes of the iconic Mt Fuji.
74 🇿🇦 Stefan De Bod
75 🇿🇦 Nicholas Dlamini
76 🇿🇦 Ryan Gibbons
Saturday, 24 July
04h00 – 11h15 SAST
Route details
🏔️ 80,5 km – Doushi Road (1121m)
🏔️ 96,5 km – Kagosaka Pass (1111m)
🏔️ 139,2 km – Fuji Sanroku (1451m)
🏔️ 201 km – Mikuni Pass (1171m)
🏔️ 212,7 km – Kagosaka Pass (1111m)
Finish – 234km – Fuji International Speedway (591m)
Ascent – 4865m
More information on the startlists, race updates and official reports can be found at olympics.com
