Good evening, this is Nabetaku!
Yesterday, I went to the Tokai Cyclocross at Aichi Farm.
With a total of 500 entries, this race was the largest in the history of the Tokai Cyclocross. Tokai Cyclocross is always a wonderful event with great hospitality that I personally enjoy, but the venue this time, Aichi Farm, was something special. I think that's because it had three reasons that other venues don't. I've thought about this from my own perspective, having set up a booth, watched as a spectator, and ridden in the race.
・It's close to the city!
We usually head out to races in Gifu and other places in our orange Bongo van, affectionately known as the Circles Van, but since this was the first time holding it at this location—just about 20km from Chiyoda, Naka-ku, Nagoya, where Circles is based—we were able to ride our bikes to the race venue.
By the way, my house is closer to Aichi Farm, so it was only 10km to the venue. I rode there and back. When I watched the videos from Breadwinner and Portland Design Works a while ago, I thought it would be nice to be able to ride to a race, compete, and ride home—and that dream became a reality.
I don't own a car, so I usually rent one or take the Circles Van to get to race venues, but most of the time, it's hard to participate in cyclocross without a vehicle. This creates an entry barrier, so I sincerely hope we see more local races like this one.
Furthermore, we held a "Bike To Tokai CX" spectator ride tour from Circles.
I think even people who don't usually do cyclocross watched it and thought, "I want to try this! It looks fun!" Seeing is believing, right?
・It's fun even for those who aren't racing!
The biggest charm of Tokai Cyclocross is that local energy overflows at every venue.
Makoto-san from Culture Club set up a neutral pit for participants, and of course, we at SimWorks also set up a booth.
As for food, the familiar BUCYO COFFEE added beer, kushikatsu (skewered cutlets), and even shochu to their usual menu for this venue. There were also pizza shops and pork miso soup made by locals. I can't thank them enough!
Furthermore, the permanent facilities included their famous ice cream and gelato, plus a BBQ area. It was well-appointed, wasn't it?
The souvenirs were also great. By the way, I regret not buying any.
It reminded me of the "earwax-flavored" candy from Harry Potter. I take my hat off to the sense of humor at Aichi Farm. You can find other souvenirs here.
From now on, I think there will be a demand for cyclocross events that can be enjoyed even by people who aren't racing.
Personally, I think it's cool to see people who support the venue's infrastructure enjoying the race too!
Bu-cho, manager! It looks like you're injured, so please take care!
・The course is fun!
Photo by KIKUZO As a participating athlete, you don't want to enter a race where the course isn't fun, right?
I think everyone has different standards for what makes a course fun, but the voices saying "This is fun!" were unanimous during the test ride for this course.
The course had good elevation changes, and the corners weren't too easy, but not too difficult either—an exquisite layout.
When riding, there was a pleasure in the cornering that reminded me of mountain bike trails. That meant you had to climb, though. But because you climb, the rewarding descent is fun too.
For the spectators, there were stairs—a classic cyclocross feature—and the views were great; being able to see the entire course was another highlight!
When you think of cyclocross at a farm, the "mud" at the Nobeyama Cyclocross held in November is famous, so there were rumors that Aichi Farm would also be "muddy." However, because it was sunny, it was a hard-packed dirt surface where sand dust was dancing.
You don't need rain boots, it's not cold, and it's great that laundry is easy. If someone says that's just the nature of cyclocross, well, fair enough, but cleaning up is always better when it's effortless.
Photo by Kanta
Besides, when there are a lot of spectators, the riders get pumped up, too!
Thank you so much for all the support! I finished 15th out of 29, reaching 54%, and secured my spot in C1.
In the end, it all comes down to the fact that it's fun when lots of people come and we all hang out together!
Why not come for a visit to the fun Tokai Cyclocross? This goes for those in the Tokai region as well as those coming from far away! Any style is fine! You don't even have to race. Boys, girls, men, women, grandpas, grandmas—let's all have a good time together!
Closing with the Tokai Cyclocross Girls Collection!
You can find the rest of the photos here!
