On the early morning of Sunday, April 28th, gentlemen from all over gathered in Kyoto.
Rapha Gentlemen’s Race Kyoto.
This was the second time the event has been held, following the first domestic race in Nobeyama last year.
I’m grateful for the invitation again this time,
and participated with the Circles Racing Club and the Hunter/SimWorks CX Team.
The rules are simple: teams of five riders visit checkpoints to reach the finish line.
You rely on a Garmin with the pre-specified route loaded
and the cue sheet provided to you.
It wasn’t just tough; there was the harshness of the deep mountains in northern Kyoto,
and the aesthetic sense of our predecessors condensed within the ancient capital.
We kept on riding while experiencing all of that firsthand.
At times, the gentlemen pushed through gravel on road tires.
When we were greeted by a sign indicating a 14% grade, we couldn't help but laugh.
At the peak beyond that, on a forest road where not a soul was in sight,
someone I’d seen somewhere before was sitting all alone.
Muga-shi from Karaido Cycle. At the toughest point of the climb,
he cheered us on and even treated us to some drinks.
At that moment, you looked like a Buddha to me. Thank you very much!
Before I knew it, we were this high up.
The scenery on this course was just beautiful,
and I rode on, excited by the landscape changing around every bend.
Our two teams also successfully completed the course, which spanned roughly 150km with 2,500m of elevation gain.
A total of 155 cyclists across 31 teams,
joining hands with their teammates to overcome difficulties and troubles.
Rankings and times are important, but
above all, I am filled with gratitude for being able to share this wonderful time and for all the staff who organized it.
Additional photos taken by other riders have also been uploaded to Instagram.
Please be sure to check out #gentlemensrace and #rgr.