The Cyclo-cross World Championships ended a week ago, and I have safely returned home to Japan from Switzerland. My mind still feels a bit hazy—perhaps from jet lag or something else—but I am gradually getting back to my normal routine.
I would like to take this opportunity to share a brief report. The Kansai Cyclo-cross race in Hiyoshi, which I competed in immediately after returning, turned out to be an unexpected snowy race—the first since Makino—and battling the cold to the point of numbness was tough. However, I managed to secure a spot on the podium in 3rd place, and finished the JCX series ranked 2nd, a big jump up from my 6th place last season. Thank you to everyone who cheered me on at the venue.
I’ve been in surprisingly great form this season, and I found myself looking forward to every weekend race, wondering how well I would be able to perform. There are various reasons for this good form, including improved dietary habits and physical condition, as well as our team structure and my own motivation; I will write more about that another time.
Maintaining that form, I placed 2nd at the All-Japan Championships, and with those results and my performance in the race, I earned my ticket to the World Championships.
I never imagined the day would come when I would carry the Japanese flag and compete on the world stage, so for a while, I was still half-doubting it. But knowing I shouldn't waste such a hard-won opportunity, I spent every day in a race against time.
I didn’t have a moment to breathe before leaving the country, but supported by my friends and everyone who cheered for me, I was able to successfully take on the challenge of this major stage.
I would like to sincerely thank everyone for their support, from the year-end party and farewell party to the cheering towels. Your voices reached me even in Switzerland, and I gained so much courage knowing I wasn't fighting alone. I would like to express my gratitude here.
I am by no means satisfied with the result, but I want to use this experience as fuel, shift my mindset toward the next challenge, and start again from scratch with the determination to try again next year.
I have already put the Seven Cycles Kellcris SL bike that I used at the World Championships on display at Circles 2F Tailored.
I've been talking about the races and the experience in the shop already, but we have decided to host a report session. We will share my impressions of the courses, from the World Cup in the Netherlands to the World Championships, using photos and videos I actually took on-site.
The report session is scheduled for Friday, February 28th, in Nagoya, alongside NB (Nobuhiko Tanabe), who took the photos on-site. I will post more details later, so please look forward to it!
Thank you so much for all your support!