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Tour de Okinawa

Have you raced much? If so yes, I would sign up for Cat.1. Safer and not of ton of overall speed difference.
 
Tour de Bintan seems ... flat
Ill do Okinawa this year and see how I like it
 
yes, its flat. Plenty of rollers but no hills.
That said, there are always 3-4 teams that control the race and a lot more strategy taking place than Okinawa.
 
Is there anyone else registered to the 210km or 140km race? I'll be going there to watch and support my mate! :)
 

CoOl! I'm flying on the 8th and will be staying at a hotel in Nago. Unfortunately, the start location seems a bit far between the 140km and 210km race. I'll see you there if we had a chance - One of my riding partner will be there with me.

I wonder if there is any other else registered for the 210km race?
 
Summing up today's event. Meeting @jecjec81 and Stefano as well as many other motivated and likeminded racers was great. I flew in on Friday with my bike in a carboard box and all my minamal camping gear in a Bagpack and a new frame bag. The later is an excellent choice, as it helps me to shift all my sleeping gear and heavy items from my back to inside the frame triangle. Because I arrived very late and I had to stash my cardboard box somewhere, I crashed the first night in a little pension in Naha called Sora House for 1700Yen.

Next morning I assembled the bike on the roof of the building, found the closest bakery and took highway bus 111 up to Nago city. Not true to the touring idea, but because of the American bases occupying most of that section, there is only one road for cycling going north. Plus, I wanted fresh legs for the race.

I get to registration on time by noon and everything proceeds smoothly and well organized. Lots of cyclists, but also lots of volunteers. Arashiro giving autographs. Meeting friends. By 2pm I push on towards the start of the 140km race. Only the 210k pro and citizens race start in Nago, so if you are not doing those, you will either have to drive out quite early or find a sleeping place in the remote, but beautiful Kunigami or Cape Hedo areas. I found the best place I them all on a beach about 3km from the start. Not a soul in sight, just my hammock, the stars and the sound of the waves. With that and the superb dinner in the tiny oba-chan run shokudo close to the port nearby its no wonder I almost overslept.

I get to the start just in time, but all 300 starters have already lined up by the time I'm ready. It's an impressive sight, but my plan was to be at the very front when the climb starts after 5kms. I manage to sneak in from the side, by making an excuse (hey, I might be touring, but I still want a chance at winning), so by the time the gun goes I'm 200 back. Cutting through left ride and center I advance fast. Inside the tunnel after 3k is the first crash, luckily behind me. With the echo of the tunnel it sounds like surely a lot of riders went down. Luckily my polychromatic lenses adopt fast, but with a twitchy peloton in an unlit tunnel and dark tint glasses. They should put out a warning about this. By the time the climb starts I'm within the top10, so mission accomplished.

This is the decisive climb of TdO and apart from the 100k race you do it twice. Only 350m over 7k, but at race pace, I'm sure that Ill have to work hard to stay with all the lighter climbers. It is said, that you need a 5.5W/kg over 20mins to win the 140k race. I don't have a clue about my power or my heart rate, I forgot my powercal strap in Tokyo. So I ride by feeling, sandbagging it. In order not to overcook it I have to let the fast group that has formed go. Luckily it's only 500m or so until the top, but at the feed zone after they are still out of sight. After a furious downhill I catch back on to the group of 30riders, which is must to stay in contention.

Over the rolling to flat section I manage to eat drunk and recover well. My body type is incompatible with everybody else, I'm sure I was the heaviest guy in that group. Every downhill, I drift to the very front, then on a ascent to the back. Good practice for riding in a group, all you have to do is to gain weight ;)

On the flat section completing the loop towards the first climb, we begin to sweep up clbers from the 100k race. Apparently we went faster then the organizers expected. Legs feel good again and with some tunnels I stay within the first 5 places bracing myself for the climb. I'm in 2nd shifting down before taking a turn, when "pling, gatagatgatagatagata" suddenly I'm in 53x12. I don't want to believe it, but with my shifter not reacting there is no denying - my shift cable ripped.

Up goes the arm and I drift to the back to the commissair car. I want to tell every rider what has just happened and why I can't fight on. It's a miserable feeling, knowing that you did everything right, but not knowing what you could have done if...
Probably everybody who races knows it, but after my 4th consequtive dnf and traveling so far it is none the less sickening. But different from a time cut in a strong field or the tire blowout at Hotaka, I only have myself to blame for this. I even replaced my brake pads and ckecked those cables before departure. I changed my gear cables last in spring, when also the rear snapped on a training ride. On 9speed they definitely lasted longer.

So, I crank it back to the start, do some basic fix and haul it to the finish. If I can't win it, at least I want to see the goalsprints. I get to the last 3k alongside the UCI pros. Me, in the car traffic lane loaded with all my gear, they with two escapees and a chasing group of four in the closed lane. As this is my goalsprint for the day, I manage to stay alongside for a while. Probably the best way to watch a race.

I get to the goal in time to see all the other classes finish. The juniors manage a pileup just 100m before the finish. three riders out of a group of seven go down hard sprinting for 6th or so place.

My own heat's podium is made up by a individual escapees. The first guy has a sizable gap, but the third one barely makes it before a chasing group of 10. Would I have been one of them? Better not to ponder that question and believe that next year I will be!

Some pics:
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Gunnar nice write up and shame about the cable issues. I can't imagine how frustrating that must've been.
 
@Mike its disappointing, yes. Still had a great time in Okinawa and now what I'll have to do, to win this next year...
 
I got 6th the one time I raced and had grand schemes about returning and winning also. If I can get my mojo back I might join you next year, doubt it though as photography is taking up most of my time now.
 
Put a gopro on the bike and your bike becomes the camera ;)
Would be great to have a squad of heavies to wreak havok on everything but the climbs.
 
@Gunjira It was nice meeting you. I DNF'd after 72 km's when my pedal broke at the start of the climb with the front group.
Honestly, the race was fun and will definitely be back next year.


Vid at the last 2km of the UCI race Takaoka-san at the front.
http://instagram.com/p/ghLRIOMLx2/
 

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