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Olympic Road Cycling: Who to watch for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic road race

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 6, 2016: Cyclists ride during Rio 2016 Olympic Cycling Road competition of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de JaneiroLeonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com
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If you didn’t get enough road race action from the Tour de France and USA Crits — the Olympic road races are sure to satisfy. Starting the first week of the Summer Olympics in  Tokyo, the world’s best men and women will take to the road for the Olympic road race.

Prototype-2020-Pirelli-P-ZERO-Velo-tubeless-road-race-tires_photo-by-Sam-Flanagan-Mitchelton-Scott_World-Champion-Annemiek-van-Vleuten-custom-Scott-Addict-RC-aero-road-bike
Photo-by-Sam-Flanagan

After an unprecedented year of rescheduling the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (now 2021) is finally ready for take-off. There is a tight list of favorites, and as the Tour is still unfolding, the real question is who can recover, stay healthy and be ready for the demands of the Olympic competition.

Scicon AeroWing Lamon sunglasses, Tadej Pogačar Tour de France yellow jersey
Photo credit: Scicon

We have our notions on who can come out on top (likely a climber) but will it be those fighting for the yellow jersey or a rider who can empty the tank fully on a one-day race? Only time will tell, but let’s talk about the course these riders will face and the riders themselves who will face it — stay tuned.

Olympic 2021 Road Cycling Race course description

Olympic road race course mens

The 2021 Tokyo Olympics men’s road race takes place on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji and the unforgivingly steep Mikuni pass. The loop will feature a total of 4,865 meters of assent, with some crazy challenging descending that accompanies the climbs.

Olympic road race course profile mens

The women’s loop features the same start as the men’s but omits the Mount Fuji sector entirely. The route is not flat for the women, though, still packing a total of 2,692 meters in elevation.

Olympic road race course profile womens

Both the men’s and women’s routes start from Musashinonomori Park on the outskirts of Tokyo and follow the same route southwest towards the Fuji International Speedway. This climbing starts around 40 km near Donushi Road and the Kagosaka pass, ascending the whole way until the 80 km mark.

Olympic road race course women's

There is no place to hide on the steep slopes of Donushi, just before the riders crest to see Lake Yamanaka. Here, the riders will take on the second ascent of the Kagosaka pass, a slightly more demanding sector in pitch but shorter in length. Once at the top, riders will hit a slight descent and skirt the lake offering amazing visuals for the viewing audience.

Mt Fuji Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Photo Credit: 名古屋太郎

From this point, both men’s and women’s riders will begin their descent down the pass and eventually split towards different locations. The women start towards the Fuji International Speedway, completing a full lap of the demanding TT course. In contrast, the men keep rolling towards Mount Fuji. After completing the entire lap of the course, the women’s race (and eventually men) conclude on the Formula 1 track.

Mt Fuji Motor speed way
Photo Credit: Mt Fuji International Speedway

The men get a ride through the countryside and then start climbing again via the Mt. Fuji toll road, with the ascent topping out at 1,451 meters. The peloton will keep ascending till they eventually meet Mizugatsuka Park, finally getting some reprieve, and descend towards the Mt Fuji International Speedway. Like the women’s race, the men will complete a full lap on the lumpy circuit but leave the sports complex immediately after, heading towards the Mikuni Pass and then the Kagosaka Pass for a second time. Following the Kagosaka Pass, the remaining pack tackles a technical descent towards the circuit entrance, finally, they head towards the track, completing only half a lap this time before the grand finish — check out the video bellow for an interactive course preview.

Olympic Road Race — Top 5 Men to watch

Tadej_Pogačar on TV
Photo credit: Petar Milošević

Name:Tadej Pogačar
Country: Slovenia
Trade team: UAE TEAM EMIRATES
UCI rank: 2
Bike: Colnago

Woute Van Art Tour de France interview
Photo Credit: Gérald Garitan

Name: Wout van Aert
Country: Belgium
Trade team: JUMBO-VISMA
UCI rank: 3
Bike: Cervelo

Mike Woods victorious
Photo: Mike Woods.com

Name: Mike Woods
Country: Canada
Trade team: ISRAEL START-UP NATION
UCI rank: 14
Bike: Colnago

Primož_Roglič descending in the tour
Photo Credit: Filip Bossuyt

Name: Primoz Roglic
Country: Slovenia
Trade team: JUMBO-VISMA
UCI rank: 1
Bike: Cervelo

Simon Yates in climbing jersey
Photo credit: Connor Mah

Name: Simon Yates
Country: Great Britain
Trade team: TEAM BIKE EXCHANGE
UCI rank: 22
Bike: Bianchi

Olympic Road Race — Top 5 Women to watch

Anna_van_der_Breggenjpeg posty worlds TV conference
Photo credit: Granada

Name: Anna van der Breggen
Country: Netherlands
Trade team: TEAM SD WORX
UCI rank: 1
Bike: Specialized

Marianna Vos post worlds interview
Photo credit: Cs-wolves

Name: Marianne Vos
Country: Netherlands
Trade team: JUMBO-VISMA WOMEN TEAM
UCI rank: 5
Bike: Cervelo

Amanda_Spratt racing for AUS at Road Worlds
Photo Credit: Granada

Name: Amanda Spratt
Country: Australia
Trade team: TEAM BIKE EXCHANGE
UCI rank: 32
Bike: Bianchi

Elisa_Longo_Borghini at road worlds
Photo credit: Cs-wolves

Name: Elisa Borghini
Country: Italy
Trade team: TREK – SEGAFREDO
UCI rank: 3
Bike: Trek

Times to watch:

  • Men’s Road Race — July 24th — 4:00 am CEDT — 10:00 pm EST (July 23)
  • Women’s Road Race — July 25th — 6:00 am CEDT — 12:00 am EST

Complete Start list Tokyo 2021 Men’s Road Race

Belgium

  • VAN AVERMAET Greg
  • BENOIT Tiesj
  • EVENEPOEL Remco
  • VAN AERT Wout
  • VANSEVENANT Mauri

Colombia

  • QUINTANA Nairo
  • URÁN Rigoberto
  • HIGUITA Sergio
  • CHAVES Esteban
  • MARTÍNEZ Daniel Felipe

France

  • CAVAGNA Rémi
  • COSNEFROY Benoît
  • GAUDU David
  • MARTIN Guillaume
  • ELISSONDE Kenny

Italy

  • CARUSO Damiano
  • MOSCON Gianni
  • BETTIOL Alberto
  • CICCONE Giulio
  • NIBALI Vincenzo

Netherlands

  • DUMOULIN Tom
  • MOLLEMA Bauke
  • KELDERMAN Wilco
  • VAN BAARLE Dylan
  • HAVIK Yoeri

Spain

  • VALVERDE Alejandro
  • IZAGIRRE Gorka
  • IZAGIRRE Ion
  • HERRADA Jesús
  • FRAILE Omar

Denmark

  • FUGLSANG Jakob
  • GREEN Kasper
  • JUUL-JENSEN Christopher
  • VALGREN Michael

Germany

  • SCHACHMANN Maximilian
  • BUCHMANN Emanuel
  • ARNDT Nikias
  • GESCHKE Simon

Great Britain

  • GEOGHEGAN HART Tao
  • THOMAS Geraint
  • YATES Adam
  • YATES Simon

Slovenia

  • ROGLIČ Primož
  • POGAČAR Tadej
  • POLAND Jan
  • TRATNIK Jan

Switzerland

  • HIRSCHI Marc
  • KÜNG Stefan
  • SCHÄR Michael
  • MÄDER Gino

Australia

  • PORTE Richie
  • DENNIS Rohan
  • HAMILTON Lucas

Austria

  • PERNSTEINER Hermann
  • KONRAD Patrick
  • MÜHLBERGER Gregor

Canada

  • WOODS Michael
  • BOIVIN Guillaume
  • HOULE Hugo

Czech Republic

  • SCHLEGEL Michal
  • ŠTYBAR Zdeněk
  • KUKRLE Michael

Ireland

  • MARTIN Dan
  • ROCHE Nicolas
  • DUNBAR Eddie

Kazakhstan

  • PRONSKIY Vadim
  • GRUZDEV Dmitriy
  • LUTSENKO Alexey

Norway

  • FOSS Tobias
  • LEKNESSUND Andreas
  • HOELGAARD Markus

Poland

  • BODNAR Maciej
  • KWIATKOWSKI Michał
  • MAJKA Rafał

Ecuador

  • NARVÁEZ Jhonatan
  • CARAPAZ Richard

Latvia

  • SKUJIŅŠ Toms
  • NEDLANDS Krists

Luxembourg

  • GENIETS Kevin
  • RIES Michel

Portugal

  • ALMEIDA João
  • OLIVEIRA Nelson

New Zealand

  • BENNETT George
  • BEVIN Patrick

South Africa

  • GIBBONS Ryan
  • DLAMINI Nic

USA

  • MCNULTY Brandon
  • CRADDOCK Lawson

Slovakia

  • SAGAN Peter

Hungary

  • VALTER Attila

Slovakia

  • SAGAN Peter

Ukraine

  • BUDAK Anatoliy

Complete Start list Tokyo 2021 Women’s Road Race

Netherlands

  • VAN DER BREGGEN Anna
  • VAN VLEUTEN Annemiek
  • VOS Marianne
  • HOLLERING Demi

Italy

  • LONGO-BORGHINI Elisa
  • CAVALLI Marta
  • BASTIANELLI Marta
  • PALADIN Soraya

Germany

  • BRENNER Lisa
  • LIPPERT Liane
  • LUDWIG Hannah
  • WOMACK Trixi

Australia

  • BROWN Grace
  • SPRATT Amanda
  • CROMWELL Tiffany
  • GIGANTE Sarah

United States of America

  • DYGERT Chloe
  • WINDER Ruth
  • THOMAS Leah
  • RIVERA Coryn

Denmark

  • LUDWIG Cecile Uttrup
  • NORSGAARD Emma
  • Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  • DEIGNAN Lizzie
  • SHACKLEY Anna

Belgium

  • KOPECKY Lotte
  • DEMEY Valerie
  • VAN DE VELDE Julie

Canada

  • KIRCHMANN Leah
  • CANCEL Karol-Ann

Poland

  • NIEWIADOMA Kasia
  • PLICHTA Anna

Spain

  • GARCÍA Mavi
  • SANTESTEBAN Ane

France

  • LABOR Juliette

Slovenia

  • BUJAK Eugenia

Norway

  • BØRGLI Stine
  • AALERUD Katrine

Ukraine

  • KONONENKO Valeriya

Russian Olympic Committee

  • DRONOVA-BALABOLINA Tamara

Sweden

  • DAHLIN Emilia

Luxembourg

  • MAJARUS Christine

South Africa

  • MOORMAN-PASIO Ashleigh
  • OBERHOLZER Carla

Belarus

  • AMIALIUSIK Alena

Austria

  • KIESENHOFER Anna

Switzerland

  • REUSSER Marlen

Czech Republic

  • NEUMANOVA Tereza

Colombia

  • PATIÑO Paula Andrea

Cuba

  • SIERRA Arlenis

Trinidad and Tobago

  • CAMPBELL Teniel

Israel

  • SHAPIRA Omer

Uzbekistan

  • ZABELINSKAYA Olga

Japan

  • YONAMINE Eri
  • KANEKO Hiromi
  • Cyprus
  • CHRISTOFOROU Antri

Eritrea

  • DEBESAY Montana

Republic of Korea

  • NA Ahreum

Namibia

  • LOOSER Vera

Thailand

  • MANEEPHAN Jutatip

Paraguay

  • ESPÍNOLA Agua Marina

How to watch

For those in the states, you can watch all the action on NBC/Peacock — though the times are not convenient to those in the USA. So be sure not to miss the action and get some espresso ready!

We’re guessing that the Peacock Premium service should have some event replay similar to the casting of the Tour de France, but we’ll have to wait and see.

For a complete listing of all Olympic Cycling events, check out our first post here.

Mountain biking more your speed? Check out the Olympic XC MTB race information here.

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