No.116 Hosting of the Olympic cycling road race and community live site in Inagi

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was a turbulent start with various opinions swirling, such as absolute opposition, opposition if possible, no spectators if you really don't want it to be held, and if you're going to do it, you're in favor of it. The opening ceremony was held on July 23rd, and the competition began.

It was decided that the Olympic and Paralympic Games would be held in Tokyo in 2013, and the venues for each event have been confirmed one by one, but the course for the cycling road race has not yet been finalized.
In the original bid file, the course was to start and end at the Imperial Palace Gardens and loop around Inagi and Tama cities. However, there was no progress after that, and there were rumors that the course would be changed, so in May 2016 I submitted a written request to then-Governor Yoichi Masuzoe and Chairman of the Organizing Committee Yoshiro Mori, and in June of the same year. We received a similar written opinion from the Inagi City Council and began activities to attract courses. In June 2017, the goal was suddenly changed to Fuji Speedway, and at one point it looked like Inagi City would be removed, but efforts to attract and request the race in collaboration with the Tama Mayor and Tama City Council were successful. The decision was made in August 2018, and a course that passes through both cities has been realized.

Now that the road race course has been officially decided, the city has decided to promote a variety of cycling measures, promoting itself as ``Bicycle Town Inagi.''
In September 2018, we introduced shared bicycles, attracted a bicycle race called cyclocross to the Tama River riverbed, and were able to turn it into a tourist attraction by naming it ``Inagi Cross.'' In November, we participated in the launch of the ``National Association of Municipal Mayors Promoting Urban Development that Utilizes Bicycles,'' and we have also petitioned for the construction of bicycle lanes on the Main Road One Highway. Furthermore, in June of this year, we opened a cycle cafe that symbolizes the legacy of Olympic cycling.

Each Olympic sport began after extensive preparations and related project planning by everyone involved, but it was unfortunate that many competition venues were closed to spectators. Additionally, all live sites set up by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government have been cancelled.
The torch relay on public roads in Tokyo was also canceled, but the "Community Live Site in Inagi", an event to watch and support the cycling road race, the only Olympic sport held in the city, was still held. We discussed it with the people involved until the last minute to see if it was possible.
The Tokyo metropolitan government has set up live sites in places where many people come and go, such as around terminal stations, and the purpose is to provide public viewing so that an unspecified number of people can enjoy the Olympics, and they will be canceled during the state of emergency declaration. I think we have no choice but to do so.

Community live sites, on the other hand, are relatively small-scale sites set up by municipalities with assistance from the Tokyo metropolitan government for the enjoyment of local residents. The city decided to hold the event, judging that safety could be ensured after thoroughly implementing infection prevention measures.
Initially, we planned to hold 2,000 people a day in order to hold various events inside and outside the general gymnasium, but the capacity was reduced to 800 people, prior application system, thorough temperature measurement and hand disinfection, kitchen car We have reduced the number of food and drink spaces, thoroughly disinfected and occupied spaces, and reduced the number of hands-on events.
In this way, the men's road race was held on the 24th and the women's road race on the 25th, and the community live site set up a large monitor outdoors on both days, and enjoyed watching the races along with commentary by former cyclists and celebrities with cycling experience. I had it.
In addition, we have introduced the URL for live streaming from the city's mail distribution service so that you can watch the game from home, so I think many people have seen the live broadcast.
The sight of the Olympic Games, an extraordinary event, and the world-renowned cyclists sprinting in the midst of everyday scenery such as familiar roads, is probably a memory that many people will never forget for the rest of their lives. ?

We would like to express our gratitude to the people involved in the road race and the community live site, and to the Self-Defense Forces, police, volunteers, and fire brigade for roadside security.