No.116 Olympic Cycling Road Race and Community Live Site in Inagi

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games had a tumultuous start with various opinions swirling, ranging from absolute opposition, preferably opposition, truly wishing it wouldn't happen but if it must, then without spectators, somewhat in favor, to strong support. However, the opening ceremony was held on July 23, 2021, and the competitions began.

The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were decided to be held in 2013, and the venues for each event were gradually confirmed, but the course for the road cycling event took a long time to be determined.
Initially, the bid file proposed a course starting and ending at the Imperial Palace East Garden, circling around Inagi City and Tama City. However, as rumors of course changes circulated without any progress, I submitted a request letter in May 2016 to then-Governor Yoichi Masuzoe and Chairman Yoshiro Mori of the organizing committee. In June of the same year, we received a similar Opinion Statement from the Inagi City Council, and we began our course bidding activities. In June 2017, the finish line was suddenly changed to Fuji Speedway, and at one point, Inagi City was at risk of being excluded. However, our collaborative bidding and request activities with the Mayor of Tama City and the Tama City Council paid off, and in August 2018, it was decided that a course passing through both cities would be realized.

The city has officially decided on the course for the road race, and has declared itself as "Inagi, the Bicycle Town," moving forward with various bicycle initiatives.
In September 2018, we introduced a bike-sharing program and attracted a cyclocross bicycle race to the Tama River riverbed, which we were able to promote as a tourist resource under the name "Inagi Cross." In November, we participated in the establishment of the "National Association of Mayors Promoting Community Development Utilizing Bicycles" and have also made submissions for the development of bicycle lanes along the main road. Furthermore, in June of this year, we opened a cycle café that embodies the legacy of Olympic cycling events.

The various events of the Olympics began after the preparations and planning of related projects by all parties involved, but it was unfortunate that many competition venues were held without spectators. Furthermore, all live sites established by Tokyo Metropolis were canceled.
Although the torch relay on public roads in the city was also canceled, we discussed with the parties involved until the last minute about whether we could somehow hold the event "Community Live Site in Inagi," which is the only Olympic event taking place in the city, the cycling road race, to watch and support.
The live sites were intended to be set up in places where many people come and go, such as around terminal stations, to provide public viewings and allow an unspecified number of people to enjoy the Olympics. However, I believe that during the state of emergency declaration, it was unavoidable to cancel them.

On the other hand, the community live site is a relatively small-scale initiative established by each municipality with the support of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for the enjoyment of local residents. The city has decided to hold the event, judging that safety can be ensured with thorough infection prevention measures in place.
Initially, we planned for a scale of 2,000 people to conduct various events inside and outside the Comprehensive Gymnasium, but we reduced the capacity to 800 people, implemented a pre-registration system, ensured temperature checks and hand sanitization, reduced the number of food trucks, established a capacity limit and thorough sanitization for dining areas, and scaled down experience events.
Thus, the men's road race was held on the 24th and the women's road race on the 25th, with large outdoor monitors set up at the community live site, allowing attendees to enjoy the races with commentary from former competitive cyclists and celebrities with cycling experience.
Additionally, to enable viewing from home, we provided a URL for the live broadcast through the city's email distribution service, so many people likely watched via the online stream.
In the familiar scenery of everyday roads, the extraordinary event of the Olympics took place, and the sight of cyclists from around the world racing is likely to have become an unforgettable memory for many.

We would like to express our gratitude to all the individuals involved in the organization of the road race and community live site, as well as to the Self-Defense Forces, police, volunteers, and fire brigade members who provided roadside security.