Fukuoka: Tour De Kyushu Cyclists Race through 3 Prefs; Racing around Beautiful Locations across Kyushu

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:05 JST, November 2, 2024

MUNAKATA, Fukuoka — The Mynavi Tour de Kyushu 2024, an international bicycle road race, was held across four days through Oct. 14 with about 100 cyclists from 17 teams from Japan and abroad taking part in the action. The stage race covered a total distance of 387 kilometers in Fukuoka, Oita and Kumamoto prefectures. Fans gathered to cheer along the roadside in each area, enjoying the powerful bicycle race.

The event, organized by the Kyushu business community and the prefectures involved to attract inbound tourists, was held for the first time last year.

This year’s race began on Oct. 11 with a criterium around Kokura Castle in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, which is ideal for spectators. On the second day, riders raced along roads in the Oita Stage, and in the Aso Stage on the third day, they raced against the backdrop of the magnificent mountains. On the final day, Oct. 14, the stage returned to Fukuoka Prefecture, where the riders completed nine 14-kilometer laps along the coast and in the mountains, reaching the goal in Munakata.

The general individual time classification winner was Emilien Jeanniere of the powerful French team TotalEnergies.

Next year, the event is scheduled to be held in a total of five prefectures, with events in Nagasaki and Miyazaki accompanying those in Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Oita.