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Watching Giro d'Italia with Weary Eyes

By Daisuke Yano • 23rd May 2011 05:54pm • Posted in Cycle Club

Everynight, at the Rapha Cycle Club Tokyo, Giro d'Italia coverage on J-Sports Broadcasting starts at 9:45PM. Most stages finish around 12:30 to 1:00AM.

Well past the last train home.

Still every night we have a few fans during the week, and on weekends, we host 20 to 30, sometimes more. Stage14, being Saturday, we anticipated a few fans to join us for the live viewing of the Giro d'Italia. Plenty of Rapha labeled wine went out the bar, as with Birra Moretti.

11:30PM, a gentleman in business suits starts to get uneasy and checks his watch every minute. Maybe 10 minute walk to the closest subway station, okay, 5 minutes if ran…3 minutes if mad-dashed?? Hits his absolute latest timing to catch the last train and bolts out the door!

He comes back next day to watch the missed climax of the last night's stage replay.

And of course he comes back again on Sunday night to watch what ended up being a true historic stage through fantasy movie computer graphic like land scape of deepest parts of Dolomites. This time he drove his car over and was able to watch Stefano Garzelli's face of "true" human being on limit. Our fists, even toes clinched as we all could almost feel his suffering. Thinking this maybe his last chance ever of winning a stage at the Giro d'Italia, maybe retiring with glory in his mind? His devastation is unimaginable to us normal being when Mikel Nieve dances away…

He then somehow regains composure to finish strong just in front of … what seemed to be the only rider in the whole 166 riders who tirelessly breathed through his nose across the line.

The Rapha Cycle Club Tokyo is open now.

Comments

Jamie Clarkson

23rd May 2011 06:07pm

Amazing pics…who and or what is the jersey and vest combo (pink and blue)?? New Rapha or something specific to the Japan Cycle club store? How can I get one of each!!!!

Jon Moss

24th May 2011 08:29pm

Looks great and loving the cushions!

Jim Piercy

24th May 2011 10:02pm

Sadly gonna miss any Giro viewing, but heading to Tokyo first week of June - can't wait to stop in as I have withdrawal symptoms from lack of a London space this year.

Daisuke Yano

25th May 2011 12:54am

Hi Jim, please stop by. J-Sports actually broadcasts Criterium du Dauphine which starts 5-June and Tour de Swiss (double header on weekened!). We'll definitely show mountain and key stages. If you want to go out on a ride, we have plenty of people around who can take you around, also. Just let us know.

Jim Piercy

25th May 2011 07:06pm

Thanks Daisuke - looking forward to it. I'm around for a week so will definitely stop by more than once. Would love a ride, but sadly will be bikeless for this trip.

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