Yukiya Arashiro - Team Europcar

If you say sports in Japan, then soccer or baseball will come in your mind.
Only a small handful of friends like the cycle road race etc., and in Japan today even the Tour de France is hardly acknowledged by a handful of people only. 

There are some Japanese working hard in the world of cycle road racing in such a situation, and that is Yukiya.

Yukiya Arashiro

Hideo Nomo made the first bridge-building to the world extending the majority to the United States. 

I wish he creates the record as the pioneer of the cycle road racer like Masahiro Tanaka who reached agreement with New York Yankees for seven year super contract of 155 million dollars (about 16.1 billion yen) the other day.

I wish he sends the message by his riding that the cycle road racing is a charming sports, for the next generation youngsters to follow, and also with to extend my support.

In July 2009, he participated in Tour de France as a Japanese team member after an interval of 13 years, and became the only player to ride the whole distance for the first time in modern Tour de France.

In addition, he rode the entire distance in the Giro d'Italia in 2010, and became the Japanese rider who rode the entire distance for the first time in two major grand tours (Tour de France and Giro d'Italia).

He got the fighting spirit award in the fourth stage in Tour de France in 2012. He was the player who reached the victory stand of grand tour for the first time by a Japanese.

It was confirmed that the attached Team Europcar was promoted to the highest category team called as UCI professional team from this year.

As a result, this team obtained the right to be able to participate automatically in three major tours, not only in Tour de France but also in Giro d'Italia in May, and Vuelta a España in autumn. Yukiya signed the contract extension for two years.

I would expect him to widen his appeal gradually!