Training Report - Kenashi Pass 5

The temperature was around 9 degrees Celsius below zero at the Kenashi Pass (648m). It was snowing a little and wind was a bit strong. Dr.K, his team mate Mr.Hiratsuka who is rookie of the Team Orion and Tesseract participated in this training. We did a time trial of 6.84km from the car parking at 510m up to the summit of the Kenashi Pass at 648m.



This year, we have impression that we have more snow than the previous year (refer to the photos of the same place: Kenashi Pass 1 or Avalanche Fences).


At the start point. Normally, we can see the rainfall radar on the Mt.Kenashi in front of us that we had been able to see during the warming-up. However, we couldn't see it any more as the snowfall had become harder and blocked our sight. Dr.K started at first, a minute later Mr.Hiratsuka and one and a half minute later Tesseract started.


Just after the start, Tesseract decreased the gap with Mr.Hiratsuka on the climbing which is not so steep and could see him on the straight roads. But the itinerary was getting steeper and as Mr.Hiratsuka had advantage on Tesseract in steep climbing, the gap didn't decrease on the steep climbing but kept the same distance up to the first summit. In the following descent, as Tesseract had advantage on the descent, Tesseract decreased the gap considerably and got the two in front of him in the range. Then we commenced to climb the next hill. Mr.Hiratsuka passed Dr.K and Tesseract passed him as well. Tesseract caught up Mr.Hiratsuka in the middle of this climbing. However, while Tesseract was passing him, Mr.Hiratsuka accelerated and the gap increased. The road was getting so steeper that Tesseract couldn't keep up the speed of Mr.Hiratsuka and reached the summit of the next hill with several seconds of gap. We began to descend and Tesseract passed Mr.Hiratsuka soon and we reached the final climbing. Mr.Hiratsuka passed Tesseract there and in the final approach to the summit, Tesseract passed him again. It was a time tiral, not a road race. Why we passed each other so many times? But it's the way. As Mr.Hiratsuka was faster in the steep climbing and Tesseract was faster on the descent, their fields were different. And as it was a time trial, the drafting was not allowed. So they rode at their comfortable rate.

At the finish at the summit of the Kenashi Pass. Tesseract and Mr.Hiratsuka arrived almost simultaneously.


And Dr.K arrived soon.


Tesseract's record. Much faster than the last time. But he has to travel this route within 15 minutes if he wants to ride in the same level in which he used to be when he was active racer. However, he would not ride this year to concentrate on his studies. So this record might be considered ok as he hasn't been aiming to the races. His average speed was 18.9km/h and the maximal velocity was 56.0km/h.


This day, we didn't descend in the direction of Akaigawa but in the direcion of Otaru.

The ride of Mr.Hiratsuka was amazing although he just began the bike. We hope he will be a great cyclist and we think he is capable of that.


The Kenashi Pass Profile

Routes Introduction/Kenashi Pass 1/2
Routes Introduction/Kenashi Pass 2/2