It has taken a little longer than they had hoped; but Japan’s investment in international track cycling is beginning to produce results.

French sprint coach Benoît Vêtu was appointed head coach of the Japanese national track team in 2016, following successful spells in Russia and China. His objective? To deliver medals at their home Olympics – with a particular eye on keirin, Japan’s own event.

He drove a car with license plate number 20 20, a daily reminder of his mission.

But the team won only a silver in the women’s omnium at Tokyo – and nothing at all in Paris three years later.

Fast forward a couple of months, and Japan finished fourth in the overall medal table at 2024’s Track World Championships in Ballerup, Denmark – behind the traditional powerhouses of the Netherlands and Great Britain, plus hosts Denmark.

And particularly satisfyingly, Japan took both the men’s and women’s keirin, with wins for Kento Yamasaki and Mina Sato, and Kazushige Kuboki also taking the men’s scratch.

The team had claimed six silver and bronze medals in keirin in the previous six years, but had previously been unable to add to the nation’s only gold: Harumi Honda, winning in Vienna back in 1987.

‘It took us 8 years to finally bring the keirin back to where it was born,’ Vêtu wrote on Instagram. ‘Now, thanks to this new generation of exceptional riders and their equally outstanding staff, we’ve made it. I knew it would happen one day, but you’re never ready for these emotions. I know this is only the beginning.’

Quietly permitted

Both Yamasaki and Sato have competed in both UCI and Japanese pro keirin competition. Sato has been particularly successful, winning last year’s showcase Girls Keirin Grand Prix in decisive fashion.

And of course, numerous international riders have been invited to compete on the Japanese circuit, including Joe Truman and Katy Marchant in recent years, both of whom won medals for Great Britain at Ballerup.

Japanese keirin operates outside the jurisdiction of the UCI, but individual riders have been quietly permitted to cross from one to the other, without triggering UCI disciplinary sanctions.

However, when DerbyWheel proposed to create a full racing organisation, based around gambling revenues as in Japan, the UCI announced that it would enforce its rules around participation in non-UCI events. DerbyWheel was declared a ‘forbidden event’, and riders were told to expect disciplinary action including fines and suspensions.

Standing by

There has been no progress in resolving the situation, with DerbyWheel CEO James Pope revealing that the UCI was refusing to even meet with him.

The success of two Japanese keirin competitors at the UCI’s biggest annual event provides an opportunity to connect the Japanese sport with the international community, for mutual benefit.

And through DerbyWheel, there are literally hundreds of riders standing by, eager to help make it happen… and patiently waiting for progress.

The first test of the new champions’ loyalties could come within weeks: both are certain to receive invitations to compete in the UCI Track Champions League, but they are both already committed to pro keirin events in late November.