Time for our first look at the Olympics road race course.
We start at Lake Yamanaka before descending down to Gotemba and the first circuit - the larger Fuji Sanroku climb. Two and half laps of Fuji Speedway Circuit then before the final circuit, where the main action is anticipated. The big Mikuni Pass climb is followed by a flatter section back around Lake Yamanaka, before the shorter Kagosaka Pass. After a final descent, the finish at Fuji Speedway is uphill.
And it is time for the Olympic action to get underway. The preliminary races features the 25 riders who are the only contracted rider from their country - with a field of support riders joining them to ensure there's no crazy AI.
These are the 25 riders we are looking for, along with a note of who their team was in 2021:
Hennis
Hasani
Podium Ambition
AIA
Croes
Jonathan
Podium Ambition
ARU
Major
Jay
Podium Ambition
BAH
Richardson
Chequan
BWT Hyundai N Cycling
BER
Nzeke
Geremie
Carrefour - ESPN
CMR
Muhindo
Jimmy
BNZ-Superhero Racing
COD
Salcone
Jacob
Voyagin - Bird
FIJ
Lopez Nolasco
Luis Enrique
Los Pollos Hermanos
HON
Destribois
Alex Ariya
Mapei
LAO
Norbert
Andrew
Podium Ambition
LCA
Seboka
Matala
Polestar cycling
LES
Rachid
Elias Abou
Duolingo
LIB
Mundle
Benedikt
Jura - Fiat
LIE
Andriafenomananiaina
Zouzou
Team Popo4Ever p/b Nemiroff
MAD
Petrovski
Stefan
Polestar cycling
MCD
Rojas
Henry Antonio
Volcanica - Fox
NCA
Chhetri
Ajay Pandit
Sauber Petronas Racing
NEP
Orue
German Anibal
BNZ-Superhero Racing
PAR
Morales Ortega
Jacob
Podium Ambition
PUR
Arissol
Ahmad
ISA - Hexacta
SEY
Goh
Choon Huat
Duolingo
SIN
Laizer
Richard Laningo
Los Pollos Hermanos
TAN
Carsi
Mustafa
Polestar cycling
TUR
Siddikov
Dilmurdjon
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
UZB
Kireva
Albert
Project: Africa
ZIM
Four qualification places available for the first round proper. Seboka is the favourite, with Destribois, Andriafenomananiaina, Chhetri, Petrovski and Goh anticipated to be the main contenders.
No action to note before the first Mikuni Pass ascent, where Seboka has decided to set the pace. Norbert punctures at a bad time, and find himself behind a split - with Major and Carsi for company.
The St Lucian is not ready to give up yet, and has a bridge to aim for, with the riders from Puerto Rico, Anguilla, Nicaragua and Uzbekistan all struggling.
Further back, it's not looking good for the representatives of Bermuda, Liechtenstein and DR Congo - mountains not being their preferred terrain.
Suffering on Mikuni but no urgency to keep it going all the way from there, and the group swells back up to 18.
And indeed up further, such that the only three missing are Laizer, Orue and Major.
We don't have to wait for the 2nd Mikuni ascent though, as Destribois is looking to use Kagosaka as a launch pad.
Others attempt to follow and Petrovski is able to connect up, with the Laos and Macedonia riders taking a lead into the long descent.
They extend their lead up to 50 seconds, despite the efforts of Seboka and Andriafenomananiaina to close it down, and they're ready to attack into the 2nd Mikuni climb.
Goh of Singapore leads the attacking from the chasing group.
Seboka will take over the pace setting, and together with Goh, Andriafenomananiaina, Chhetri and Nzeke, the gap to the leaders is closed. However - Nzeke does struggle, and can't hold the wheels all the way to the top.
No worries for Nzeke as he does use the short descent to regain contact, and on the ensuing flat we see the return of Lebanon and Honduras with Rachid and Lopez Nolasco fighting back.
There's a minutes gap to the next pair of Fiji's Salcone and Aruba's Croes, and that's not a gap they can close for as we leave the lakeshore for the last time, Goh wants to use the Kagosaka Pass this time.
These moves quickly end it for Lopez Nolasco, with Nzeke and Rachid just distanced aswell.
Into the downhill and Seboka continues to push - despite the fact that his strengths are only really on the steep uphills. There's 6 riders left here, 4 qualification spots available.
Fuji Speedway will decide it, and on the entrance way, Goh is attacking again.
Seboka has cracked! He had looked in such control of the race, but no more.
Petrovski had been looking for Seboka's wheel and this has caught him out big time. He's desperately chasing hard now, but the other 4 have bolted.
This could be it - Singapore, Nepal, Laos and Madagascar qualifying for the next round. But who is going to win the race? It's not often these riders are in this position, certainly not when riding for their country! Goh holds the inside line into the final turn.
It's a 2-3% drag to the line, and Destribois has the lead!
It's going to be a 3-way battle of Asian riders, and on the line it's Ajay Pandit Chhetri! A win for Nepal!
Destribois 2nd, Goh 3rd.
Andriafenomananiaina takes 4th, sealing progression to the next round.
Petrovski finishes at 29 seconds, while Seboka is a disappointing 1'26 back. Rachid, Nzeke, Lopez Nolasco and Kireva will complete the Top 10.
