Kazuhei Kimura is Japan's national representative in the tandem event, an official MB-class event in Paralympic cycling otherwise known as para-cycling. He set a new Japanese record in the 1km time trial at the 2022 All-Japan Championships, and raced at full throttle for a medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Let's take a closer look at the ultra-high-speed world of tandem cycling―a rare paired cycling event where two athletes truly work as one.

In tandem, a sighted athlete sits as the pilot in the front seat, and an athlete with a visual impairment known as stoker sits in the rear. Kimura, who takes the rear position in this two-person bicycle event, is currently focused on the 1km time trial, which is a short-distance track event. Taking place on a sloped 250-meter track, this event sees pairs mounted on single-gear machines accelerating to top speed from the start in order to reach the finish line before other teams. The outcome of the race is decided in roughly one minute, with competitors battling in increments of one-thousandth of a second and reaching maximum speeds of up to 70 km/h, making it an incredibly exciting race. In this brief span of time, Kimura brings together everything he can deliver, holding close to his heart a feeling he has always treasured.

“The real pleasure of tandem is how the two riders synchronize. Since most cycling events are individual, this race offers a unique charm you can’t find in other races. I completely trust my pilot, and give everything I have so I can concentrate solely on getting the required output.”

Depending on the track’s bank angle at each venue, they need to discuss how hard to lean their body weight inward, how hard to pull on the handlebars, and how fast to pedal. Then there’s the fundamental question of what each rider―pilot and stoker―wants to do when they ride. Before the actual competition, they communicate extensively and in fine detail, then get on the bicycle and gradually improve their synchronization by resolving any small discrepancies or discomforts. They train their bodies to remember the sensation of when they are truly in sync.

“In European countries―the heartland of cycling―pilots often include former Olympic athletes or even world champions. But my ideal is ‘a strong Japanese pair with a heightened sense of synchronization.’ It’s frustrating to be told we’re winning just because the pilot is so talented.”

When it comes to machine performance, there are rumors of countries investing tens of millions of yen in a single fully custom-made machine, and Japan lags behind due to the small number of companies developing tandem bikes. Even so, Kimura keeps his head up and keeps going forward.

“It was while I was enrolled in the massage, acupressure, and acupuncture department at the Hokkaido Sapporo School for the Visually Impaired that I first encountered tandem bicycles. I began training independently, and after a year I earned an invitation to the 2017 Japan national team’s intensive training camp for tandem cycling. I considered continuing the sport in my hometown, but I made the decision to challenge myself and moved to Tokyo, and that’s where I am today. I’ve always loved sport, and honestly, being able to train while working might just make this an extension of my hobby. That said, I think it’s because I’m doing tandem that I’ve been able to meet and connect with so many people, and it’s without a doubt become one of the greatest joys in my life.”

Everyone has days when nothing goes the way they want. And for Kimura, who balances both “work” and “being a national representative” in his daily life, a drop in motivation is inevitable if he can’t make the switch properly. “It’s not what you can do to raise your motivation, but actually more about what you can do to sustain it.” Kimura maintains a strong mentality by cultivating a habit of positive thinking.

“I set lots of small goals throughout the day so I can find good things, no matter how small. The goals can be tiny―like ‘wake up at this time.’ When things truly become impossible, I remind myself of why I’m in Tokyo in the first place. I learned how to maintain my motivation through my work. While the individual is usually prioritized in other sports, tandem places great emphasis in how to move together as a team. I think the human growth that comes from work is feeding back into my sport as well.”

No matter where he is, Kimura says what he needs to do never changes. His passion continues to deliver the pure excitement of sports to many people.

INTERVIEW & TEXT: Keisuke Honda