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Eastern Promise title illustration: a red circle with the headline over a map of Japan, an immigration stamp and a duotone photo of a cyclist in KINAN Racing Team kit

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

‘I didn’t want to race another Grand Tour or Classic’: How Asia became professional cycling’s alternative path

It's inevitable that the end of the road approaches for every professional cyclist racing in Europe. When that time comes, most retire - but now many riders are looking eastward to start a new chapter of their racing careers in Asia.

By Dan Challis

Photography by Illustration by Enric Adell

Illustration by Enric Adell

16 MARCH 2026 | UPDATED 12.35 PM BST

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Rouleur Issue 144 — The Tour Issue
In printIssue 144

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The Tour Issue

Le Tour de France: a race defined by colour, passion and history, whose drama and romance continue to shape the identity of cycling’s greatest stage.