Questioned as to the likelihood that the mountain bike venue would be moved, the UCI told insidethegames: "We are in close contact with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee about the Games preparations and cycling venues.

"A UCI staff member will travel to Tokyo this week to discuss venue plans and the different options being offered to us."

Tokyo 2020 has acknowledged that it has been reviewing the original venue plan for the Games since June, with the review conducted from the perspectives of "legacy, the impact of the Games on Tokyo residents and venue construction and maintenance costs".

Pointing to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s recently approved Agenda 2020 reforms, Tokyo 2020 has emphasised that Agenda 2020 seeks to promote "maximum use of existing sporting facilities for a reason of sustainability".

It said it believed that the "broad direction of our reviewing work is in line with the philosophy of the Agenda".

The UCI will visit Tokyo to discuss the proposed cycling venues for Tokyo 2020 amid speculation over facilities originally earmarked for the Sea Forest area, including the Mountain Bike course ©Tokyo 2020



It has been suggested that Tokyo 2020 might take advantage of Agenda 2020 to seek to move as many as 14 sports.

One venue definitely under review is the proposed $78 million (£50 million/€64 million) Sea Forest Waterway, with confusion over whether rowing and canoeing events will ultimately be staged there, as initially outlined.

Five sports in all were designated for the Sea Forest area, with Tokyo's candidacy file also foreseeing the construction of both a temporary equestrian cross-country course and the permanent $105 million (£68 million/€86 million) Wakasu sailing marina, to be located on the other side of Tokyo Gate Bridge.

The original plans for cycling do not appear overly extravagant, with overall construction and overlay costs put at $111 million (£73 million/€93 million) across all disciplines.

This is largely because the proposed Olympic Velodrome in Tokyo Bay is a temporary facility.

The cost of both it and the temporary BMX venue are estimated at $74 million (£49 million/€62 million).

Road racing costs are put at $22 million (£14 million/€18 million) in total, with a highly prestigious starting-point in the Imperial Palace Garden and the finishing-line at Musashino Forest Park.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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