John W. <worthj1970@gmail.com> wrote:
> There are two Japanese cyclists riding today: Fumiyuki Beppu of Skil-
> Shimano and Yukiya Arashiro of BBox Bouygues Telecom. Barring any
> unforseen circumstances, they will become the first Japanese riders
> ever to finish the Tour de France. I've always wondered why there
> aren't more Japanese riders, at least at the journeyman level.

Hard to practice in Japan; people keep taking their bikes.

Mike