Cover Yukiya Arashiro is the most successful Asian at the Tour de France. (Photo: Instagram / @yukiyaarashiro)
Yukiya Arashiro is the most successful Asian at the Tour de France. (Photo: Instagram / @yukiyaarashiro)
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Asia’s presence at the Tour de France is a gradually unfolding story of ambition and resilience
Road cycling may be growing across Asia, but when it comes to the Tour de France, the peloton remains distinctly European. While countries like Japan and South Korea have strong domestic circuits—track cycling, in particular, enjoys national prestige—very few have made the leap to road racing’s most punishing stage. Europe’s dominance, reinforced by decades of institutional funding, team support and deep cycling culture, has long made the Tour feel like a closed loop.
But the landscape is shifting. In 2024, Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay became the first African to win a Tour de France stage, jolting a sport still seen by many as a Western preserve. While Asia has yet to produce its own stage winner, its riders are no longer just novelty entrants. From Kisso Kawamuro’s bold first attempt nearly a century ago to Yukiya Arashiro’s record number of Tour finishes, Asian cyclists are staking their place quietly but steadily in the sport’s most demanding race.
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Asian riders at the Tour de France
1. Kisso Kawamuro (Japan)
Long before television broadcasts or carbon-fibre frames, Kisso Kawamuro rode the Tour de France in 1926 and 1927 as a touriste-routier, which is an individual entrant without team support. He did not finish either race, but his attempt marked the first time a Japanese cyclist lined up at the Tour. Kawamuro’s presence may have gone unnoticed at the time, but it carved out a path for Japanese cyclists to follow, even as the country’s cycling focus veered more toward keirin and track disciplines in the decades that followed.
2. Daisuke Imanaka (Japan)
In 1996, Daisuke Imanaka became the first Japanese cyclist to ride the Tour de France as part of a professional European team, joining Italy’s Team Polti. Though he didn’t complete the race, his inclusion was a milestone: the first time a Japanese rider was part of a full Tour squad rather than riding as an independent or invited outsider. Imanaka had previously raced in the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, gaining experience that few Asian riders had at the time.
While his results were modest, his presence in the peloton laid critical groundwork. He brought attention to the feasibility of Japanese riders competing at the top level of European road cycling—an idea that, until then, had seemed aspirational at best.
3. Fumiyuki Beppu (Japan)
More than a decade after Imanaka, Fumiyuki Beppu broke through in 2009 by becoming one of two Japanese riders to finish the Tour de France. Riding for Team Skil-Shimano at that time, Beppu not only completed the full 21 stages but also earned the combativity award on the final day in Paris, a symbolic recognition of his attacking style and resilience.
Throughout his career, Beppu went on to compete in all three Grand Tours and rode for top-tier teams including Orica-GreenEDGE (now Jayco-AlUla) and Trek Factory Racing (now Lidl-Trek). Known for his versatility and tactical awareness, he became a regular fixture in WorldTour races and Japan’s national championships, winning the road race title in 2011. More than just a milestone-maker, Beppu proved that Japanese riders could not only start but also stay competitive in the world’s hardest races.
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4. Yukiya Arashiro (Japan)
Debuting in the 2009 Tour de France alongside Beppu, Yukiya Arashiro has since become Asia’s most prolific Tour de France competitor. As of 2023, he has finished the race seven times—more than any other Asian rider. His highest finish came in 2012, when he placed 84th overall, but his value to teams has often come from his relentless work as a domestique and breakaway specialist.
Arashiro has also competed in multiple editions of the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. He’s won national road titles, riding with Team Bahrain-Merida (now Bahrain-Victorious) and mentoring young Japanese riders. He remains active in his 40s, and in 2025, he signed with Team Solution Tech–Vini Fantini. In a sport that prizes consistency and sacrifice, Arashiro has quietly become a benchmark for Asian endurance on cycling’s biggest stages.
5. Ji Cheng (China)
China’s entry into the Tour de France came in 2014 with Ji Cheng, who rode for Team Skil–Shimano. An injury caused him to finish last and claim the traditional Lanterne Rouge, the term given to the person who brings up the rear at the race. However, his performance was anything but passive. Nicknamed the “breakaway killer” by teammates, Ji was regularly tasked with controlling attacks and chasing down early moves, essentially, doing the invisible work that defines a loyal domestique.
His completion of the race made him the first Chinese rider to finish the Tour de France. Ji’s Tour debut sparked a surge of interest in China’s road cycling scene, even if a sustainable pipeline of talent has yet to develop fully. Earlier, he also participated in the two other Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España.
6. Jambaljamts Sainbayar (Mongolia)
In 2023, Mongolian rider Jambaljamts Sainbayar signed with Burgos-BH, a ProTeam aiming for Grand Tour participation. While he hasn’t yet started a Tour de France, his performances in Asian and European circuits—including a win at the Tour of Thailand and top-10 finishes in UCI 2.1 races—suggest the potential is there. Sainbayar represents a new generation of Asian riders increasingly fluent in the rhythms of European racing, even if a Tour start remains elusive for now.
Why aren’t there more Asians at the Tour de France?
The reasons behind Asia’s modest presence at the Tour de France aren’t tied to talent but access. Road cycling at the Tour level requires more than ability. Rather, it demands proximity to European races, invitations from WorldTour teams and exposure to elite strategy. Asian riders often emerge from national programmes focused on track events or regional tours, which don't always serve as stepping stones to Grand Tour selection.
Domestic leagues, such as Japan’s JCL Team UKYO or China’s Hengxiang Cycling Team, have made progress, and showcase races like the Tour de Langkawi or Tour of Korea offer platforms. But without sustained WorldTour affiliations or wildcard entries into top-tier races, Asia’s cycling story at the Tour remains underwritten by external gatekeeping.
Sarah Lim is a lifestyle journalist based in Manila, the Philippines. She is part of Tatler T-Labs, Tatler’s regional content hub.
