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» Photos of costumed cyclists at start of race leave Twitter users laughing, scratching their heads

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Photos of costumed cyclists at start of race leave Twitter users laughing, scratching their heads

Preston Phro Dec 26, 2015
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A Le Mans-style start in cosplay seems like the perfect way to begin a bicycle race!

Costumes at races are always fun for spectators, but you do have to wonder how the athletes handle all the extra…stuff. You’d think it would get in the way, but we suppose it’s worth it to put some smiles on people’s faces. And if that was the goal at this bike race, we’d say they succeeded!

▼ “※This is a bicycle race.”

[tweet https://twitter.com/tsumuri_f5/status/679565277558800384 align=center hide_media=”true”]

▼ “Wait…Where are all the bicycles?!”

No, this isn’t another excellent entry in the “invisible bicycles” Photoshop contest—these cyclists are actually running to their bicycles! While you may be imagining this as some sort of Comiket-sponsored Ironman Triathlon, it’s really just a regular bicycle race with a Le Mans-style start.

▼ Well, the running part is regular. We still can’t account for the costume part.

These photos, captured and tweeted by Twitter user @tsumuri_f5, were naturally a big hit online, partly because everyone was wondering where the hell the bicycles were and partly because everyone was worried they’d missed the beginning of Comiket! In case you’re not a racing enthusiast, the distinguishing feature of a Le Mans-style start is that all the participants line up on foot at the starting position and then sprint to their vehicles (or bikes, in this case) at the beginning. We’re not entirely sure why they do this, but we suppose it makes the race a whole lot more interesting.

▼ Adding costumes is just the enormous cherry on top.

Commenters had a lot more to say about the photos!

“This is so weird! LOL!”
“Well, where are the freaking bikes?!”
“I haven’t seen any Le Mans-style starts recently but this is…ummm…”
“Japan is still quite a peaceful country, isn’t it!”
“It’s full of otaku.”
“I love the photos with No-Face!”
“It’s a bicycle race. But no one said they were RIDING the bicycles!”
“In the middle of the race, it was exhausting and I thought I was going to die, but I had a lot of fun!”
“*I am the bicycle!”*

Better to be the rider than the bicycle, we would imagine, but whatever works for you! That said, we are sad no one cosplayed as a bicycle…

So, have you ever been in a race that used a Le Mans-style start? If so, be sure to regale us with tales of elbowing rivals in the throat while running to your ride in the comments. Especially if you did it while dressed a PreCure character!

Sources: Hamusoku
Featured image: Twitter/@tsumuri_f5
Images: Twitter/@tsumuri_f5