The story of Yu Takenouchi, the Japanese cyclo-cross champion, is not over. Having been sked to return home at his arrival in Belgium last Friday at Zaventem airport as his 180-day tourist visa had expired, the Japanese rider's troubles could go much further.

After missing his weekend races, a weekend which he partly spent in Turkey for a stopover, did not go very well according to his Belgian agent Ranjit Laevens. He tells Het Nieuwsblad that was only on Sunday night that the Japanese could get to his home. 

"Yu is devastated, ok he made a mistake, he should have extended his visa, but Yu is not an asylum seeker. He made the trip from Japan to Belgium to pursue his dream of becoming a better rider," says Laevens.

The problem is that Takenouchi is no longer allowed to be on Belgian territory until February 1 which practically marks the end of the cyclo-cross season. 

"It's a drama because Yu has contracts with the organizers who pay him to ride. He wanted to make great performances during the busy Christmas period in order to convince new sponsors to invest in him. He hopes that the UCI will intervene and that he can return to Belgium. He would even like to be on the plane on Thursday evening for the cross of Diegem on Friday.”

The UCI is currently doing its best to help the Japanese. If it fails,  Takenouchi could also envisage a temporary stay in the Netherlands to be able to participate in other races and in particular the World Cup races in Hoogerheide and Rome.