Mio Suemasa

Mio Suemasa is a Japanese mountain biking legend. MTBAsia sat down with Mio to discuss her journey from a multi-discipline champion to a remarkable comeback and her community effort to return to the global circuit.

A Career of Transitions and Titles

Hailing from Kobe, Japan, Mio began with bike trials at age seven, achieving the national and world champion series title twice. Seeking a challenge in high school, she transitioned to downhill racing, leveraging her trials skills. This led to a Junior World Champion title in 2001 and a Senior Elite silver medal at the World Championships in 2004. Mio then shifted to cross-country racing in Japan, requiring a focus on long-distance physical endurance and efficient climbing.

Not only is it about racing though, Mio is also actively involved in coaching other up and coming riders – supporting the progression of the sport in Japan.

The Ultimate Comeback: Racing Is Life

After taking time to balance her career with motherhood (daughter born in 2017), Mio decided to race again, fueled by the conviction that “racing is my life”. In 2023, while training, she suffered a devastating brachial plexus nerve injury that paralyzed her entire left arm for months. Through intensive rehab and immense determination, Mio successfully returned to competition, winning the national championship last year.

The Road to Korea: The “Ride With Me” Project

Mio, being a well known rider in the Mountain Biking community of Japan, is always looking for ways to create opportunities for people to ride together and connect with people through riding. With the World Cup around the corner, this sentiment played a part in the creation of the “Ride With Me” Project. This community initiative is centered on getting people out riding and showing support for Mio’s journey back to the World Cup.

Ride With Me was a hit with an unexpected turnout and show of support from the community. The initiative naturally brought around 80 to 90 family, friends, former students, fellow racers and others in the Kobe and beyond mountain biking community. All with the simple message of support for Mio.

Sustaining MTB Growth in Japan

Mio is optimistic about the sport’s future, noting the rise of bike parks at ski resorts. However, she stressed the need for more accessible local riding areas near towns, such as pump tracks, or easily accessible parks similar to those in Vancouver, Canada, to help new riders sustain interest. While not directly involved, Mio is quite excited to see the positive steps being taken locally by the Kobe Area Mountainbike Association (NPO-KAMBA) with the support of the Kobe City government developing new trails on Mount Rokko.

Additionally, Mio also highlighted the wealth of young riders coming through, highlighting Miku Fujimi, a fast multi-discipline rider as a promising Japanese talent among other young talents like Tsubasa Hara.

Mio’s journey is a powerful testament to dedication and the mountain biking spirit. MTBAsia is excited to follow her at the 2026 World Cup in South Korea.