Ironman athlete George Nield raced Asia’s first UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Niseko. We caught up with him before and after race day.
Instinct has taken athlete George Nield further than most people get in one lifetime. Born in England and raised largely in Australia by his Filipino mother, he built an international rugby career in the Philippines before deciding — on instinct, again — that cycling was a better use of his legs.
These days, you’d find him doing long climbs and racing Ironman events — filming the ups, downs and the whole process for his Instagram and TikTok channels. This September, his thirst for adventure brought him to Niseko for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships. It was the event’s first outing in Asia, where he lined up for the Road Race and stayed at Intuition Niseko.
Here, we speak to George about his love for cycling, this rigorous training regimen and what he discovered during first-ever trip to Japan.
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Tell us how rugby turned into an international career, and then how did you end up on a bike?
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I was born in England to a Filipino mother and a British father. My dad hasn’t really been in the picture, so it’s mostly been my mum raising my brother and me on her own. In 2009, she took a nursing job in Australia and brought us with her, and we’ve been here since.
Sports has always been the thread running through everything — from swimming to triathlon to cycling to rugby and now back to cycling again. Rugby became my identity through school and university, and playing for the Philippines internationally was incredible. I started losing my passion for it here in Australia, but I never lost my love for the bike, so instinctively I got back on it. I also love creating content, so documenting the switch from international rugby player to Ironman athlete felt like the obvious next project to me.
This is the first time the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships have been held in Asia. What did it mean to you when you heard Niseko had been chosen?
I was over the moon! It’s my first time in Japan, and I’ve always wanted to travel the world through my content — capturing new places, people and food along the way. Having a race bring me somewhere I’ve dreamed of visiting for years made it even better.
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Walk us through the build-up. How did training for Niseko’s course compare to other races on your calendar?
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Niseko was always going to be tough given the elevation gain. Coming from a rugby background, my build isn’t naturally suited to climbing compared to some of the climbers in this field. My coach has been fine-tuning my legs for the course while still balancing swim and run sessions, since I’ve got another Ironman coming up soon.
Between the elevation profile and everything Niseko has to offer off the bike, what stood out most to you?
Honestly, the food. I was so excited try the sushi, ramen, and see what all the fuss is about with 7-Eleven’s food. On the bike, the elevation profile is something I had to properly prepare for, and it pushed me in ways other races haven’t. I only competed in the Road Race, so that was where all my focus is.
And my tripod came everywhere with me. The videos have to be right, so that was one non-negotiable of the trip!
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What did you love most about staying at Intuition Niseko and travelling with The Luxe Nomad?
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The room, honestly. It was clean, spacious, and the view was almost hard to believe that it was real. The staff made the whole stay even better, too.
Being looked after in a new country was what I appreciated most about travelling, especially with The Luxe Nomad. I was picked up and dropped off before and after my stay, so the whole trip felt stress-free. Being so close to town also made it easy to explore and catch up with friends.
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Outside of race day, how did you spend your downtime? Any spots you’d recommend?
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I still got some leisure riding in to explore, but the real find was a place called Moon Bar. It became our go-to for proper Japanese food, my friends and I ended up there three nights in a row.
What would you tell first-timers about cycling in Niseko?
The road quality. I’ve never ridden anything so smooth and clean. Drivers are incredibly polite too, so it felt safe the whole way round. And the views speak for themselves.
Lastly, what was the most memorable part of the whole trip?
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It’s genuinely hard to pick one thing. This was one of the best trips I’ve been on, between the food, the people, the race itself and the roads. I couldn’t narrow it down to a single moment.
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