After catching up to Sohoku, Midosuji reveals he never considered Sohoku to be a real threat and that he isn't interested in challenging Imaizumi. Imaizumi's confidece suffers a further blow when Midosuji has his teammates accelearate. They manage to catch up to Hakone Academy in two minutes time. 5 kilometers from the sprint marker Midosuji challenges Hakone to a sprint race. Izumida accepts the challenge, but Shinkai Hayato stops him and instead decides to challenge Midosuji. Izumida reveals the numbers at Hakone are strategically placed: 1 is the ace, 2 is the ace's assistant, 3 is the ace climber, and 4 is the ace sprinter. Hayato and Midosuji accelerate, with Hayato saying he isn't doing the sprint for pride. Midosuji begins to panic when he realizes that Hayato is leading him without putting in any real effort. Midosuji is forced to go all out to manage to catch Hayato. In a flashback we see how Hayato almost quit cycling after hitting a mother rabbit. Juichi talks with the senior class to help them understand why Hayato wants to quit the team. In the end though Juichi promises that if Hayato comes back this following year, he will wear tag #4. As we return to the race, Midosuji cries in despair as Hayato continues to get further and further away.
メンバーがバラけてしまったチーム総北をしりめに、早々にメンバー全員が合流を果たした王者・箱根学園。焦る総北の金城と今泉だが、追い打ちをかけるように御堂筋率いる京都伏見が合流を果たし、先頭は2校の戦いとなる。御堂筋はファーストスプリントリザルトの勝負を持ちかけ、箱根学園のエーススプリンター新開が動き出す!
멤버가 뿔뿔히 흩어져버린 소호쿠 팀을 놔두고, 일찍히 멤버 전원이 합류를 끝낸 왕자 하코네 학교. 초조한 소호쿠의 킨조와 이마이즈미를 두고, 하코네 학교를 추격하기 위해 미도스지가 이끄는 교토후시미가 합류를 끝내 선두는 이 2학교의 싸움이 된다. 미도스지는 퍼스트 스프린트 포인트의 승부를 제안하고, 하코네학교의 에이스 스프린터 신카이가 움직이기 시작한다!