Phase 49 is launched. Nobuyuki Mizuta blocks Arakita, forcing Fukutomi to work alone while Imaizumi and Kinjou are able to work as a duo. Meanwhile Midosuji has Ishigaki to work with. However Hakone has tricked them all. As soon as the climb is over Shinkai races to the front and is able to assist Fukutomi. Midosuji decides everyone around him must be zombies and hits Imaizumi's handlebars, making it looking like an accident and causing him to start to fall. Instead of falling, Imaizumi intentionally hits the rail to boost himself back up and keep riding. Imaizumi reveals he no longer cares about Midosuji and keeps riding, propelling Kinjou back into second place. Realizing that Imaizumi is no longer weak, Midosuji announces they'll cancel all phases and win solely based on their strength. No more tricks will be involved. The three teams remain neck-and-neck until Ishigaki begins to slip on the final turn. Surprisingly Midosuji catches him, and the momentum of the fall propels the two of them to the front with only 1200 meters left.

Just before the second day's finish line as three schools compete for the lead, ace assistant Imaizumi aims to propel his ace ahead of the pack after the sharp turn

Midousuji's unexpected solo attack before the sharp turn leaves him riding in the lead alone just before the finish line. However, Kinjou and Fukutomi place their team's hopes on their backs and exceed their limits to catch up to Midousuji.

Just before the second day's finish line, Kinjou and Fukutomi pass Midousuji. Who will cross the finish line first...?!

After his loss on the second day of the Inter-high, Midousuji says he won't participate in tomorrow's race and leaves the hotel alone. While riding back to Kyoto, Midousuji runs into Sakamichi...

The Inter-high enters its final day. Before the race begins, as each school's tension reaches its peak, Machimiya of Hiroshima Kureminami appears before Sakamichi and his team.

The third day of the Inter-high has finally begun. Sohoku and Hakone Academy cooperate in order to reach the aces who started before them. Meanwhile, Hiroshima Kureminami's Machimiya gathers the rear pack and begins cooperating with them as well.

Machimiya's rear pack swallows Sakamichi. Hiroshima Kureminami quickly abandons the pack and uses the energy they conserved to chase after the front.

Arakita accepts Sakamichi's desperate request to cooperate. Together with Manami, the trio catches up to Machimiya through Arakita's beastly pulling. Hiroshima Kureminami's Ibiya proposes a "20 meter gap race" to Arakita. Machimiya reveals the fighting instincts he was hiding and rides completely out of control!

Machimiya's resentment towards Hakone Academy explodes and viciously headbutts Arakita as he rides out of control. Seeing Machimiya, Arakita recalls his past.

Arakita, who let go of his past and faced only forward, defeats Machimiya. All six members of Sohoku and Hakone Academy are united as they head into the final stage!

Arakita sacrifices himself to pull his team, and Hakone Academy accelerates as they carry on his will. As Sohoku does their best to keep up, Izumida exhibits a desperate sprint!

Shinkai's demon sprint allows Hakone to slowly pull ahead of Sohoku even further. Not wanting to lose any ground or teammates, the seniors of Sohoku step to the front of the line and decide to rotate the lead while gaining ground. Eventually Tadokoro takes the lead and announces this will be his final sprint, but he promises he will go full blast until they catch up to Hakone. Slowly but surely Tadokoro gains speed, and as he gains speed Sohoku makes up ground on Shinkai and Hakone. He is able to pull even with Shinkai just as the two teams reach their final climb, but the energy he has used causes him to drop behind everyone. He isn't alone. Shinkai also drops back, with all his sprint energy having been spent. Hakone and Sohoku begin the final climb knowing only one team will prevail, and knowing only the best of the best can compete the final climb.

The teams reach the final climb of Day 3, a massive mountain stage. Hakone makes it's move and sends Manami, Toudou, and Fukutomi up the final mountain. Captain Kinjou and Makishima try to follow, but every time Kinjou tries to put pressure on his legs they seem to give out. Onoda realizes something is wrong and decides to come up and talk to him. Kinjou realizes he doesn't have to be the ace, because they all work together as a team. Kinjou decides to make up a new plan on the spot. He sends Onoda, Imazumi, and Naruko to climb the mountain with Makishima. Only two orders are given: 1) Naruko is to be more flashy and 2) one of them must take the jersey across the finish line first. Afterwards Kinjou is forced to drop out. Onoda initially takes the lead, but Naruko moves to the front to show off his new sprint climb. Further back Tadokoro reveals to Shinkai that their red spring bean is the most dangerous teammate of all because he has yet to have shown his full sprinters spirit, and that time could very well come on the final climb.

Naruko refuses to give up the lead as Sohoku races up the mountain. He uses his sprinters climb to help the team gain momentum, and just as he appears to be tired Naruko decides to debut his new move: the Armstrong Climb. Naruko's spirit ignites to crowd to cheer for Sohoku, but it has some unexpected consequences. The climb slowly but surely drains Naruko's oxygen levels. Naruko refuses to give up the lead and focuses solely on the road, where he can see the white line, but he can't see anything else. Onoda decides to help but giving Naruko directions on the turns. As Sohoku catches up to Hakone Naruko slowly but surely drops back, and in the end he crashes to the side of the road unable to continue on. The last we hear are Onoda's and Imaizumi's screams for their fallen friend, but the two decide to honor what he has done and help take down Hakone.

Thanks to Naruko's sacrifice Sohoku manages to catch Hakone. Fukutomi admits he thought Sohoku would fall apart and yet they managed to catch up, but he says they can never prevail without a true ace. Imaizumi declares that he is the new ace and he will take first. Onoda is shocked and asks Makishima if it's ok. Makishima says it is fine because he and Toudou would never let the other finish in first as the ace. Imaizumi then decides to get reckless and move ahead on his own. Makishima keeps Toudou at bay and forces Fukutomi to pursue him. Everytime Fukutomi catches up Imaizumi puts on another burst of speed. We see how Imaizumi became addicted to road racing and how he first met the Kanzaki's. Finally we see Imaizumi thinking to himself and knowing he can win if nothing else changes. However a medical van is further back on the road. It picks up Naruko and has him withdraw from the race. They then clear the road because more racers are coming. Ishigaki collapses and then tells Midosuji to press on at full strength and he will win. An ominious wind then begins to blow as Midosuji begins to ascend the final 15km on his own.

Midosuji catches up to Onoda and company and is able to get ahead of the ace climbers. Seeing no other choice Toudou sends Manami ahead to keep Midosuji contained. Manami quickly realizes that he won't be able to keep Midosuji from reaching the aces. Instead he decides to race him one-on-one through the mountainous climb. Midosuji quickly realizes the two are apparently even and proposes a wager on their race. The proposal that both agree to is that the loser of their individual race cannot cross the finish line before the winner. Eventually Makashima realizes that Imazumi will be at a major disadvantage if he doesn't have help against the other climbers, and seeing as Onoda has kept up with him he sends him on ahead to try and even the odds.

Manami reveals how he has advanced so far in races, by using nature and feeling it out. When he senses a gust of wind coming Manami uses it to propel himself ahead of Midosuji. However Miosuji is able to copy the technique and catch up. Up ahead the aces sense they will soon be caught up to. Fukutomi believes that two racers are coming- Midosuji and Manami, but Imazumi realizes that a third one is gaining ground quickly in Onoda. Toudou asks Makashima why he has such faith in Onoda, and Makashima reveals that Onoda has never once failed to obey an order that has been given to him. He thinks back to Onoda's many races- the uphill climb on his mommy bike, the first year race, the 1000km race against the second years, and even his catch-ups at the Inter-High. With roughly 7km left Onoda catches up to Midosuji and Manami. He vows to not let Midosuji catch up to the aces. Midosuji raises his speed, but Onoda surpasses Midosuji's speed and actually moves ahead of him.

Onoda fails to hold off Midosuji. Then he remembers the words from Naruko about how he clings to someone when racing and doesn't let go. Onoda begins to cling to the back of Midosuji's bike and is tricked into running off the road by Midosuji. Onoda refuses to give up and gets back on his bike. He catches up again just before Manami and Midosuji catch up to Fukutomi. Onoda, Manami, and Midosuji end in a 3-way tie when they reach Fukutomi, and Onoda admits he didn't realize he was racing. This gives Manami the chills, and he tells Fukutomi that Onoda is the bigest threat there. Meanwhile Imazumi decides to change Onoda's job. He tells him their job is to cross the finish line together to win for Sohoku. Midosuji decides to try and sprint ahead, but Imazumi matches his pace and refuses to let him get ahead. Onoda, Manami, and Fukutomi also maintain the same pace, making it a 5-man race to the finish with only 5km remaining.

Sakamichi reaches the lead pack and joins Imaizumi, and the pair reaffirms their desire to win. Without a moment's delay, Midousuji begins his attack!

Midousuji attacks again and again, and Imaizumi holds him back. As their battle gains speed, the race enters the Fuji Azami Line's only downhill section!

When Imaizumi's frame breaks during his battle against Midousuji, Manami quickly overtakes him. Realizing he cannot catch Manami himself, he entrusts Sakamichi with the soul of Sohoku. With his team's hopes on his back, Sakamichi chases Manami with his extraordinary cadence, but Manami shifts up and pulls ahead. When Imaizumi's frame breaks during his battle against Midousuji, Manami quickly overtakes him. Realizing he cannot catch Manami himself, he entrusts Sakamichi with the soul of Sohoku!

Entrusted with Sohoku's hopes, Sakamichi charges straight ahead. Meanwhile, Manami shifts up gear by gear as he rides for the peak

Sakamichi pedals to take his team's jersey to the finish line, and Manami strains to reach the peak. As both competitors ride all-out, the Inter-high comes to a close!