Hong Kong cyclists benefit from ‘classroom’ time to beat China for Asian relay medal
Head coach Hervé Dagorne optimistic team can surpass two-medal target after six-week Australia camp
Herve Dagorne said Hong Kong’s cyclists had benefited from “going back to school” over their winter Australian camp, after they claimed team time trial mixed relay bronze at the Asian Road Championships in Thailand.
Vincent Lau Wan-yau, Mow Ching-yin, Ng Pak-hang, Ceci Lee Sze-wing, Chloe Leung Wing-yee and Yang Qianyu combined to comfortably beat China to a place on the podium.
Kazakhstan and Japan finished 19 and five seconds ahead of Hong Kong, respectively, and head coach Dagorne said he “felt we could get gold”, as the female trio of Lee, Leung and Yang chased down their rivals towards the end.
After going to the 10-day championships in Phitsanulok with a two-medal target, Hong Kong are well set, with Dagorne expecting both Lau and Leung to fight for individual time trial honours.
The city squad spent six weeks training and racing in Australia, before returning to Hong Kong on January 28. Riders and staff had only one day off, before resuming training, then flying to Thailand on February 3.
“I haven’t heard anyone say they were tired or looking forward to coming back,” Dagorne said. “Everything in Adelaide [where they spent five weeks] was perfect. We were welcome in all the races and the level was high. It showed our team a real cycling culture.”