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Paul McNamara

Along with his immersive mission to usher in a new era of cycling success for Hong Kong, Herve Dagorne has been playing a small part in sustaining the abundance of marine life that inhabits the city’s coastline.
A two-time Olympian, Dagorne’s life has been inextricably linked with cycling since he watched on television as Alain Bondue, the idol who would become his close friend, claimed individual pursuit silver at the 1980 Moscow Games.
But the Frenchman’s enduring love for being on two wheels is rivalled by a passion for scuba diving.
“I’ve only been three or four times in the past six months, but every time it was to carry out reef checks, then report back to the government,” said Dagorne, who is a member of Living Seas Hong Kong, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to local marine protection.

“Around 25 per cent of the marine life off China’s coast is concentrated in Hong Kong. It is amazing.
“The land reclamation around the airport has destroyed the environment, but there is a lot of work happening to reintroduce oysters, which are vital for the marine ecosystem.
“Underwater, there are no more problems with communication. It lowers barriers and you enjoy nature, no matter your origin. I couldn’t live without that.”
Dagorne, whose Hong Kong squad will begin their National Games campaign in the men’s and women’s road races this weekend, came to the city in 2018 after three years as Kazakhstan head coach.
“I feel blessed to have the chance to live in an incredible city and environment,” Dagorne said. “I live in Sai Kung, and 30 seconds after going out, I’m in the country. I once left my house and after three minutes met a king cobra.”
On his bike, Dagorne had “success really quickly” as a youngster.
“But I wasn’t a superfan of practising; I just loved competition,” he said.
A black-and-white TV beaming the 1976 Montreal Olympics provided his first glimpse of elite track cycling.
The “real image of competitive cycling” was created for Dagorne as he watched compatriot Bondue speeding to his Moscow silver.
“I had a poster of him on my wall,” Dagorne said. “He was really something, such a talented rider. He was a track cyclist, but he came second in Milan-San Remo [in 1982] and won a Vuelta a Espana stage [in 1986].”

Dagorne’s own precocious talent meant that by the age of 18, he was a national team roommate of the man whose face used to adorn his wall.
“It was something crazy and special,” Dagorne said. The two men remain close, and when Hong Kong trained on the cobbles of Roubaix last year, Bondue, who is from the city, acted as their guide.
“We went to the velodrome where Paris-Roubaix finishes, and Alain gave our cyclists cobbles and souvenirs,” Dagorne said. “Now he says I am his idol.”
Dagorne regularly speaks with another ex-roommate, Florian Rousseau, the three-time Olympic and 10-time world champion and current technical director of French cycling.
Another confidant is Benoit Vetu, the China head coach.
“We all share a lot about our work and the job,” said Dagorne, who empathised with Vetu’s hopeless plight at last month’s Track Cycling World Championships after every leading mainland rider stayed at home to focus on the National Games.
“With Benoit, I speak about being in a different culture, the challenges we face and how to work.”
As a competitor, Dagorne was part of the France team pursuit quartet that finished fourth at the 1988 Olympics, after breaking the world record in qualifying in Seoul. In the same event in Barcelona four years later, his team finished 11th.
During five years as head coach of the French track squad, Dagorne masterminded 2012 Olympic omnium silver for Bryan Coquard.
He left in 2014 and came to Hong Kong, via Kazakhstan, four years later, initially as a support coach. The 58-year-old was appointed head coach in March last year.
“This is not a job, it’s a passion, an investment and an honour,” Dagorne said.
“You’re always proud to coach your home nation. I didn’t feel that in Kazakhstan – I did one Olympic cycle but never felt part of the country.
“The sporting culture in Hong Kong is similar to that in France and I’ve felt completely accepted by the athletes.”

Dagorne said the fast-advancing mechanical and analytical elements of cycling would ensure he never became bored with the sport.
“It’s progressing all the time,” he said. “There are so many things you can explore in the science and numbers. I’ve had passionate people around me since the youngest age. I remember being in Brittany as a child, building bikes; it was so exciting.
“Now, I barely go to France. My mother lives there, I have children in Paris and Berlin, but my life is here. I feel so proud to lead the Hong Kong team.”


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2025 National Games

Meet the Frenchman tending to Hong Kong’s marine life and cycling ecosystem

Head coach Herve Dagorne is in charge of plotting success for Hong Kong’s cyclists. Photo: Dickson Lee

Members of the Hong Kong squad in Roubaix’s Velodrome Andre-Petrieux last year. Photo: Handout

Alain Bondue and Hong Kong riders at a sign marking a square named in Bondue’s honour. Photo: Handout

The French head coach chats with National Games cyclist Boey Leung Bo-yee. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Mental barriers needn’t hold Hongkongers back at National Games: ex-swimmer Yvette Kong

Yvette Kong prepares to take part in the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge in West Kowloon Cultural District. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Kong is a mental health champion and entrepreneur following her swimming career. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Kong ahead of the 2018 Asian Games, her final major meet. Photo: Chan Kin-wa

Kong swims in her 100 metres breaststroke heat in Rio. Photo: Reuters

Dagorne rebuilds Hong Kong cycling from the ground up after medal era ends

Herve Dagorne is leading Ceci Lee Sze-wing and her Hong Kong teammates into a new era. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Dagorne shares some advice with 24-year-old star rider Lee. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Chloe Leung (centre), Ceci Lee (left) and Kwan Tsz-kwan on an all-Hong Kong podium in Australia. Photo: CAHKC

Vincent Lau powers to Asian Games individual time trial bronze in 2023. Photo: Xinhua

Cheung Shi-ho (left) chases Tso Kai-kwong in this year’s Hong Kong Track Championships. Photo: Edmond So

Dagorne chats with Anthony Peden during training at Hong Kong Velodrome. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Lee is in pole position to be Hong Kong’s next cycling hero. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Sport

Hong Kong

‘This is not a job, it’s a passion, an investment and an honour,’ city’s head coach Herve Dagorne says ahead of National Games


‘This is not a job, it’s a passion, an investment and an honour,’ city’s head coach Herve Dagorne says ahead of National Games.


Herve Dagorne

Meet the Frenchman tending to Hong Kong’s marine life and cycling ecosystem

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘This is not a job, it’s a passion, an investment and an honour,’ city’s head coach Herve Dagorne says ahead of National Games

‘This is not a job, it’s a passion, an investment and an honour,’ city’s head coach Herve Dagorne says ahead of National Games