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Paul McNamara

Herve Dagorne revealed he felt mixed emotions after Chloe Leung Wing-yee missed individual time trial gold by a hair’s breadth on the opening day of the Asian Road Cycling Championships in Saudi Arabia.
Leung, 22nd in the same discipline at last year’s UCI Road World Championships, appeared poised to top the podium after she completed the 20km course in 26 minutes and 13.710 seconds.
However, that honour went instead to Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova, who clocked 26:04.340 to snatch gold from the 29-year-old Hongkonger.
Zhang Hao of mainland China, the recent National Games time trial champion, was third in 26:33.930.
“She was so close, so there is a bit of frustration, but I am very happy with her performance,” said Dagorne, the Hong Kong head coach.
“This will keep her hungry and wanting to carry on getting better as she prepares for the Asian Games.”

Leung’s consistently excellent time trialling could create an intriguing dilemma for Dagorne, given this year’s Road World Championships in Montreal are set to clash with September’s Asiad. He has yet to make a decision over whether to send his rider to the global competition.
After three years in charge of the Kazakh team from January 2015, Dagorne had been acutely conscious of the threat posed by 27-year-old Sultanova on Thursday.
“I coached her and know her well,” Dagorne said. “She came back strongly at the end; we’re not disappointed but it’s a difference of just nine seconds.
“I can feel our riders are looking for gold much more than before, which is a good feeling.”
Leung, who claimed Madison National Games gold alongside Ceci Lee Sze-wing, will be part of Hong Kong’s mixed relay time trial team on Saturday. The following day, Leung will be among the city team trying to pilot Lee to women’s individual road race gold.
Those were the two races Dagorne identified as targets in his aim to match Hong Kong’s two-medal haul from last year’s championships.
After a “bonus medal” for Leung, teammate Vincent Lau Wan-ya will aim to follow suit in the men’s individual time trial on Friday.
Elsewhere on Thursday, Nicholas Ma Ching-hong, 17, finished fourth in the men’s junior time trial. The 20-year-old Guardiola Cheung Li-tong was seventh in the women’s under-23 time trial.
“It’s been a good start,” Dagorne said. “For Chloe, this is a good sign for the rest of the year.”


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Hong Kong’s Chloe Leung narrowly pipped to Asian cycling gold in Saudi Arabia

Hong Kong Sports Institute

Chloe Leung on the podium with winner Rinata Sultanova (centre) and bronze medallist Zhang Hao (right). Photo: Handout

Hong Kong head coach Herve Dagorne was happy with Chloe Leung’s showing. Photo: Handout

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Sport

Hong Kong

The 29-year-old is beaten to top honours by Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova but city squad already on course for two-medal target


The 29-year-old is beaten to top honours by Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova but city squad already on course for two-medal target.


Herve Dagorne

Hong Kong’s Chloe Leung narrowly pipped to Asian cycling gold in Saudi Arabia

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The 29-year-old is beaten to top honours by Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova but city squad already on course for two-medal target

The 29-year-old is beaten to top honours by Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova but city squad already on course for two-medal target