Hong Kong claim ‘incredible, beautiful’ gold medal at Asian Road Cycling Championships
City team beat favourites Kazakhstan to claim victory in mixed relay time trial for first continental title since 2018
Head coach Herve Dagorne saluted an “incredible and beautiful” victory after brilliant Hong Kong claimed mixed relay time trial gold at the Asian Road Cycling Championships on Saturday.
Vincent Lau Wan-yau, Charles Ng Pak-hang, Franco Chu Tsun-wai, Yang Qianyu, and the irrepressible pair of Chloe Leung Wing-yee and Ceci Lee Sze-wing combined to stun heavy favourites Kazakhstan, and earn the city squad a first continental road title since 2018.
It is Hong Kong’s second senior medal in Saudi Arabia, following individual time trial silver for Leung on Thursday, matching the pre-championships target set by Dagorne.
With Yang on the cusp of retirement, after being plagued by back issues over recent years, an extra layer of emotion was added to the success in Qassim.
The 2023 Asian Games road race champion, Yang was moved to tears moments after the finish, when Lee presented her with a scrapbook she had compiled celebrating the 32-year-old’s career.
“I told the team that you don’t need to have the best six riders, you need the best team of six,” said Dagorne, adding that the medal was “definitely the most significant” of his nearly two years as head coach.