Cycling: Racing into the Headwind

They were all dressed in the traditional attire of the United Arab Emirates: white robes and head coverings.

The head coverings, however, were secured with a black ring.

Huang Chong didn’t know if this attire held any special meaning, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t in the United Arab Emirates to sightsee or make a documentary. All that mattered was answering the reporters’ questions with poise.

"Hello, Huang Chong. Welcome to the United Arab Emirates, and welcome to the road race hosted by our country.

We all know that your performance in the Tour of Australia a month ago was exceptional. It’s safe to say you stunned the entire world of professional cycling.

Furthermore, you are currently the only World Tour Cyclist from China. I imagine the fans in your country were thrilled with your debut performance and are now filled with high hopes for your future in the World Tour.

But I’d like to know, what are your goals for this UAE Tour? Could you give us a little preview of your race plan?

Also, what is your role on the team for this race? Has the team specifically designed a strategy for you to contend for the overall title?"

After hearing the reporter’s question, Huang Chong took the microphone from a teammate. With a smile, he replied in a calm and confident tone:

"Thank you for your question and for the compliment.

As you said, it’s true that many fans in my country now have high hopes for me after watching the Tour of Australia, and I’m very grateful for their support.

Seeing more and more people in my home country follow and enjoy professional road cycling is, in itself, what gives my career value and meaning.

I will certainly hold myself to the highest professional standards, completing all team training and preparing thoroughly. For every race the team enters me in, I intend to be in peak condition to help my teammates and achieve the best possible results for myself, living up to the expectations of both the team and the fans.

As for my goals for this UAE Tour, I certainly hope to replicate my strong performance from the Tour of Australia.

However, my primary role within the team is to protect our leaders and create opportunities for them to win."

...

After the brief press conference, it was time for the teams’ fan meet-and-greets.

Compared to the Tour of Australia, where local fans had mostly sought out homegrown rider Welsford for photos and autographs, the number of Chinese faces at the UAE Tour had noticeably surged.

Huang Chong, of course, was happy to oblige the fans from his home country who had come specifically to support him.

He posed for photos, took pictures with fans, and signed autographs. He even gave away the brand-new cycling kits and water bottles that the team had prepared especially for him to the fans who had come to watch.

Only after the Mechanicians finished tuning his cycling equipment did he head out for a training ride with his teammates.

The first race day of the UAE Tour was a purely flat stage combined with a circuit race through sand dunes.

Although the circuit on the desert highway featured some short climbs and rolling sections, the overall elevation gain was minimal. It was almost certain to end in a bunch sprint for the sprinters.

During a pre-race training ride, however, Huang Chong discovered that while riding through the vast, golden desert, the completely flat terrain meant that crosswinds were a severe issue.

It was just as bad as riding along the coast during Stage 5 in South Australia.

When racing in howling crosswinds, the number one priority is to make sure you don’t get dropped.

If you end up on your own, riding solo would be an absolute struggle.

Plus, the daytime high temperature here wasn’t as hot as in South Australia, so if the riders went all out, the average race speed would be at least 45 km/h.

Getting dropped by the main peloton would have unimaginable consequences.

On top of that, it was crucial to be aware that during the constant attacks and pulls within the peloton, some teams would surely push the pace to 50 or 60 km/h. Surviving these changes in tempo without getting dropped would be critical.

Of course, for the current Huang Chong, it was virtually impossible for him to be dropped by attacks on flat roads alone.

He just couldn’t win a flat-out final sprint against the kind of powerhouses who could instantly unleash speeds of 70-80 km/h.

At this UAE Tour, after the live press conference, Huang Chong also noticed some top-tier sprinters on the start list whom he had previously overlooked.

For instance, Mark Cavendish of the Astana Team, who already had 34 Tour de France sprint stage wins to his name; Phil Bauhaus of the Bahrain Victory Team; Kaden Groves of the Alpecin Team; and Jacob Mosca of the Trek Team, among others.

When it came to a flat bunch sprint, Huang Chong definitely wasn’t in the same league as those guys.

...

「February 19th.」

The official and exclusive broadcast platform for the Road Cycling World Tour: China Sports.

As the opening sequence for the UAE Tour ended, the host’s slightly excited voice chimed in right on schedule:

"Good evening, esteemed viewers and all you cycling fans tuning in!

Welcome to the live broadcast, brought to you by China Sports, of Stage One of the sixth annual 2024 Tour of the United Arab Emirates: Medinaat Zayed to Liwa...

This stage covers a total of 141 kilometers and features two intermediate sprint points at the 53.5-kilometer and 117-kilometer marks.