Cycling: Racing into the Headwind

Huang Chong couldn’t really answer Chen Junyi’s final question.

’Do I want to become a superstar in the cycling world?’

Truthfully, he had never considered the question.

But he certainly didn’t want to be a support rider for other superstars.

It was like the old saying: better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.

How could he, a chosen one, be someone else’s underling?

As for whether he would ultimately become a superstar in the world of road cycling, he didn’t really care. He’d just let things take their course.

Besides, if he really did win the Tour de France, becoming a superstar wouldn’t be up to him anyway.

"Perhaps. After all, everyone only gets one short life."

"I can’t accept the idea of becoming someone else’s support rider before I’ve even found my own limits."

As Huang Chong spoke, the smile slowly faded from his face, and he drew his gaze away from Chen Junyi.

The affectionate look from a moment ago had transformed into one of sharp, unwavering resolve.

He continued:

"Since I’ve already followed my plan and made it to the doorstep of a World Tour Team..."

"...why shouldn’t I keep climbing higher?"

"It’s like Kobe said, someone has to win in competitive sports, so why can’t that someone be me?"

This was the first time Chen Junyi had ever seen the normally amiable and easygoing Huang Chong reveal such a serious and determined side.

But she didn’t dislike this version of him.

Quite the opposite, she greatly admired this Huang Chong.

Because it couldn’t help but remind her of a quote she had loved during her school days:

"In me, the tiger sniffs the rose."

In his daily life, Huang Chong was easygoing, generous, sunny, and cheerful, which was undoubtedly a wonderful side of him.

But in his professional career, he could concentrate completely, becoming focused and meticulous. This balance he struck between his life and his work was something she even found herself envying and admiring.

...

After returning to the Shanghai Team Headquarters, Coach Li, who had just recently led the team back from a race in Hainan, personally welcomed Huang Chong and Brother Xiaoma.

Coach Li, of course, already knew about their excellent results at the Tour of Guangxi, where one took the overall Red Jersey and the other placed fifth in the S2 stage.

The Tour of Hainan was held about a week before the Tour of Guangxi, so when they finished their race and returned to the Shanghai Headquarters, the event in Guangxi hadn’t even started.

Therefore, Coach Li had watched nearly the entire performance of Huang Chong and Brother Xiaoma via online livestream.

He smiled and congratulated the two of them:

"Congratulations on your triumphant return! Your performances at the Tour of Guangxi were truly impressive, you’ve made me see you in a whole new light!"

Hearing this, Huang Chong and Brother Xiaoma glanced at each other and naturally exchanged some modest pleasantries.

Afterward, they greeted their other teammates, and that evening, they attended a celebration banquet the team had organized specially for them.

However, the day after the banquet, Huang Chong and Brother Xiaoma traveled with the team to Shitai County in Anhui Province.

The sixth stage of the domestic professional league was scheduled to be held there on October 21st.

It was no exaggeration to say that for Huang Chong, Brother Xiaoma, and Niu Yikui, October was a month with a packed and intense competition schedule.

Not only had they participated in the Asian Games and the Tour of Guangxi, but they also had to compete in two stages of the domestic professional league.

They were being worked like absolute beasts.

Fortunately, after the first five stages of the professional league, Huang Chong had accumulated a large enough lead in the general classification, ahead of second place by a full eight-plus minutes.

So even with the nonstop schedule, he wasn’t worried about his overall lead being overturned.

Plus, with the 320 points he earned at the Asian Games and the 340 points from the Tour of Guangxi (40 points for the S4 win + 300 for the overall championship), his FTP Power had successfully broken the 400W barrier.

At his current level of strength, if he were to truly go all out, he would be in a completely different league from the other domestic riders, utterly dominating them.

"Huang Chong, the overall championship in the domestic professional league is still very important to the team."

"I know your race schedule this month has been intense, and you must be exhausted."

"But you still need to do your best to defend your overall lead and help the team end the season on a high note."

"Besides, these are your last two races representing our team. Next year, you’ll be competing in the World Tour. Winning one last league championship for us would be a way for the team to bask in your glory one more time!"

The night before the race in Shitai County, after Coach Li had finished laying out the strategy for the team members, he said this to Huang Chong in a joking manner.

Hearing this, Huang Chong felt a mix of complicated emotions.

The truth was, in the year since he had joined the Hengxiang Continental Team, he had actually competed in very few races representing the team itself.

He had mostly been riding as a member of the National Team in various high-level events.

Although his status as a Hengxiang Team rider, including the achievements he’d earned this year, would forever be recorded in the team’s history of outstanding riders, he still felt he owed the team for not having won a major championship for them.

Especially since after the Tour of Guangxi, upon receiving the offer from the World Tour Team, Coach Han had immediately notified Coach Li of the news.

This was equivalent to telling Coach Li that he would not be renewing his contract with the Hengxiang Continental Team next year to continue riding for them.

When Coach Li heard the news, not only did he show no dissatisfaction, but he actually smiled and congratulated him on making it to the World Tour and bringing glory to the country in road cycling.

It had to be said, Huang Chong was filled with admiration for the coach’s selfless and magnanimous spirit.

Now, hearing the coach ask him to win one more championship for the team, he naturally had no objections and replied with the gravity of a promise: