Chapter Summaries

Huang Chong survived the decisive attacks on Stage S2 and finished alongside Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. Thanks to his time bonus from Stage S1, he took the Tour de France yellow jersey by four seconds over Pogačar and Vingegaard.

• Huang Chong celebrated his third-place finish on Stage S1, which gave him a time bonus and a narrow advantage over the other GC contenders.
• On Stage S2, Huang Chong stayed near the front as the peloton chased a strong breakaway and began the final climbs toward Bologna.
• Adam Yates set a fierce pace on San Luca, dropping Romain Bardet, Primož Roglič, and other riders while Huang Chong held on with Pogačar and Vingegaard.
• Pogačar attacked near the summit, but Huang Chong and Vingegaard followed; Huang Chong later helped Pogačar keep Evenepoel and Carapaz at bay on the flat.
• Huang Chong finished with Pogačar and Vingegaard, and his earlier time bonus put him atop the general classification with a four-second lead over both.

After claiming the Yellow and White Jerseys on Stage 2, Huang Chong defended the overall lead on Stage 3 and faced his first major mountain test on Stage 4. He joined forces with Jonas Vingegaard to catch Tadej Pogačar, then beat him in the sprint to win his first Tour de France stage.

• After Stage 2, Huang Chong celebrated winning the Yellow and White Jerseys as his team and sponsors considered extending his contract amid growing interest from rival teams.
• Huang Chong retained the Yellow Jersey on Stage 3 as Biniam Girmay won the sprint in Turin.
• On Stage 4, UAE Team Emirates drove the pace on Col du Galibier, dropping most riders and leaving Huang Chong, Vingegaard, Pogačar, and a few others near the front.
• Pogačar attacked near the summit and opened a gap, so Huang Chong and Vingegaard agreed to work together and chased him down the descent and across the flat roads.
• Huang Chong and Vingegaard caught Pogačar with 1.5 kilometers remaining, and Huang Chong won the final sprint to claim his first Tour de France stage victory.

After Huang Chong won Stage 4 and took the yellow jersey, he celebrated with Chen Junyi and heard Pogačar and Vingegaard discuss their chase. He kept the jersey through two flat stages, and the story left him preparing for his first Tour de France ITT on Stage 7.

• Huang Chong beat Pogačar in a sprint to win Stage 4, then embraced Chen Junyi and thanked her for supporting him.
• Pogačar explained that Huang Chong and Vingegaard had worked together to catch him, while Vingegaard confirmed Huang Chong had proposed their pursuit on the Galibier.
• Huang Chong remained in the yellow jersey as Mark Cavendish won Stage 5 and Dylan Groenewegen won Stage 6.
• Huang Chong looked ahead to Stage 7, the Tour de France's first ITT, after training for the discipline and anticipating his result.

Huang Chong defended his five-second lead over Pogačar in the Stage 7 time trial and kept the yellow jersey through the first week of the Tour. On the gravel roads of Stage 9, he survived repeated attacks and finished alongside Pogačar, carrying the jersey into the second week.

• Evenepoel won the Stage 7 time trial, while Huang Chong lost fifteen seconds to him and three seconds to Pogačar but retained a five-second GC lead.
• Biniam Girmay won Stage 8, and Huang Chong remained five seconds ahead of Pogačar in the general classification.
• A crash on the Cote de Baroville gravel climb delayed Roglič and the other Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe riders, leaving Huang Chong isolated near the front.
• Evenepoel and Pogačar attacked, but Huang Chong stayed with Pogačar as Vingegaard and his teammates helped neutralize the moves.
• Pogačar attacked again on the final gravel sectors, but Visma–Lease a Bike's domestiques helped Vingegaard catch him, and Huang Chong finished alongside them to keep the yellow jersey into the second week.

After Alexander Vlasov withdrew with an ankle fracture and concussion, Red Bull Bora Team prepared for the second week with Huang Chong and Primož Roglič as its two general classification contenders. Huang Chong retained the yellow jersey after Stage 10, and the chapter left the riders facing a pivotal mountain stage where his five-second lead would be tested.

• Ralph Denk and Aldag welcomed Huang Chong after Stage 9 and considered whether Red Bull Bora Team should change its leadership plans for the second week.
• Team doctor Charlie diagnosed Alexander Vlasov with an ankle fracture and mild concussion, forcing him to withdraw from the Tour de France.
• Aldag told Huang Chong to act as the team's sole leader if he proved stronger than Primož Roglič on the climbs, while also asking him to defend his five-second lead over Tadej Pogačar.
• Huang Chong protected Roglič through the flat Stage 10 from Orléans to Saint-Amand-Montrond, and Jasper Philipsen won the sprint with help from Van der Poel.
• Huang Chong finished with the peloton and kept the yellow jersey as the Tour's second week opened with Stage 11, a mountain stage expected to test him, Pogačar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, and Roglič.

Huang Chong faced Pogačar’s attack on the punishing climbs of Stage 11, relying on Vingegaard’s pursuit and his own descending and sprinting strength. After Primož Roglič crashed near the finish, Huang Chong won the sprint ahead of Vingegaard and Pogačar, leaving his defense of the Yellow Jersey alive.

• UAE Team Emirates controlled the fast opening and kept the breakaway’s advantage small as the riders approached the final climbs.
• Sivakov, Adam Yates, and João Almeida drove the pace on Mary Mountain, and Pogačar attacked near the summit to drop Huang Chong and Vingegaard.
• Huang Chong waited for Primož Roglič before descending, then followed Vingegaard’s chase until they caught Pogačar on Pertus Pass.
• Huang Chong refused to take pulls and stayed with Pogačar and Vingegaard as the trio raced toward the finish, while Roglič and Evenepoel trailed behind.
• Roglič crashed in the final hairpin, and Huang Chong sprinted past Pogačar and Vingegaard to win Stage 11.

Huang Chong won Stage 11 and kept the yellow jersey, but Stage 12’s crash left Primož Roglič severely injured and forced him to withdraw. With Vlasov already out, Huang Chong became Red Bull Bora Team’s sole core leader and had to defend his overall lead with a depleted squad.

• Huang Chong beat Pogačar and Vingegaard in the Stage 11 sprint, retained the yellow jersey, and extended his lead over Pogačar to 11 seconds.
• Roglič crashed near the Stage 11 finish, but the crash-protection rule limited his time loss to 25 seconds behind Huang Chong.
• Huang Chong learned that Roglič’s Stage 11 crash had caused no major injury, then narrowly avoided a mass crash on Stage 12 when Alexey Lutsenko fell into the peloton’s path.
• Roglič struck Lutsenko and suffered severe shoulder and back injuries, while Huang Chong stayed with the front group and finished without losing time to his rivals.
• Red Bull Bora Team’s medical report forced Roglič to withdraw, leaving Huang Chong, Hindley, and four domestiques to continue the Tour.
• Aldag urged the depleted team to keep fighting, and Huang Chong accepted that he would have to defend the general classification largely on his own.

Huang Chong urged Aldag to keep him near the front of the peloton after narrowly avoiding crashes, then faced the Tour’s first HC summit finish without climbing support. Pogačar won Stage 14 and took the Yellow Jersey, while Huang Chong finished third and had to focus on defending second overall from Vingegaard.

• Adam Yates joined the Stage 13 breakaway, but Ayuso abandoned mid-stage, and Philipsen won the sprint while Huang Chong finished safely with the GC riders.
• Huang Chong criticized Aldag’s rear-of-peloton positioning after avoiding two crashes, and Aldag agreed to change the team’s tactics for Stage 14.
• On Stage 14, Politt and then UAE Team Emirates’ domestiques controlled the race over the Tourmalet and into the final climb, while Huang Chong lost Hindley’s support.
• Adam Yates attacked with 7.2 kilometers remaining, and Pogačar launched his attack after catching Ben Healy; Huang Chong followed Pogačar before being dropped by his second surge.
• Vingegaard passed Huang Chong near the finish and took second on the stage, while Huang Chong finished third; Pogačar won by 50 seconds over Huang Chong and reclaimed the Yellow Jersey.

After losing the Yellow Jersey on Stage 14, Huang Chong accepted Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe’s plan to protect his second place overall. On Stage 15, the Tour’s punishing route to Plateau de Beille drew attacks from team leaders across the peloton.

• Pogačar won Stage 14 and took the Yellow Jersey and Polka-Dot Jersey, while Vingegaard moved ahead of Huang Chong at the finish.
• Huang Chong told reporters he had expected he might lose time in the mountains and considered a final podium place more realistic than regaining the Yellow Jersey.
• Aldag told Huang Chong that Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe would shift its priority to defending his second place overall, and Huang Chong agreed.
• Stage 15 began on France’s National Day with five categorized climbs and a finish at Plateau de Beille, giving teams a major opportunity to attack.
• Ben Healy, Mas, Simon Yates, Jungels, and Matteo Sobrero joined the breakaway as team leaders and riders sought the stage win.

Huang Chong used a special recovery gel to restore his strength before the Plateau de Beille climb and stayed with Vingegaard and Pogačar through their attacks. Pogačar won the stage, while Huang Chong sprinted past Vingegaard to take second and protect his overall standing.

• Huang Chong started in the White Jersey slot as the breakaway formed and Visma–Lease a Bike controlled the peloton’s pace.
• A twelve-rider breakaway escaped on Col de Mente, while Huang Chong conserved energy with the peloton through the earlier climbs.
• Huang Chong consumed his special recovery gel before Plateau de Beille and felt his accumulated fatigue disappear.
• Jorgenson’s hard pace reduced the leading group to ten riders, then Vingegaard attacked and Huang Chong stayed with him and Pogačar as they passed the breakaway.
• Pogačar attacked with 5.4 kilometers remaining and rode away, while Huang Chong continued following Vingegaard.
• Huang Chong beat Vingegaard by roughly a bike length in the final sprint to finish second behind Pogačar.

Huang Chong celebrated his Plateau de Beille victory over Vingegaard while holding second overall, though Pogačar remained far ahead. After the final breakaway stages, Huang Chong led Vingegaard by only 31 seconds, setting up their battle for second place in the Tour de France’s last three stages.

• Huang Chong met Du Wei, Zhou Ming, and Li Zifan after Stage 15 and admitted that winning the Tour de France or another stage this year would be difficult.
• Visma–Lease a Bike manager Plugge told Vingegaard that the team needed to adjust its tactics and protect his standing, while Quick-Step urged Evenepoel to attack Huang Chong and fight for the podium and White Jersey.
• Philipsen won Stage 16, and Carapaz took Stage 17 from the breakaway as Evenepoel gained ten seconds on Huang Chong.
• Campenaerts won Stage 18 from a 36-rider breakaway, leaving the final three stages to decide whether Huang Chong or Vingegaard would finish second overall.
• After Stage 17, Huang Chong held second overall at 1:51 behind Pogačar and 31 seconds ahead of Vingegaard.

On Stage 19, Huang Chong ordered Jai Hindley into the breakaway to support Red Bull Bora’s tactics on the final climb, while UAE Team Emirates controlled the peloton through the two HC climbs. As the GC group neared the summit of Cime de la Bonette, a rider launched a sudden attack and dropped every contender, leaving the attacker unidentified.

• Huang Chong told Aldag to send Hindley into the breakaway after learning that Visma–Lease a Bike and Quick-Step had placed climbing lieutenants in it.
• Hindley joined the breakaway, which built a lead of more than four minutes while UAE Team Emirates paced the peloton.
• Carapaz crossed the summit of Cime de la Bonette first, taking 40 mountain points and moving into the lead of the polka-dot jersey standings.
• UAE Team Emirates’ Politt paced the peloton up Cime de la Bonette until he ran out of energy and dropped back, after which Sivakov and Marc Soler took over.
• With 200 meters left before the summit, a rider attacked from behind UAE Team Emirates’ train and immediately dropped the remaining GC contenders.

Huang Chong attacked over Col de la Bonette, used a daring descent to gain time, then chased down the breakaway on the final climb while Pogačar pursued from behind. Huang Chong won Stage S19 ahead of the yellow jersey, Pogačar, and strengthened his hold on second place in the overall standings.

• Huang Chong attacked the peloton on Col de la Bonette and dropped Vingegaard and Evenepoel on the descent, building a two-minute lead over the peloton.
• Huang Chong rejected Aldag’s offer to slow Hindley and instead began the final 16.1-kilometer climb alone, catching Cristian Rodríguez and then Hindley.
• Hindley led Huang Chong for about a kilometer before dropping back, and Huang Chong continued past Kelderman, C. Rodríguez, Carapaz, and Simon Yates as Jorgenson attacked ahead.
• Pogačar attacked the peloton, dropped Vingegaard and Evenepoel, and steadily cut into Huang Chong’s lead while Huang Chong chased down Jorgenson.
• Huang Chong launched a final attack inside the last kilometer and crossed the finish line ahead of Pogačar, winning Stage S19.

Huang Chong won Stage 19, defended his position on the final mountain stage, and finished his debut Tour de France second overall while claiming the white jersey. After the awards ceremony, he calculated his points and prize money and anticipated contract offers from top WorldTour teams.

• Huang Chong won Stage 19 with a descent attack, while Pogačar said his team had underestimated Huang Chong’s descending ability.
• Vingegaard’s overall deficit grew after Stage 19, and Evenepoel’s hopes of challenging for the podium weakened.
• On Stage 20, Vingegaard attacked near the finish, but Huang Chong stayed with him and Pogačar as Evenepoel fell behind.
• Huang Chong finished the final time trial eight seconds behind Vingegaard, secured second overall and the white jersey, and watched Pogačar win the Tour.
• Huang Chong received his awards and calculated that he had earned 2,450 UCI points, raised his FTP to 467 watts, and won 284,200 euros in pre-tax prize money.
• Huang Chong expected Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe and other major teams to send him offers after his successful Tour debut.

After the Tour de France, Huang Chong signed a verbal renewal agreement with Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe and learned the team had also recruited Jonathan Narváez. He then traveled to Paris to join the national team and prepare for the Olympic road race.

• Huang Chong and Chen Junyi chose the A&J agency to handle his contracts and career planning.
• Du Wei, Li Zifan, and Zhou Ming secured business partnerships with Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe before returning home, and they urged Huang Chong to pursue Olympic gold.
• Alex Carrera presented offers from several teams, and Huang Chong agreed verbally to a five-year renewal with Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe on a top salary with bonuses and increases.
• Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe told Huang Chong that it had signed Jonathan Narváez after Huang urged the team to recruit him.
• Huang Chong resumed training with his teammates, then traveled with Chen Junyi to Paris and reunited with Coach Han and the national team.

Huang Chong joined the Chinese cycling team in Paris, arranged logistical support, and trained with Lü Xianjing and Tang Xin before the Olympics. After watching Evenepoel dominate the men's time trial, Huang Chong and the team were left wondering how he would fare against him in the hilly road race.

• Huang Chong greeted Coach Han and the national team officials, then outlined the roadside supplies and mechanical support he needed for the Olympic road race.
• Huang Chong reunited with Lü Xianjing and offered to share his Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe training plan.
• Huang Chong led Lü Xianjing and Tang Xin on a route-reconnaissance ride, impressing them with his endurance and steady power.
• Evenepoel won the men's Olympic time trial in 36 minutes and 12.16 seconds, finishing nearly fifteen seconds ahead of Filippo Ganna.
• Coach Han and Lü Xianjing were stunned by Evenepoel's time-trial strength, while Huang Chong noted that the road race's hilly course could produce a different outcome.

After Tang Xin finished 32nd in the Olympic women's time trial, Huang Chong trained in Paris and learned that he had renewed with Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe and that Narváez would join the team. On August 3, Huang Chong started the Olympic men's road race, a high-profile contest broadcast live on CCTV Sports.

• Tang Xin averaged 42.269 km/h and placed 32nd in the women's time trial, while Australia's Grace Brown won gold.
• Huang Chong watched Zheng Qinwen defeat Angelique Kerber and then learned that Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe had renewed his contract for five years and signed Narváez for the next season.
• Zheng Qinwen eliminated Świątek, while Huang Chong prepared to represent China in the Olympic men's road race.
• Huang Chong considered the race's contenders and the uncertainty of competing against riders such as Mathieu Van der Poel and Wout van Aert on the 272.1-kilometer course.
• CCTV Sports broadcast the Olympic road race live, and Huang Chong set off from Trocadéro Square with the peloton at 11:10 a.m.

Huang Chong and Lü Xianjing rode through the early stages of the Olympic road race as Huang explained the race strategy and commentators praised his medal chances. With 92.6 km remaining, attacks began on a climb, Lü struggled, and a new rider launched an attack on the descent.

• Huang Chong reassured Lü Xianjing and explained how one-day races progress through three stages while they conserved energy in the peloton.
• CCTV began its broadcast with Huang Chong and Lü Xianjing safely in the peloton behind a five-man breakaway, and Director Xiao predicted Huang Chong could challenge for gold.
• With 92.6 km remaining, Valentin Maduवास attacked on the Châteaufort climb, and Novak raised the peloton's pace, dropping weaker riders.
• Huang Chong told the struggling Lü Xianjing to ride at his own pace and focus on finishing safely.
• After the peloton caught Maduवास, a slim rider in a dark green cycling kit attacked on the descent.

Huang Chong survived the attacks on Montmartre Hill, broke away from Evenepoel on the final cobbled climb, and rode solo toward Trocadéro Square. Evenepoel suffered a mechanical failure during the chase, leaving Huang Chong to reach the finish first beneath the Eiffel Tower.

• Ben Healy and Alexey Lutsenko attacked, while Huang Chong followed Evenepoel’s moves and watched Lü Xianjing get dropped on the climbs.
• Van der Poel attacked on the first Montmartre cobbles, but Huang Chong and Evenepoel later bridged across to the front groups and formed a chase group.
• Huang Chong attacked repeatedly, helped drop breakaway riders, and worked with Evenepoel to build a lead over the peloton.
• On the final Montmartre climb, Huang Chong attacked on the steepest section and opened a gap of nearly 80 meters over Evenepoel.
• Huang Chong launched a solo breakaway on the flat road toward Trocadéro Square, and Evenepoel suffered a mechanical failure with 3.8 kilometers remaining.
• Huang Chong reached Trocadéro Square first.

Huang Chong won the 2024 Paris Olympic men's road race, earning China its first Olympic medal in the event and becoming a national sensation. After the race, he celebrated with his team and faced a flood of attention, while Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe began considering him for the Vuelta a España.

• Huang Chong crossed the finish line first, celebrated with his Specialized bike, and received congratulations from Coach Han, Chen Junyi, Tang Xin, and the Chinese team.
• Evenepoel finished 45 seconds behind Huang Chong to take silver, while Maduواس claimed bronze; Van der Poel and Wout van Aert finished well behind.
• Lü Xianjing completed the race in sixty-eighth place, setting a new Olympic record for Chinese road cyclists, and Charles Kagimu crossed last within the time limit.
• Huang Chong received his gold medal as the national anthem played, and news of his victory sent him to the top of China's social media trending lists.
• Red Bull and Specialized invited Huang Chong to help design Olympic champion gold bike and helmet liveries, while companies sought endorsements and officials and reporters visited his parents.
• Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe increasingly considered sending Huang Chong to the Vuelta a España after learning that Vingegaard and Pogačar would not race it.