Chapter Summaries

After Huang Chong celebrated his ITT gold, Coach Han planned for the men's road race around the team protecting Huang Chong until Zitong Ridge, where he would challenge Lutsenko one-on-one. The race began with Lutsenko driving a fast breakaway, while Huang Chong conserved his strength behind his teammates.

• Huang Chong celebrated his ITT victory with Brother Ma, Brother Niu, and Brother Lü, and explained that his final-corner handling came from his mountain-biking experience.
• Yang Qianyu won the women's road race, while Sun Jiajun finished seventh and Zeng Luyao finished sixteenth.
• Coach Han assigned Huang Chong's three teammates to protect him for the first 125KM, then told Huang Chong to follow Lutsenko up Zitong Ridge and isolate him from Yevgeny.
• Japan's head coach told Yuma Koishi to protect Shinya Arashiro and keep him in contention for the Zitong Ridge climb.
• The men's road race started, and Brother Ma joined a breakaway as Lutsenko and Yevgeny chased it; by 30KM, Lutsenko was leading a group of about twenty riders at 46KM/H while Huang Chong stayed behind his teammates.

China used an all-in breakaway strategy to protect Huang Chong while Kazakhstan’s Lutsenko and Yevgeny raised the pace to wear down their rivals. On the decisive climb at Zitong Ridge, Huang Chong launched a powerful attack and surged ahead of the remaining riders.

• China sent all four riders into the breakaway, with Lü Xianjing, Ma Binyan, and Niu Yikui working to shelter Huang Chong.
• Lutsenko recognized China’s three-for-one strategy and urged Yevgeny to increase the pace, especially on climbs.
• The higher pace dropped riders from several nations, and Lü Xianjing fell back near the 100-kilometer mark.
• Ma Binyan told Huang Chong he could not survive the climb, then dropped away on Dragon Ridge as the group reached Zitong Ridge.
• Lutsenko attacked on the Zitong Ridge climb, leaving only Huang Chong, Shinya Arashiro, and Yevgeny with him.
• Huang Chong swallowed a recovery energy bar, surged past the others with over a thousand watts, and opened a gap.

Huang Chong isolated Alexey Lutsenko on Zitong Ridge and kept attacking across the rolling final 70 kilometers. He held off Lutsenko’s late sprint to win the road race, sweeping both Asian Games men’s cycling gold medals and taking the title of Asia’s top rider.

• Huang Chong attacked on Zitong Ridge, dropped Yevgeny, and kept Alexey Lutsenko on his wheel.
• Huang Chong drove the pace over the final 70 kilometers to prevent Yevgeny from catching up and exhaust Lutsenko.
• Huang Chong attacked again on the final climbs as Lutsenko tried to take a drink from his support car.
• Huang Chong opened a gap near the final summit, then sprinted down the descent and toward the finish.
• Huang Chong crossed the finish line nearly half a bike length ahead of Lutsenko, winning his second gold medal and both men’s road cycling events.

Huang Chong celebrated winning two Asian Games gold medals and received praise from coaches, family, friends, and his hometown. At a dinner with friends, he admitted to Du Wei that his feelings for Chen Junyi had grown over time.

• Coach Han congratulated Huang Chong on his historic two gold medals and promised that his teammates would also receive rewards.
• Chen Mingyuan and Zhang Wanqing watched Huang Chong and Chen Junyi together, and Zhang Wanqing suggested that the young people might make a good couple.
• Huang Chong attended the medal ceremony, gave interviews, completed his reward application, and visited Chen Junyi's parents before going to a celebration dinner with friends.
• Du Wei told Huang Chong that Wu Fang's friend had once rejected him but had come to the dinner after his Asian Games victories; Huang Chong said he already liked someone.
• Du Wei guessed that Huang Chong liked Chen Junyi, and Huang Chong admitted that his feelings had developed over time.

After Wu Fang learned that Chen Junyi liked Huang Chong but was holding back because of his career, Du Wei said Huang Chong wanted to marry her. Huang Chong then rejoined the national team to prepare for the Tour of Guangxi, where he planned to test himself against top UCI WorldTour riders and target the Nongla Mountain stage.

• Wu Fang asked Chen Junyi whether she and Huang Chong were dating, and Chen Junyi explained that she served him food because athletes had to avoid prohibited substances.
• Chen Junyi told Wu Fang that she liked Huang Chong but would not let a relationship distract him during a crucial stage of his career.
• Wu Fang told Du Wei about Chen Junyi's feelings, and Du Wei said Huang Chong wanted to marry her.
• Huang Chong returned to the national team, where Director Han named the riders for the Tour of Guangxi and introduced Su Haoyu and Liu Jiankun.
• Director Han told Huang Chong to focus on Stage 4's Nongla Mountain climb, and Huang Chong resolved to study the course and compete against the world's top teams.

After winning two Asian Games titles, Huang Chong used his rewards to improve his abilities and studied the Tour of Guangxi’s demanding routes. He trained carefully for the race, which was about to begin, determined to prove himself against the arriving WorldTour teams.

• Huang Chong exchanged 320 Basic Optimization Points for six Intermediate Optimization Points and raised his FTP to 396 W.
• Huang Chong discovered that his improved time on a course he had raced before had earned him 20 Specialized Optimization Points for Terrain Prediction.
• Chen Junyi showed Huang Chong the six-stage route profiles, and he realized he would need to survive difficult climbs beyond the queen stage at Nongla Mountain.
• Chen Junyi encouraged Huang Chong to focus on his own performance, and he resolved to approach the race calmly despite recognizing many elite riders in the team rosters.
• Huang Chong and Chen Junyi trained on the climbs and recorded detailed course data as the WorldTour teams began arriving in Guangxi.
• Chen Junyi offered Huang Chong a birthday break, but he refused and continued preparing for the race.

Huang Chong raced the Beihai circuit stage of the Tour of Guangxi, focusing on learning the pace and tactics of UCI WorldTour teams while staying safely in the peloton. He finished with the main group without losing time and planned to attack in a later stage.

• Huang Chong and his four teammates appeared at the team presentation to cheers from fans who expected him to challenge the foreign riders.
• Huang Chong followed Coach Han's plan to draft at the back of the peloton and learn the WorldTour pace rather than make an early move.
• Four riders broke away early, while teams at the front controlled the peloton's pace throughout the circuit.
• On the final lap, Huang Chong stayed with the peloton as it accelerated, caught the breakaway on Guantouling, and formed sprint trains for the finish.
• Viviani of Ineos Grenadiers overtook Milan of Bahrain Victorious to win the sprint, while Huang Chong crossed the line safely with the peloton and completed his first WorldTour learning task.

Huang Chong led Little Ma through the final kilometer of the Tour of Guangxi’s second stage, helping him take fifth in the sprint. Their result made history for the China national team, while Jumbo–Visma Team studied Huang Chong’s unusual lead-out and decided to watch his performance on the next stage.

• Huang Chong told Coach Han he felt ready to help Little Ma contest the next stage’s sprint, and Coach Han agreed while emphasizing safety.
• Huang Chong and Little Ma stayed near the back of the peloton as the breakaway was reeled in and the sprint teams moved to the front.
• With one kilometer remaining, Huang Chong accelerated along the open right side of the road and led Little Ma ahead of Kooij and Bennett.
• Huang Chong sustained a powerful lead-out to the 200-meter mark, and Little Ma finished fifth behind Milan and three other sprinters.
• Jumbo–Visma Team’s director and data analyst reviewed the sprint, noted Huang Chong’s clean line and long lead-out, and chose to assess him again on the next stage.
• Coach Han celebrated Little Ma’s historic fifth place as cycling fans across the country discussed the result online.

After Little Ma’s fifth-place finish, Huang Chong helped his national team through the brutal Qinxiu Mountain stage without losing time. His teammates fell far behind, leaving Huang Chong as the only national team rider still positioned to compete in the general classification.

• Little Ma thanked Huang Chong for setting him up for fifth place, and Coach Han praised their teamwork while encouraging the riders to choose their tactics.
• Huang Chong declined to join the breakaway on the Qinxiu Mountain stage and remained with the peloton as his teammates began to struggle.
• On the final climb, Huang Chong moved toward the front, stayed with the leading climbers, and reached the summit without being dropped.
• Huang Chong finished with the peloton and lost no time, while Kooij won the stage after Milan was disrupted during the sprint.
• Little Ma, Niu Yikui, and Su Haoyu fell 1 minute 32 seconds behind Huang Chong in the general classification, while Liu Jiankun fell 10 minutes 23 seconds behind.

Huang Chong pursued the Tour of Guangxi general classification on the Nongla stage, using his teammates’ support and his knowledge of the route to win the mountain finish. He crossed the line ahead of Wout Milan, leaving Jumbo–Visma Team desperate to learn who he was.

• Su Haoyu asked to join the breakaway, and Coach Han arranged for the team to support Huang Chong’s general classification attempt on Nongla Mountain.
• Su Haoyu joined the breakaway and stayed ahead for nearly 150 kilometers before the peloton caught him; Huang Chong encouraged him and continued with the bunch.
• Huang Chong left his exhausted teammates and hid in the Arkéa–B&B Hotels line before moving up to the front as the peloton approached Nongla Mountain.
• Huang Chong followed Wout Milan’s attack on the final climb, then sprinted past him and won the Nongla stage by several meters.
• Jumbo–Visma Team’s staff watched Wout Milan finish second and demanded immediate information about Huang Chong.

Huang Chong won the Nongla Mountain stage with a powerful final sprint, took the general classification lead, and drew the attention of WorldTour teams. The chapter ended with him receiving the red jersey while Su Haoyu earned the stage’s Combative Award, as Huang Chong worried about defending his lead over the final two stages.

• Huang Chong beat Milan by seven seconds on the final climb, won the stage, and took the lead in the general classification.
• Rémy Rochas congratulated Huang Chong, while Jumbo–Visma Team staff reviewed his results and discussed whether to sign him after the race.
• Huang Chong’s teammates watched footage of his sprint, and Huang Chong warned that rival teams would target him in the remaining stages.
• Coach Han advised Huang Chong to watch Milan and Rémy Rochas and avoid getting dropped on the climbs.
• Huang Chong received the stage winner’s prize and red jersey, while Su Haoyu won the Combative Award.

Huang Chong joined a breakaway on the Liuzhou–Guilin stage to avoid being isolated on the climbs, then survived the final stage’s attacks and defended his Tour of Guangxi Red Jersey. After the race, he received offers from seven or eight UCI WorldTour teams and three Pro teams, leaving him unsure which to choose.

• Huang Chong joined the breakaway on the fifth stage after explaining to Coach Han that it would help him avoid attacks on the climbs.
• Huang Chong worked with the breakaway until the peloton caught them near the finish, while rival teams missed their chance to take time from him.
• Huang Chong stayed in the peloton on the final stage and endured repeated attacks on the last major climb to protect his lead.
• Huang Chong finished first in the general classification, with Vader Milan second and Rémy Rochas third.
• Huang Chong received offers from seven or eight UCI WorldTour teams and three Pro teams, including Jumbo–Visma and UAE Team Emirates.

After winning the Tour of Guangxi, Huang Chong considered offers from WorldTour teams and ruled out joining squads where he would be relegated to a domestique. On the flight back to Shanghai, Chen Junyi guessed that he wanted to become a superstar himself rather than support one, while Huang Chong kept his preferred team private.

• Cycling fans debated Huang Chong’s Tour of Guangxi victory and speculated about which WorldTour team he might join.
• Huang Chong dismissed teams such as Jumbo–Visma Team and UAE Team Emirates for now because their star riders could limit his race opportunities and path to becoming a GC leader.
• Huang Chong decided to wait for Coach Han and professionals to negotiate team offers before choosing, since contract terms and guaranteed race opportunities mattered.
• On the flight back to Shanghai, Chen Junyi asked Huang Chong whether he had a team in mind, and he said he did but would not reveal it yet.
• Chen Junyi reasoned that Huang Chong would avoid Jumbo–Visma Team, UAE Team Emirates, and Ineos because he wanted to become a superstar rather than someone else’s supporting rider.

Huang Chong won the final two domestic professional league races and swept the league’s three jerseys, finishing his 2023 season in dominant form. After the final awards ceremony, Coach Han told him that Bora Team was among the three WorldTour teams offering the best contract terms.

• Huang Chong told Chen Junyi that he wanted to keep pursuing his limits rather than become another rider’s domestique.
• Coach Li welcomed Huang Chong and Little Ma back, then asked Huang Chong to defend his league lead in his final races for the team.
• Huang Chong won the Shitai Stage after a 70-kilometer solo breakaway, extending his overall lead over Niu Yikui to nearly sixteen minutes.
• Huang Chong attacked in the final two laps of the Xichou Finals and finished first, then swept the league’s Red, Polka-Dot, and White Jerseys.
• Coach Han told Huang Chong that Bora Team was among the three WorldTour teams whose contract offers had the best terms.

Huang Chong chose to join Bora Team because its contract guaranteed him WorldTour race opportunities, then prepared to leave China for Germany. Worried about the language barrier, he asked Chen Junyi to accompany him as his teaching assistant, but she refused.

• Huang Chong told Coach Han he preferred Bora Team because it guaranteed him at least ten UCI WorldTour races in 2024, despite offering a lower salary.
• Coach Han agreed with Huang Chong's choice and arranged for him to travel to Germany, where staff would help him complete the contract signing.
• Huang Chong thanked Coach Li for his support before returning to Hangzhou with Chen Junyi.
• During the drive, Huang Chong admitted he was anxious about moving to Europe alone because he did not know the language and feared theft and crime.
• Huang Chong asked Chen Junyi to accompany him to Europe six months early as his private teaching assistant, but Chen Junyi flatly refused.

Chen Junyi and Huang Chong reconciled after his awkward offer to hire her, and she decided to prepare to go abroad early to support his move to Europe and continue her studies. Huang Chong said goodbye to Du Wei and returned home, where his parents had prepared a feast for him.

• Chen Junyi told Huang Chong that she would have helped him as a friend, and he apologized and asked her to go to Europe with him because he needed her support.
• Chen Mingyuan advised Huang Chong to protect his health while training in Europe, and Huang Chong promised to take care of himself.
• Chen Junyi began packing to leave early for abroad, and she reassured Zhang Wanqing that the separation would help secure their family's future.
• Huang Chong visited Du Wei to say goodbye, and Du Wei encouraged him to succeed with his new UCI WorldTour team.
• Huang Chong took the high-speed train home to Xianyun County, where Liang Xiaomei and Huang Yuda welcomed him with a lavish meal.

Huang Chong told his parents he planned to join Germany’s Bora Team, and they supported his decision to develop his cycling career in Europe. He traveled to Frankfurt with Chen Junyi and arrived at Bora Team headquarters, where the manager welcomed him.

• Huang Chong returned home with gifts and enjoyed dinner with his parents and Huang Lingshan.
• Huang Chong told his parents that he had chosen to join Bora Team in Germany, and they supported his decision while asking him to keep in touch.
• Huang Chong packed his belongings and called Chen Junyi, who booked the same flight to Germany.
• Huang Chong and Chen Junyi flew to Frankfurt, where staff arranged by Coach Han picked them up and took them to a hotel.
• Staff took Huang Chong to Bora Team headquarters the next day, and the team manager welcomed him.

Huang Chong visited Bora’s headquarters, where Rolf Aldag introduced the team’s history and ambitions as Huang prepared for the required medical and performance assessments before signing. Huang welcomed Aldag’s praise but privately doubted Bora could win a Grand Tour in the next two years.

• Huang Chong met with Bora sporting director Rolf Aldag, who explained that Huang had to pass medical and performance assessments before signing.
• Aldag and Chen Junyi showed Huang around Bora’s headquarters and recounted the team’s rise from TeamNetApp to a UCI WorldTour team.
• Aldag described Bora’s goal of challenging for Grand Tour titles with Primož Roglič and hoped Huang would become an important part of the team.
• Huang Chong thanked Aldag for his confidence and said he would improve, while privately dismissing Bora’s championship ambitions as empty promises.

Huang Chong completed Bora Team’s medical and physical tests, impressing sporting director Aldag with exceptional power and a world-record VO₂max. Aldag recognized Huang’s potential to become a top Grand Tour rider and arranged to keep his test results confidential.

• Huang Chong struggled with German food while staying at a hotel with Chen Junyi before his team tests.
• The team medical director reported that Huang Chong’s health was excellent and his muscle structure was ideally suited to professional road cycling.
• Huang Chong completed power tests, recording a 403W FTP, repeated five-second sprint power above 1300W, and 442W for five minutes.
• Huang Chong’s maximum oxygen uptake test reached 98 ml/kg/min, shocking Aldag and the laboratory staff.
• Aldag informed the team’s CEO of Huang Chong’s results and had the testing staff sign confidentiality agreements.

Bora Team confirmed Huang Chong’s exceptional test results, signed him, and arranged housing and a translator job for Chen Junyi. As winter training began and the 2024 UCI WorldTour calendar was announced, Huang Chong settled into his new career in Europe.

• Ralph Denk accepted Rolf Aldag’s confirmation that Huang Chong’s test data was genuine and ordered the team to sign him and arrange accommodation.
• Chen Junyi told Huang Chong that Bora Team had approved his results, offered to help find housing, and invited her to work as his translator.
• Huang Chong agreed to Chen Junyi’s translator job, signed his contract, and moved with her into an apartment near the team.
• Chen Junyi began preparing meals for Huang Chong while he trained with Bora Team’s riders through the winter.
• Aldag released the 2024 UCI WorldTour calendar, listing thirty-five races from the Tour Down Under through the Tour of Guangxi.