The fans kept the atmosphere at a fever pitch.
Along both sides of the wide, straight asphalt road, their cheers crashed against the riders like wave after wave against the shore.
With the group's safety in mind, Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe, led by Huang Chong, kept the pace steady and slow.
Huang Chong glanced at the system bike computer floating before his eyes. They were traveling at around 25 km/h.
Even riding into a headwind, his power output was under 200 watts.
For elite riders like them, that speed and power served only to familiarize them with the route. It offered no training benefit.
But none of the teams entered in the Tour of Guangxi posed any threat to him. An easy spin to loosen his legs was enough.
As the ride went on, they gradually picked up the pace toward 30 km/h. Du Wei, now so fat he was practically round, came under pressure at once despite staying tucked behind Huang Chong.
Huge beads of sweat rolled down both sides of his face as though someone were pouring water over his head.
His weight had also taken a toll on his cardiovascular fitness. His heart rate quickly climbed toward the top of zone four.
A gentle rise appeared ahead. Without any change in speed, his heart rate shot past 190, pushing him straight into anaerobic territory.
"Damn it, Huang, don't go so fast! My heart's about to explode!"
At the front of the group, Huang Chong heard Du Wei's complaint and looked back at his friend. Du Wei's face was utterly bloodless, leaving Huang Chong at a loss.
For fuck's sake, the gradient isn't even three percent, and we're only doing 30 km/h.
The climb's only about a kilometer long, and Du Wei's already blown up right at the start.
*He's