Cycling: Racing into the Headwind

Chapter 113: Chapter 97: Three Jerseys in One, Invincible

Huang Chong heard the constant tactical instructions from Coach Li, gave a simple "Understood," and began to focus on the high-speed descent.

Although it was raining, the local government had clearly swept the entire course around Nanshan Forest Park in advance.

There were almost no fallen leaves on the road, nor any mud or gravel.

So even on the slick road surface, he could still pick up speed, hurtling down the descent at nearly 90 km/h.

This kind of superb descending ability was undoubtedly one of the essential skills for a top-tier cyclist.

Because if a cyclist wanted to break away and win, poor descending skills would surely get them caught by their rivals from behind.

And descending didn’t require any power output; it was a time for cyclists to rest and refuel.

The competition was purely about cornering ability and bike handling skills.

If a cyclist’s movements were too stiff through a turn, or their line wasn’t smooth enough, losing ground in the corners was absolutely the worst kind of loss.

After all, losing time while resting meant you’d have to burn a massive amount of energy to close the gap on the flats or climbs—definitely not worth it.

Time ticked by, second by second.

As the rain grew heavier, the road tires mounted on every cyclist’s carbon fiber wheelsets kicked up fountain-like plumes of water as they rolled at high speed over the asphalt.

Because road bikes are designed for extreme weight reduction, the bikes of Professional Cyclists have no fenders on their front or rear wheels.

Right now, Huang Chong was tucked as low as possible, seeking maximum aerodynamic efficiency on the descent. He was constantly getting sprayed in the back and face by the standing water kicked up from his two wheels.

But this miserable state was still much better than cyclocross.

That involved riding through thick mud.

Compared to becoming a little mud man, just getting soaked by rain was truly insignificant.

After Huang Chong broke away, Coach Li had Chen Junyi keep the team car right behind him.

As for Brother Xiaoma and the others who had long since been dropped—now five or six minutes behind the breakaway group and falling far back into the peloton—there was no longer any need for the team car to follow them.

These flat-stage domestiques just needed to finish the race safely.

Honestly, watching Huang Chong compete in the cold rain, even risking a serious crash, Coach Li, who had similar experiences, remained relatively calm. But Chen Junyi, who was driving, couldn’t help but feel her heart ache for him.

The hardships and obstacles a Professional Cyclist had to endure were truly beyond what an ordinary person could bear.

Their lives were by no means easier than those at the very bottom of society, performing the most arduous manual labor.

And even after all their painstaking training, if they failed to achieve good results, they still had to face the psychological pain of defeat.

Chen Junyi considered herself a very self-disciplined person who could endure hardship, a trait she’d had since she was young.

But compared to these Road Cyclists who had to battle with all their might in wind and rain year-round, the struggles she had faced in her youth seemed so much easier.

This was especially true at the World Tour Level. Not only were the distances longer and the gradients steeper, but even the racing conditions were far more brutal than on domestic courses.

Even on mountain roads covered in ice and snow, the cyclists still had to race in thin cycling kits, speeding across snowy peaks two to three thousand meters high.

And the more difficult and extreme the stage, the more the team’s support staff—the coaches, the mechanics, and everyone else—had to avoid distracting or disturbing the cyclist’s focus.

They had to watch their own cyclist challenge their limits with the absolute objectivity and calm of a camera lens, like cold-eyed observers.

Fortunately, as Huang Chong’s competitive level rose, his stability on descents became more and more reliable. He soon made it smoothly from the top of the climb to the flat section of the course.

He then steadily increased his power output, successfully catching up to Peng Yuantang, who had been on a solo breakaway for nearly 100 kilometers.

Seeing his teammate catch him, Peng Yuantang felt a complex mix of emotions.

On one hand, he was of course happy.

For the next 50 kilometers, he would no longer have to fight alone, constantly worried about being caught.

But on the other hand, he felt a sense of helplessness.

You have to understand, he had given his all during this 100-kilometer solo breakaway.

He hadn’t held back in the slightest, nor had he deliberately lowered his power at any point to wait for Huang Chong.

Yet, even while he was attacking with all his might, Huang Chong, who had been a minute and a half behind, caught him with ease.

This meant the latter’s strength was definitely more than just one level above his own.

"Brother Peng, how are you feeling? I’m in good shape right now. Why don’t you draft behind me and rest for a bit?"

After catching up to Peng Yuantang, Huang Chong slightly reduced his power, keeping the pace within the other’s comfort zone.

The two of them had been training together as teammates in Mang City for several months, so he was crystal clear about Peng Yuantang’s capabilities.

Peng Yuantang also knew this was no time for false modesty and replied straightforwardly:

"Okay, I’ll follow you for now and recover some energy. Once I’ve rested enough, I’ll come up and take a turn at the front!"

Huang Chong nodded. He then started pulling his teammate forward through the wind and rain at an output of around 330 watts.

Behind them, Niu Yikui, who had been dropped on the climb, was also in solo mode.

Although he was currently in third place, he knew it was most likely impossible for him to catch Huang Chong, who was now far ahead.

Not only was Huang Chong individually stronger than him, but there was even another Hengxiang Team cyclist further up the road.

’At this point, how could I not guess they’re playing a dual-leader strategy in this race?’

So once Huang Chong linked up with his teammate, they could take turns leading and breaking the wind for each other.

But he was all alone. How could he possibly catch them?

So, after some deliberation, Niu Yikui decided not to increase his power. Instead, he chose to settle into his comfort zone and ride on alone.

Later, when the five-man group behind him caught up through rotation and increased pace, he rejoined them, preparing to fight for third place overall in a sprint to the finish.

’First and second place are definitely out of reach anyway,’ he thought. ’I have to secure third.’

And the result was much as he had expected. After Huang Chong linked up with his teammate, their speed remained very stable, almost perfectly matching the pace of the six-man group behind them.

They neither extended their lead, consistently maintaining a one-and-a-half-minute advantage, nor gave the group behind any opportunity to close the gap.

He led Peng Yuantang through the final lap, and they arrived together at the finish arch in Chengliu Town, looking completely at ease.

As they crossed the line, however, Peng Yuantang—who had been pulled along by Huang Chong for almost 40 of the last 50 kilometers—tapped his brakes at the last moment, allowing Huang Chong to cross the line half a wheel’s length ahead to take the victory in the first stage of the professional league.

Not long after they finished, the six-man group containing Niu Yikui, which had never let the gap grow, also reached the finish line.

But unlike Huang Chong and his teammate, who could yield to one another, this second group, composed of cyclists from different teams, had to battle it out in a sprint for third place overall.

In the end, Niu Yikui, who was already among the top tier of domestic cyclists, proved to be a cut above the rest. He successfully out-sprinted the other five riders at the finish line to secure third place in the stage.

After all the cyclists had safely completed the race, Huang Chong, Peng Yuantang, and Niu Yikui ascended the podium.

The Red Jersey, symbolizing first place in the general classification, was placed on Huang Chong by the local official in charge of the awards ceremony.

But in fact, besides the Red Jersey, he had also swept up the other two: the White Jersey for the best young rider (as he was under 23) and the Green Jersey for the best sprinter.

Only the Polka Dot Jersey, symbolizing the King of the Mountains, was won by Peng Yuantang, who had taken the points by being the first to break away on the two laps through the forest park.

Thus, in the very first stage of the professional league, Huang Chong not only won again and took first place overall, but he also claimed three jerseys in one, proving himself an all-around warrior, utterly unbeatable.

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