European stint on the cards for Chan
Olympic-qualified mountain biker Chan Chun-hing will train with overseas pro teams to enhance his medal chances for next year's Beijing Games.
The 26-year-old Chan will be riding in the tyre tracks of Wong Kam-po and Wu Kin-san when he goes to Europe from April to June to gain international experience.
Hong Kong coach Shen Jinkang said yesterday they were in discussion with a number of top teams in Europe, including Spanish outfit Orbea.
'Orbea is one of the possibilities as they have had many top mountain bikers, including Olympic and world champion Julien Absalon,' Shen said.
'But we still need to find out if the team, which is also a bike manufacturer, can provide a bike that suits Chan and whether they fit our training needs.
'Whether or not it's with Orbea, we are definitely sending Chan overseas and a team will be found next month,' he added.
Frenchman Absalon won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Chan said training with high-quality mountain bikers would raise his standard.
'The Olympic Games will be the toughest of all competitions,' Chan said. 'I would be very happy if I can finish as the top rider from Asia in Beijing, but this cannot be done without the help of some top-class training overseas. This is the opportunity I look forward to.'
The rider has secured HK$100,000 from the government's Arts and Sport Development Fund for his Olympic Games preparation.
