Hong Kong to stage track event to aid Wong's Beijing push
Hong Kong will stage a special track race before the end of next month to boost Wong Kam-po's chances of making the Beijing Olympic Games.
Having won an Olympic berth in the individual road race, Wong (pictured) is trying to qualify for the points race on the track.
The special race, with the status of a Hong Kong championship event, will be open to domestic riders only. Wong, by far the strongest points race rider, looks set to collect the 40 qualifying points that will be on offer.
'While 40 points may seem little more than a drop in the ocean compared with about 400 points for a World Cup event victory, every bit counts for Wong as he is right on the fringe of qualifying,' said Walter Yue Ka-lok, executive director of the Hong Kong Cycling Association.
'Track cycling comes first for Wong now and he has been making good progress since the Olympic qualifiers began a couple of months ago.
'There are still three major races before the qualification period ends in March. Hosting the Hong Kong championship will definitely help boost his chances of securing a berth for Beijing.'
The race, to be held at the Sports Institute velodrome in Sha Tin, will be scheduled to fit Wong's training and race schedule.
'We need to consult the coach for the date but the event is definitely on,' Yue said.
'It is also a good opportunity for other domestic riders.
'We have produced some outstanding youngsters in track cycling, and racing against Wong in a local competition will be a good experience for them.'
Wong is now in Los Angeles for the third of the World Cup classic series - a major event that has a lot of ranking points on offer.
Every little helps
The points on offer for Wong Kam-po if he can win the upcoming HK track title: 40
