REBEL Olympic rider Wong Kam-po, a major medal prospect for the 1994 Asian Games, is quitting top-level racing. Wong, 19, who recently became the first local rider to gain Category One status in Europe, says he has lost interest in a sport he was expected to dominate in Hongkong over the next few years. The outstanding prospect made his announcement at the end of a traumatic year which saw him quit the territory's Olympic squad in France, for which he was given a one-year ban from international competition by the Hongkong Cycling Association. Wong said he was planning to concentrate on his studies from now on. ''I have not done any serious training since I came back from France and I have no time for it now because I've just started taking a telecommunications course,'' he said. ''I'll still ride in races mainly for the exercise but I have no intention of going back into serious competitive racing.'' Wong was granted Category One recognition by the Breton Committee of the French Cycling Federation - seven months after they refused to acknowledge his victory in a professional race in St Helen. He outsprinted four French cyclists to cross the finish line first on May 28, but was relegated to fifth after a protest which suggested he received unfair help from compatriot Hui Chak-bor. However, after several appeals, the French authorities have finally recognised his victory and granted him a Category One licence, which puts a 5,500-franc (about HK$7,689) club transfer price tag on his head. But Wong said he would not be going to Europe to race on the lucrative club circuit. ''I'm very happy with the outcome of the appeal but it doesn't make any difference to me anymore,'' he said. ''I have no intention of going back to France for racing. It was quite an experience competing against the top European amateurs and being awarded the race brings back many fond memories.'' The VC Dinan Club, organisers of the race, were fined by the Commission for the decision blunder and also ordered to pay Wong the difference in prize-money. Wong was a key member of the Hongkong Olympic quintet, but his Barcelona dream ended when he left the squad in support of coach Chow Tat-ming, who quit following a wages dispute with the territory's cycling association. The squad ran into further trouble after Wong's departure when French police were called in after a fight between two of the riders. The squad split in two and, with the training programme in tatters, the cycling association were forced to withdraw them from the Olympics. Wong, who is regarded as Hongkong's brightest prospect since the great Hung Chung-yam, returned to the territory in September only to receive a four-month domestic ban and one-year overseas ban. Since serving out his local ban, he has ridden in just one event - a road race at Pak Tam Chung in which he failed to finish. His premature retirement is a blow to Hongkong's Asian Games hopes. Only a decade ago, Hongkong were the top cycling nation in Asia and Wong was seen as a key figure in helping the territory back to the top. French-based Englishman Harry James, the former Hongkong coach who sheltered Wong and fellow squad members Lee Ching-sing and Tong Wai-bun during the turmoil, said Wong's case was regrettable. ''His win at St Helen moves him into the points classification ensuring his ascension to a First Category French licence,'' said James. ''But it appears the awaited entry into top-class European race of one of Hongkong's best ever racing proteges is a wasted dream.'' Lee, who was allegedly assaulted by Olympic squad member Suen Chi-kwong at the height of the tension, is still pursuing his damages claim against the cycling association.
