Cycling coach Shen Jinkang on his last lap as H.K. mentor

Shen Jinkang's name may be unfamiliar to most Hongkongers, but to the city's cyclists he is a legend who bolstered a sport that was in its infancy in the city and nurtured a generation of outstanding athletes, including Olympic bronze medallist Sarah Lee Wai-sze.

"It's not right to give all the credit to me," Shen says with characteristic humility in response to media reports eulogising him for his contribution to the Hong Kong team in his role as head coach after Lee pedalled to Hong Kong's first cycling medal.

Her bronze in the keirin at the London Olympics was only the third medal of any stripe won by Hong Kong.

Accounting for Lee's success, the Shanghai-born coach modestly says: "The management system of the Hong Kong Sports Institute is highly professional, and the facilities dedicated for cycling at the science lab are the best in Asia. The government subsidies have also helped us a lot."

But his peers see it differently. Cycling Association president Herman Hu Shao-ming, says the coach has made a great contribution over his 18 years in charge, and his influence will be almost impossible to replace as he approaches retirement next year.

Shen's exceptional coaching skills and the impressive performance of his riders at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, where the city's cyclists won four gold, four silver and one bronze medal, earned him the city's Coach of the Year Award.