I’m relieved the World Cup is all over, says Sarah Lee after Hong Kong leg ends without incident
- Top local rider is delighted the prestigious cycling event went off without a hitch after the city protests had the organisers worried
- She is not too disappointed of her fifth-place finish in the women’s keirin saying her main target is the Tokyo Olympics
Top cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze said she was relieved that the four-day World Cup series has ended without major incident after she ended her campaign with a disappointing fifth place in the women’s keirin on Sunday.
Despite failing to add to her gold medal won the previous day in the sprint – her seventh World Cup gold since the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifiers began last year – the 2012 London Games bronze medallist and two-time world champion said she was glad the Hong Kong leg of the World Cup series had ended in peace. Hong Kong has been rocked by months of social unrest and the city’s finest rider was worried the home leg of the prestigious track cycling competition would be affected.
Fans rushed to the Tseung Kwan O velodrome to support the home favourite, filling the 2,000 seat venue in the last minute, although they might have left the venue a bit disappointed that Lee could only manage fifth place in the final.
South Korea’s Lee Hye-jin won the title with Liubov Basova, of Ukraine, finishing second. Japanese rider Yuka Kobayashai, who also defeated the Hong Kong rider at the Asian Championships early this year, came third.