Hong Kong cyclists study Japanese streets in hope they will be paved with Asian Games gold
The 15-strong squad are in Izu City for the four-day Track Cup and have been training with their Japanese counterparts ahead of the tournament
Hong Kong’s leading time triallers have taken time out of their preparations for this week’s Japan Track Cup to study the streets they hope will be paved with gold later this year.
Among the 15-strong Hong Kong squad in Izu City for four days of competition from Thursday, Chloe Leung Wing-yee and Vincent Lau Wan-yau on Monday rode the “very technical course” that will stage the Asian Games time-trial races on September 20.
After finishing 22nd in the discipline in the 2025 Road World Championships, Leung claimed time-trial silver from this year’s Asian Road Championships. Lau was a time-trial bronze medallist in the last Asian Games in 2023.
“The course is in the middle of the countryside in a mountain,” said Herve Dagorne, the Hong Kong head coach, likening the winding route to a rally driving track where competitors are directed by navigators in their passenger seats.
“It’s very technical with lots of up and downs, steep climbs and narrow roads.
“Wing-yee and Vincent rode it three or four times, and I mapped it with a GPS so we have videos of all the corners. We’ll have to come back a lot to practice.”