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Paul McNamara

Continental cycling chiefs have moved to explain a series of curious decisions around their calendar and competition rules for this year’s Asian Games.
The Hong Kong head coach, Herve Dagorne, said last week that he was at a loss over the decision to stage the Games’ road events before the four-day track programme, and at the same time as the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal.
Dagorne also could not understand why teams are limited to three riders in the individual road races, and just one in the individual time trial (ITT).
In response to questions from the South China Morning Post, the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC) president, Dato’ Amarjit Singh Gill, said his organisation’s hands were tied over the race dates.
“Road races are competitions held on public roads that require temporary traffic restrictions,” Singh Gill said.
“Therefore, the event has been scheduled for the period of Japanese public holidays from September 19 to 23 to minimise the impact of these restrictions on economic activity and the daily lives of citizens.”

The time trials will be staged on September 20, with the women’s and men’s road races two and three days later, respectively.
Chloe Leung Wing-yee, who is almost certain to spearhead the Hong Kong challenge in both women’s events, would have been keen to challenge in the World Championships, which run from September 20 to 27, having finished 22nd and 39th in the time trial and road race, respectively, last year.
It is expected that Vincent Lau Wan-yau, a bronze medallist in Hangzhou three years ago, will claim Hong Kong’s solitary ITT berth for the Japanese Games.
Dagorne argued that allowing only one rider per team was “not good for the development of cycling in Asia”, and observed that the events would be “done in 30 minutes”. Two riders per team are permitted in the Olympic Games ITTs.
Still, Singh Gill said that the Asiad had “traditionally allowed one rider per [National Olympic Committee], and this format remains unchanged for the current edition of the Games”.
The Olympics permits teams to select four riders for each individual road race, the same number allowed for men in the 2022 Asian Games, where the women were granted just two spots per National Olympic Committee for a race that was won by Yang Qianyu of Hong Kong.
For last year’s National Games, where Ceci Lee Sze-wing defended her crown, each team could enter six riders.

Although he did not explain why quotas were capped at three, Singh Gill said that the shift from four male and two female riders to three each was to “move in line with the gender equality adopted for the Paris Olympic Games”.
“While maintaining the overall number of entries, this change aims to achieve a more balanced ratio of male and female participants,” he added.
A six-strong Hong Kong squad is currently in Italy competing in the prestigious Six Days of Pordenone meeting.
On Wednesday’s third day, Lee secured an excellent second place in the points race, the USA’s Anna Hicks the only rider in the 32-woman field to finish ahead of the Hongkonger.
Lee had to settle for 16th in a scratch race that was won by home favourite and 2017 world champion Rachele Barbieri. Japan’s Yumi Kajihara came home second, with compatriot Maho Kakita in ninth.
Sending an Asian Games message, Kajihara then pipped Barbieri to win the elimination race, with Lee down in 13th. Leung finished 22nd in the points and scratch disciplines, and 15th in the elimination race.
The best of it for the city’s men, so far, was the 15th position that Franco Chu Tsun-wai and Charles Ng Pak-hang recorded in Tuesday’s Madison.
After Pordenone, the Hong Kong contingent will immediately transfer roughly 315 kilometres (195 miles) west for the Six Days of Fiorenzuola from July 20.


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Hong Kong Sports Institute

Chloe Leung, here training by Haitian Park Beach last year, would have been keen to challenge in the World Championships. Photo: Eugene Lee

ACC president Dato’ Amarjit Singh Gill insists his organisation’s hands are tied. Photo: Asian Cycling Confederation

Ceci Lee with head coach Herve Dagorne at the Asian Track Cycling Championships earlier this year. Photo: CAHKC

Hong Kong cycling coach’s anger over ‘crazy’ scheduling, rules for Asian Games

The stellar duo of Ceci Lee (left) and Chloe Leung (right) are set to lead the Hong Kong charge in Italy over the next 12 days. Photo: Karma Lo

Chloe Leung, here competing in last year’s National Games, is eyeing Asian Games time trial glory. Photo: Karma Lo

Tso Kai-kwong (blue, left) and Franco Chu ( far right) are among the Hong Kong men’s team in Italy. Photo: Eugene Lee

Strengthening ‘ticket economy’ among Hong Kong lawmaker’s proposals for sports industry

The DAB has proposed that the government work with the sporting industry to develop a unified digital ticket system for major sports event such as the Football Festival. Photo: Sam Tsang

Lawmaker Vincent Cheng. Photo: Karma Lo

One proposal is to encourage local residents to watch sports events such as A1 Division basketball matches together. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Sport

Hong Kong

Sport’s chief Dato’ Amarjit Singh Gill launches defence of schedule that has angered city team’s head coach Herve Dagorne,


Sport’s chief Dato’ Amarjit Singh Gill launches defence of schedule that has angered city team’s head coach Herve Dagorne,.


Ceci Lee Sze-wing

Herve Dagorne

Hong Kong cyclists face Asian Games clash with Montreal World Championships, quota cap

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Sport’s chief Dato’ Amarjit Singh Gill launches defence of schedule that has angered city team’s head coach Herve Dagorne,

Sport’s chief Dato’ Amarjit Singh Gill launches defence of schedule that has angered city team’s head coach Herve Dagorne,