Cycling: Racing into the Headwind

Sports Director Rolf Aldag was currently far away at the German Bora Team headquarters.

But just because he hadn’t gone to Adelaide City in South Australia didn’t mean he wasn’t paying attention to the first stage race of the new season.

He had watched almost every moment as the team’s new sprinter, Sam Welsford, won the sprint finishes of Stages 1, 3, and 4.

And the key factor allowing the lead sprinter to accomplish this feat was Huang Chong, who had single-handedly solved the team’s supply issues over the past four stages.

Although the live broadcast cameras didn’t fully capture him delivering water every time,

as the Sports Director, Aldag had access to the summary reports prepared by the team’s coaching staff after each stage.

The reports showed that Huang Chong had performed his duties for the team flawlessly in every stage.

Furthermore, in his three post-victory interviews, Sam Welsford had lavished praise on his teammate Huang Chong, telling the live cameras about the contributions he’d made to him and the team.

When the on-site Bora Team Leader called him to ask if, with their core mission accomplished, they should elevate Huang Chong’s tactical role and let him go for the win in the next two climbing stages, Aldag considered it for a moment, then replied:

"You can make the call yourself, based on the riders’ real-time condition.

But if you’re asking for my opinion, I think Huang Chong should first learn how to be a domestique."

The Bora Team Leader understood immediately upon hearing the response.

After hanging up, he waited until all the riders were done with their massages before briefing them on the strategy for Stage 5.

He began,

"Alright everyone, first off, we need to thank Welsford.

Without his perfect sprint performances in the first, third, and fourth stages, we wouldn’t have been able to complete our team objective ahead of schedule.

Please, give him a round of applause!"

As the team leader finished speaking, the six other riders, Huang Chong included, gave their lead sprinter a round of enthusiastic applause.

There was no denying it—Welsford, with his background as a track cyclist, had an incredibly powerful anaerobic sprint in the final 200 meters.

Unless the absolute top-tier flat-stage sprinters in the World Tour—riders like Merlier, Pedersen, Milan, and Philipsen—were there to challenge him, it would be incredibly difficult for anyone else to beat him in a flat sprint finish.

In any case, the lead sprinter for the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux Team, Gillme, had lost to Welsford in all three previous flat sprint finishes, perhaps because it was still early in the season and he hadn’t found his form yet.

After his opening remarks, the team leader waited for the applause to die down before continuing:

"But as you all know, the race isn’t truly over.

The two remaining stages are climbing stages, which aren’t part of our primary objective.

However, our own Zwiehoff and Adrià are only eleven seconds behind the current leader in the general classification, the young UAE rider Del Toro. We can absolutely still fight for the overall win.

With the right tactics, a comeback is definitely possible."

’Huang Chong knew the abilities of his two climbing teammates. The time gap might be small, but it was basically impossible for them to win the overall classification.’

’That was because other teams had brought way too many good Climbers to this year’s Tour of Australia.’

’Take UAE, Jieke, and the sole Professional Team, the Israel-Premier Tech Team, for example.’

’The lead climbers they’d sent were definitely stronger than his own two teammates.’

’Especially the Jieke Team. Even though Plapp had been forced to withdraw after getting caught in a crash on Stage 3 two days ago,’

’the team still had Simon Yates.’

But Huang Chong naturally had no objections to the team leader’s tactical arrangements.

’After all, I’m just the water carrier. It just means that for tomorrow’s stage, my focus will shift from Welsford to Zwiehoff and Adrià.’

But just as he was thinking this, the team leader—as if he had read his mind—suddenly focused his gaze on him and continued:

"Therefore, to ensure Zwiehoff and Adrià have more support from their teammates during the climbs, I’ve decided that for the next two stages, Huang Chong will act as your domestique.

As for the task of transporting supplies, that will be handled by Gamber and Van Boppel.

The first 100 kilometers of tomorrow’s race are on flat roads. You two must ensure that our three climbers are fully supplied before they reach the mountain.

Once the race enters the Willunga Hill climb, the organizers will allow team staff to set up a roadside feed station on the right side of the road near the finish arch.

All of you, remember to get into position early to grab supplies. Do not miss this one and only roadside feed station."

Huang Chong was the only one who froze for a second when the team leader finished speaking.

’He’d never imagined it. He’d actually been promoted from water carrier to domestique?’

As for his other teammates, who had been competing on the World Tour for years, they seemed completely accustomed to this sort of tactical shift, their expressions unchanging.

"Huang, you’ve worked hard these past four stages.

The team and I have seen everything you’ve done.

In my opinion, your skill level is already above the mid-tier for the World Tour.

Plus, your riding style and your build are more suited to a GC Cyclist.

So, after getting the go-ahead from the Bora Team Headquarters, I’m putting you in the domestique role for the last two stages.