Cycling: Racing into the Headwind

Chapter 170: Chapter 123: Reaching the Pinnacle of Asia, a Double Kill on the Former King

Huang Chong’s attack was sudden.

But as a World Tour Cyclist, Lutsenko’s reaction was lightning-fast. The instant Huang Chong got out of the saddle for his fierce assault, Lutsenko immediately increased his power and stuck right to his wheel.

The two then began to tear up the long 5% grade, their legs pumping as if powered by motors.

This instantly electrified the spectators lining the country roads of Zitong Ridge—villagers waiting at their doorsteps and knowledgeable cycling fans who had arrived early, knowing this climb would be the decisive battleground. The duo’s attack set the crowd on fire.

"Holy shit! Is this what a Professional Cyclist can do?"

"This is a climb with a 5% average grade!!!"

"Their speed has to be close to 40 km/h, right?"

"Terrifying! That’s just fucking terrifying! I can’t even hit that speed on the flats!!!"

"Go, China Team!!!"

"Go, Huang Chong! Go hard! Drop this foreigner!!!"

The moment Huang Chong launched his fierce attack, the spectators outside the barriers on both sides of the Zitong Ridge road—many waving small national flags—erupted in a deafening roar of cheers and shouts. The noise startled the birds throughout the mountain forests, sending them scattering from the dense woods and soaring high into the sky.

Hearing his countrymen’s thunderous, drum-like cheers, Huang Chong felt his own heart pound with emotion, but his mind remained perfectly calm.

While hammering out of the saddle at high speed, he glanced back and saw that Lutsenko had, as expected, stuck to his wheel.

But the good news was that Lutsenko’s teammate, Yevgeniy, along with the Japanese Team’s Arashiro Yukiya, were powerless to respond to his incredibly strong anaerobic attack. They had been dropped by over a hundred meters.

Seeing this, he couldn’t help but breathe an inward sigh of relief.

He knew this attack wouldn’t be enough to drop Lutsenko. After all, trying to shake a Tour de France stage winner on a climb with only a 5% grade was pure fantasy.

Even at the Tour of Qinghai Lake, he knew that with his current abilities, there wasn’t a single climb where he could drop Lutsenko.

But this climb *was* enough to drop Yevgeniy, who was the same age as him and had only just joined the World Tour this year.

Coach Han’s strategy was indeed the most logical one. He had to isolate Lutsenko for a one-on-one and prevent Yevgeniy from catching up to make it a two-on-one situation.

So, once he had opened a significant gap on Yevgeniy, Huang Chong eased off his anaerobic power and transitioned to a high-intensity seated effort. He waited until Yevgeniy’s figure had completely vanished on the winding mountain road, then settled his pace at the upper limit of his threshold, allowing his soaring heart rate to stabilize.

Although Lutsenko had matched Huang Chong’s attack the entire time, his heart rate had also hit its limit.

To be honest, he was utterly and profoundly shocked.

He had never imagined a climber from China could possess such terrifying explosive power.

’This is clearly a prodigious talent, a genius who could develop into a top-tier GC Cyclist!’

What shocked him even more, however, was that after charging up the mountain for six or seven hundred meters, and after resting in his threshold zone for less than thirty seconds, Huang Chong immediately got out of the saddle and launched a second anaerobic attack.

Lutsenko, of course, continued to respond, sticking tenaciously to Huang Chong’s wheel.

But he knew his rival’s goal wasn’t to crush him on this long climb. It was to completely sever the connection between him and his teammate.

After being dropped, Yevgeniy had no radio communication, so he had no idea what was happening up the road.

But he knew he couldn’t stay tangled up with the Japanese rider. So, about a fifth of the way up Zitong Ridge, he also got out of the saddle, shook off Arashiro Yukiya, and began a frantic chase after his teammate and Huang Chong, who had long since vanished from sight.

The result was deeply disappointing. By the time he gritted his teeth and crested the Zitong Ridge climb, his teammate was nowhere in sight.

They had clearly passed over this most difficult section of the climb long ago and were already on the descent.

The pressure of a solo breakaway is immense.

Especially with nearly 70 kilometers still remaining from Zitong Ridge to the finish line.

Yevgeniy knew he was no Pogačar; he definitely couldn’t sustain a solo breakaway for 70 or 80 kilometers.

But with no teammate ahead and pursuers behind, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and keep chasing.

What he could never have imagined, however, was that from the moment Huang Chong had started his attack on Zitong Ridge, over the summit, down the descent, and back onto the flats, his power output had never once dipped.

He was putting out at least 380 watts, launching wave after wave of accelerating attacks.

Having been isolated, Lutsenko, of course, had no intention of taking a turn pulling at the front.

And Huang Chong wasn’t about to let him.

He knew Yevgeniy’s strength well. If he let Lutsenko take a pull and slow the pace, the latter would surely be able to drop the Japanese rider and quickly bridge the gap.

If the two of them reunited, all of Huang Chong’s efforts would be for naught.

...

"HOLY SHIT, THAT WAS AMAZING!!!

Old Zhou, let me ask you, that attack from my boy, was that brilliant or what?!!

Goddammit, why the fuck didn’t I think to go watch from Zitong Ridge?

Seeing them get out of the saddle and attack with my own eyes would’ve been fucking incredible!!

Old Zhou, break it down for me. That attack just now, were they pushing over a thousand watts?"

From his prime position next to the finish line arch, Dewey could only watch the earlier stages of the race on a TV broadcast, even though his spot guaranteed a direct view of the final winner. Seeing Huang Chong take the initiative, attacking and battling Lutsenko, he started shouting in excitement.