All alone, Huang Chong was the first to ride past the start/finish arch at the Mao Mountain Visitor Center, entering the eighth lap of the men's road race.
At that moment, all the event staff, along with the riders and coaches from other teams, were gathered by the side of the course, their eyes fixed on him.
Some were stunned, others shocked.
Some found it incredible, others utterly unbelievable—
It was a vivid tableau of human expression.
But Huang Chong ignored all the stares and gasps of astonishment.
His gaze was sharp, his focus absolute, all his attention concentrated on the course ahead.
Even though he had ridden this loop around the scenic area many times over the past three days and knew the terrain like the back of his hand,
in a race where every second counted, he still had to execute every straightaway and navigate every corner perfectly.
The gap between riders is built on the cumulative effect of how well every single detail is executed.
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