The entire team was undoubtedly thrilled that Huang Chong had won three jerseys in his very first race after transitioning from the domestic league to the much tougher professional league.
A leader's jersey didn't just represent a cyclist's versatility across different terrains and courses; it was also directly linked to league points and even prize money.
In the professional league, each stage had a prize pool of 100,000 yuan.
By winning three jerseys, Huang Chong alone would take home the lion's share of the prize money.
This was even more than the prize money he'd earned for winning two gold medals at the Mang City Station.
Moreover, the professional league prize money was awarded directly by the General Administration of Sport and was tax-exempt, just like the National Championships.
After giving the team a small percentage as a bonus, the vast majority would go directly into Huang Chong's personal account.
