Although he knew full well he'd been the first to cross the finish line of Stage 6, Huang Chong didn't have an ounce of strength left to celebrate with the wildly cheering fans. His body was at its absolute limit, leaving him swaying unsteadily.
Fortunately, the Bora Team support staff, who were already waiting at the finish, rushed over the moment he crossed the line. They helped him off his bike and had him sit right on the pavement to let his racing heart slow down.
But even though Huang Chong felt like his heart was about to explode, his eyes remained glued to the finish arch.
He still had to calculate the stage times for the riders who finished after the trio of Williams, Narváez, and Del Toro. His focus was on the fourth-place finisher, Vismar's leader Bart Lemmen, and the fifth-place finisher, Quick Step's Alaphilippe.
