"Right now, in the lead group, you and Zwiehoff are the only ones left from our team. You have to make sure at least one of you crosses the finish line with the front group."
Huang Chong felt a pang of regret upon hearing that Adam Yates had withdrawn from the race.
His climbing ability was truly exceptional.
If he hadn't crashed, he would have been the biggest favorite to win this year's race.
And by going head-to-head with UAE's strongest team of domestiques, even if he couldn't win, he was certain he could learn a lot from them.
Unfortunately, his plans were destined to fall through.
In truth, for a rookie rider like him just entering the World Tour, victory wasn't about winning every single race.
The opportunity to compete against a star-studded lineup like UAE's so early on and learn their race rhythm was far more important.
As long as he could keep up with them, it would basically mean he had adapted to the pacemaking power of a top-tier World Tour team.
