Unfortunately, having failed to respond to O'Connor immediately, Huang Chong was now stuck behind Vine and could no longer catch up to him.
With two hundred meters to go, O'Connor—who had maintained a roughly 15-meter lead over him and Vine—decisively got out of his saddle and launched a final, furious charge.
Vine saw this and got out of his saddle to follow, constantly glancing back over his shoulder at Huang Chong, who was glued to his wheel.
He was genuinely surprised. 'This rookie from the Bora Team is incredibly strong. To think he could still stick to my wheel during that final surge from the group.'
When they were only 150 meters from the finish, Vine turned his head again to watch Huang Chong.
But the instant Vine turned his head forward again, Huang Chong, without the slightest hesitation, decisively ramped up his power, unleashing a sudden burst of nearly a thousand watts as he launched his sprint for the finish arch.
