Chinese women cyclists compete with the best
Print Edition
FINAL checking of bikes and tires, putting on uniforms, helmets and sunglasses and hugging each other for good luck, five young Chinese women get ready for the Tour of Chongmng Island.
The five members of the China Chongming-Giant-Champion System Pro Cycling Team are ready for the first stage of Tour of Chongming Island 2014, starting last Wednesday and concluding Friday.
They are Liu Dexiang, Zhao Xisha, Song Niman, Ruan Yuemin and Guo Linfang,
The team is the only Asian women’s professional team that collects all of its riders from around China. Many members have competed for the Chinese National Team and will compete in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, from September 19-October 4, and in the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2014.
The team won the Best Asian Team Award in this year's three-day Tour of Chongming that ended on Friday.
But the team members did not place in the Chongming event or the International Cycling Federation’s Women’s Road World Cup ending Sunday on Chongming.
At 22, the average of most young women on the team, many young people like reading fashion magazines, buying clothes, taking selfies and watching movies with their boyfriends.
The lives of the five cyclists are filled with training and injuries.
“I never regret sacrifices because I am addicted to my cycling life career,” said Ruan Yuemin, the youngest at age 21. The Yunnan Province native has a deep tan from hours in the saddle and seldom bothers with makeup.
In the first stage of the tour that started last Wednesday, Ruan had a blowout just 5km from the start. She fell hard, suffered leg abrasions, got treatment and pursued the bunch for 10km.
“I was alone. The wind blowing was blowing so hard that my eyes filled with tears but I kept telling myself that I could do it," she said.
As the best sprinter on the team, Ruan was spotted and recruited when she was age 14 by the Yunnan Hongta Mountain Province Team.
“My family has always opposed my cycling, however, I know that cycling is all I want,” she said. “When I was a child, I sneaked out for cycling training.”
Ruan has been greatly influenced by the determination of her elder sister who was among China’s first group of professional cyclists.
Cycling is not a smooth road. Just four months before the 2010 National Youth Championships, Ruan broke her collarbone in training, but she didn’t quit, riding a full 40km every day. She took second place.
“I want to be as successful as my sister and the goal is the Olympic Games!” said Ruan.
The team has taken part in Tours of California, Qatar and Thailand, but this was the first tour in China and the first on Chonming Island.
“This is a great opportunity to race with world-class riders, gain experience and improve ourselves,” said 24-year-old Song Niman, the oldest member of the team, a kind of big sister.
“She is my roommate, my best friend and my teacher,” said cyclist Liu Dexiang.
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