Chapter 483 - 227: A 100km Attack, Is It Really Possible?

After the breakaway group successfully pulled away on the Kyburg climb, their lead grew larger and larger.

Although the live feed cameras kept switching back and forth between the top contenders in the peloton, they spent most of their time focused on the breakaway group.

The five riders in the breakaway worked together with exceptional coordination. They quickly increased their lead from the original minute and a half to over four minutes.

Looking at the real-time speed displayed on his system panel, Huang Chong mentally calculated for a moment. ’The actual distance between us is about 3 kilometers.’

However, as the third climb, Suessblatz, arrived, two more riders broke away from the peloton.

They were PAJUR Markus of the Estonian Team and GONZáLEZ Roberto Carlos of the Panama Team.

These two were relatively weaker riders, and with the third climb featuring an extremely steep section with a maximum gradient of 18.9%, they were never able to catch the Foss Group at the front, despite breaking away together.

After the third climb, about 20 kilometers further down a descent and onto a flat road, the peloton officially reached the start of the circuit. This spot also marked the location of the stage’s finish line arch.

From the 86-kilometer mark, all that remained were seven laps of a hilly circuit. Each lap was 26.8 kilometers long and featured two difficult, short, steep climbs.

As Huang Chong passed under the arch, he glanced at the time gap displayed by the motorcycle marshals for the peloton. He saw he was now 5 minutes and 40 seconds behind the Foss Group.

Such a large time gap translated to a distance of at least 4 full kilometers.

"There are still 187.6 kilometers left in the race. After the breakaway group was the first to cross the circuit’s starting point, the peloton has now also successfully arrived at the central Zurich circuit."

"From here, all the riders will begin their seven laps of the circuit."

"Based on the current time gaps between the different groups, we can predict that the big favorites, the Slovenia Team and the Belgium Team, will definitely start to gradually apply pressure."

As soon as Steve finished speaking, Jimmy added in agreement:

"Yes, I think so too."

"The Foss Group’s lead has gotten a little too big at this point."

"Plus, as the peloton passed under the arch, we could clearly see the Belgium and Slovenia teams, and even others like the Netherlands and the Spanish Team, deliberately massing at the front."

"Even though the finish line is still a long way off and they haven’t even reached the halfway point, the overall pace of today’s race has been set very high."

"Speaking of national teams gathering, I have to mention the China Team, which has only one rider in this year’s World Championships."

Steve’s tone suddenly became slightly teasing as he said:

"Compared to the other nations’ Core Commanders, who all have enough domestiques to protect them right now, Huang Chong is without a doubt the loneliest top rider on this course."

"I have no doubt he can keep up with the peloton’s pace for the entire race."

"He might even get a decent finishing position by the end."

"But we’ll really have to see whether he continues to conserve energy at the back of the peloton in the coming stages, or if he pushes to the front early to keep a close eye on Tadej, van der Poel, Remco, and the others."

Jimmy understood the implication in his partner’s words and said with a laugh:

"We should definitely pay more attention to Huang Chong. After all, how a top rider handles an unbalanced race like this, competing all alone—including how he chooses when to attack and when to defend—is something very much worth studying and learning from."

"Honestly, with Huang Chong’s current individual ability, he’s leagues ahead of anyone else in his country, and probably in all of Asia."

"But because of that, in an international competition with National Team formats, he needs even more flexible, adaptable, and daring race strategies. That’s the only way he has a chance to claim the final victory."

"He already showed us in the Paris Olympic Games just how crucial it is for a truly elite top rider to choose the right moment to attack."

"If he can replicate that spectacular Olympic victory here at the World Championships, it would absolutely be an unprecedented and monumental achievement in the history of road cycling."

China has an immense number of cycling fans, and many of the cycling enthusiasts who speak good English choose to watch English-language broadcasts like Europe Sport or SBS Sports.

So, after hearing Jimmy’s commentary on Huang Chong, translated clips of the broadcast recording quickly began circulating in various domestic race-watching groups and sports forums.

The domestic fans watching the race were, of course, incredibly excited by Jimmy’s comments.

If Huang Chong could really win the World Championships in the same year he won the Olympic gold, it would be an achievement so great that for someone to perfectly replicate it four years later would be next to impossible.

The problem was, in the Olympic race, Huang Chong’s main rivals were Evenepoel and van der Poel. But at the World Championships, in addition to facing them again, he also had to go up against the number one man in road cycling: Poga?ar.

He had already lost to Poga?ar twice this year, suffering two bitter consecutive defeats.

Would he have a chance to end his losing streak this time?

The race continued.

As the peloton began to enter the circuit laps, the pace immediately quickened.

Just after the two climbs, the peloton had already pulled back a full minute on the Foss Group at the very front.