Words by Epic Rider John Prosser and photos by "PhotoSport International"
Racing Against the Big Boys
The inaugural KENT Tour of China marked an auspicious moment in the international sporting community as Asia's first world-class cycling event.
I first heard details of the seven stage race through the Hong Kong Cycling Association but the most exciting news was that we would be allowed a 7 man team to compete in this historic event!
Twelve professional and 3 amateur teams from Europe, North America & Asia would race between October 28th - 5th November in Hong Kong & China's Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing competing for $200,000 US dollars, one of the richest cash purses on the international circuit.
For the last two years I have been working for BSG as a Quantity Surveyor and in my free time training & competing in local races. The previous season I was ranked No. 3 in Hong Kong so I felt confident of selection for the Hong Kong Team. A Time Trial was held and I placed 2nd securing my position in the team!
With BSG's sponsorship allowing me time off I prepared in Switzerland and represented Hong Kong in the World Mountain Bike Championships in Germany - great training! I returned in good form three weeks before the Prologue in Hong Kong.
The tension was building as we prepared before the pre race time trial. Some of the biggest names in cycling were here, Gianni Bugno, Ekimov, Abdoujaparov, Max Sciandri - I had only seen these riders in magazines and racing in the Tour De France before and now I was racing against them! It was all hard to believe but I had to focus on the job at hand - to ride 3.8 Km as fast as possible! As I sat on my bike seconds before the off I thought to myself that I had never ridden down a starting ramp before! It was all new to me, the hype of a big professional cycling event - including a T.V motor bike following me around the course (broadcasting to 110 countries world wide).
Whatever the occasion the feeling of extreme effort was the same - as I struggled to keep my food down after the finish I was told I had already lost a minute to the new yellow jersey - Steve Hegg from the U.S.A. Riders would be eliminated if they failed to finish inside a set percentage of the finishers time, which varied between 5-20%. Even with a 20% allowance I just survived.
After a transfer the next morning to Shenzhen we started stage 1, a short flat 55 km. I was worried that the speed would be so high I would be dropped and struggle not to be eliminated and then I would have to go back to work! Luckily for me with most of our overseas visitors suffering from jet lag a truce was called and I enjoyed chatting to Max Sciandri. I wanted to know about his Tour de France stage win and he wanted to know a good jewelry shop in H.K to buy his wife a watch.
Stage two was longer ( 145Km ) and faster. We average 50 km/h for this distance and whilst chasing down a break were riding at 70 km/h along rolling highways. Max must of told some of his friends that I new some good shops in H.K. ( and spoke English ) and as I struggled to hang in the bunch Italians, French, Spanish & American riders would ask me where to buy cameras! I finished in the peleton and we were all heading to Shanghai by plane - except Max who was ill but left me his MG - Technogym new cloths as a souvenir before heading off to a Jewelry shop on Nathan Road.
After a days transfer and a rest day ( which was spent eating/training/resting/eating....more eating! ) it was back to the race. The next two stages were harder still! As the riders biorhythms returned so did their speed. The first race was 70km, on a 4.1 km coarse with sweeping corners and the worse surface I've ever ridden on! Over 50 punctures between 105 of us due to potholes! I claimed one which cost me a lap. As I sprinted to regain the bunch as they went past the speed was incredible. A few more laps and I was blown out the back! The Hong Kong Team had a bad day. None of us managed to finish with the leaders & one of the boys was eliminated. We were all depressed over dinner that night. Looking at the other teams they looked like they had a gentle, relaxing ride today - I felt shattered, I ate more pasta.
Another big crowd ( 40,000 odd ) came to watch Stage 4, 76km on a smaller tighter circuit but at least the surface was O.K. I still got a puncture but was allowed a free lap so I was still in contact with the leaders. Unfortunately I lost contact near the end as the pace was raised as the sprinters headed for the line. I finished on the same lap as French stage winner Nazon riding for Castorama. He took the yellow jersey & I picked up the red lantern. One of our guys couldn’t finish so we were now down to 5.
Yet another transfer which was again superbly executed with a military precision as the entourage of 400 odd cyclists, team support, T.V crews, reporters....etc were transported to Beijing. Stage 5 was the first time we would tackle any kind of gradient. In the mountains near China’s capital city we would pass over 6 major climbs in 132 km on our way to the finish at the famous Great Wall. To add to my predicament I caught a chest cold and felt so weak I was unable to complete our training ride on the course the day before the race. As I watched my teammates ride up the first climb of the stage I had time to scratch on the road ours names in traditional style copied from the slopes of Alp D’huez. That evening I saw the race doctor. He gave be some tablets for my cold and I felt a little better.
If the Tour had been “easy” so far then today the gloves came off! The Americans had a field day so far with the Europeans powerhouses of Mapie, Novel and Technogym sitting back - waiting. With a testing course it was time to kick ass! The first mountain came after only 24km and as Gianni & the boys split the bunch -I was dropped. I was struggling to breath as the race caravan of support vehicles passed me one by one on the steep slopes. My Director spotif & coach told me to just see how far I could go before calling it a day. In a situation like this it’s better to not try to follow but find your own rhythm and not “blow up” completely. As I continued a team mate also struggling ended his race and jumped in our team van but with just a couple of vehicles left behind me and all pelton out of sight I began to speed up. Up & up through the twisting switch backs I climbed. Near the summit I saw another team mate and I sprinted to join him to deep in aerobic torture to notice my name on the road. On the dangerous decent I led the way and caught my second wind. The next climb was longer, 18km! On the way up we passed a American Pro who had fallen and on the next long gradual descent we worked well together in pursuit of the Pelton. We heard from our team vehicle that a lead group of 18 odd riders were already 20 minutes in front! But a “laughing” group were only 4 minutes up the road!
As we gave it everything along these twisting roads, I had little time to enjoy the perfect weather conditions and beautiful scenery. I punctured! My team mate held back with our American friend, we all needed each other to close the gap to remnantance of the bunch. Finally after a gut wrenching 50 km chase we made contact! Once safely in the bunch I slowly recovered. A German rider in the group I had made friends with slapped me on the backside and congratulated me on regaining contact. The Yellow Jersey was here, Abdu’ and a fair amount of Americans. Up front Novel & Mapie were doing battle with Mapie getting the stage and Yellow but for us it was a cruise to finish 34 minutes behind ( 37Minutes was the elimination deadline)
I was shattered but extremely happy to finish on a day when no one thought I would make even half way.
The stage 6 Final Time Trial came down to the wire between Mapie’s new race leader Naniele Nardello & Novel’s Ekimov who was a hot favorite to cover the last 25km in the quickest time. I was first rider off the starting ramp as the last man in the race. My tried stiff body was in no shape to race but as I couldn’t be eliminated the pressure was off. I was back in time to witness the thrilling climax. Ekimov scorched round the flat course to set the fastest time. Now with the Yellow Jersey the last rider to come in he had to finish no more than 11 seconds outside Ekimov’s time or lose everything ( well the US$50,000 first prize ).
The count down started, he had 16 seconds left to cross the line and still not in sight! Then riding flat out at 50km/hr plus came the young Mapie rider. 4,3,2,1... but still a few meters from the line when the time ran out. He lost the race by 2 seconds!
I would enter the history books as the first Red Lanten of the Tour of China. I was delighted.
After watching the Novel team celebrate the win and combined winnings in excess of US$100,000 it was time to say good bye to people. The fanasty was drawing to an end. Reality started to hit me when we discussed our next plans and I realized I was the only rider with a real job! I felt sore worn out but the high of satisfaction would stay with me along with the memories of the time I raced the Pros’!
NOTE: I would like to thank BSG Hong Kong for their support which allowed me to take this opportunity.