Why Hong Kong's star cyclist Ceci Lee wants a different title this year
Hong Kong cyclist Ceci Lee Sze-wing has promised to go flat-out on Saturday in pursuit of a first time-trial success at the city's National Road Championships.
Lee has won the road race at the past two editions, but finished runner-up behind Chloe Leung Wing-yee in last year's race against the clock.
An Olympian last year on road and track, Lee has outgrown the local scene, and acknowledged Hong Kong titles were only 'a little target'. However, honing her time-trialling is a priority as she targets major future success in the velodrome, and specifically the omnium.
'If I master it, it's going to give me more weapons in the omnium, so it's very important for me,' Lee said.
'Most of the time, I've not done well in time-trialling, and I need to improve to become an all-rounder.'
Ceci Lee said improving her time-trialling could help her in the omnium. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Leung will start as favourite to claim her third straight time-trial title over the 15km (9.3-mile) course in Tai Po, where the men's and youth races will also be staged.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Zac Purton officially secures eighth premiership, while Ellis Wong lands maiden Hong Kong treble at 1,002-1
Star Australian is 59 wins clear at the top of the premiership table with only 50 races left in the season It's been a mere formality for months but Zac Purton officially secured his eighth title at Sha Tin on Saturday, banging in a treble to move 59 wins clear in the jockeys' premiership with only 50 races left in the season. Purton moved to 126 winners for the campaign – four short of last season's tally with five meetings remaining – and while he's miles off his Hong Kong record tally of 179 victories, he's striking at a ridiculous 23 per cent. 'It's really nice to win another one. Apart from having a stack halfway through [and missing seven weeks through injury], I've had another good season with a few highlights with some big horses,' Purton said, referring to champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising. 'All in all, I'm very happy again.' Purton opened his account aboard Tony Cruz-trained $1.75 chance Gentlemen Legacy in the Class Three Nam Chung River Handicap (2,000m) before completing a running double aboard exciting three-year-old Copartner Fleet in the first section of the Class Four Beas River Handicap (1,200m). Domination at Sha Tin! 😤 Copartner Fleet gets off the mark in emphatic style and shapes as a 3YO with a big future racing in Hong Kong... @zpurton #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 28, 2025 Having his second career start after running a close second on debut last month, the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained Copartner Fleet dictated proceedings from the front and put the race to bed early in the straight, eventually saluting by three-quarters of a length to reward those who backed him into $1.8. While Purton's first two victories came aboard progressive gallopers on the turf, he completed his three-timer atop a far more exposed horse on a wet-slow all-weather track. Backed late to jump the $3.2 favourite, Fashion Legend travelled nicely just forward of midfield in the Class Four Sha Tau Kok River Handicap (1,650m) before whistling past his rivals in the straight to salute by a length and a quarter. Fashion Legend's second Hong Kong success at start 23 marked the first leg of a double for his trainer David Eustace, who later took out the Class Four Shan Pui River Handicap (1,400m) with Riding Together. 'He's just taken to the dirt. He's had a couple of wins on it now where everything has gone beautifully,' said Eustace of Fashion Legend, who has won twice from six starts since switching surfaces. 'Good barrier [three] and the pace was not too strong, which allows him to stay on the bridle because he's just got a short sprint over the mile. He's gaining a bit of confidence on the dirt.' Elsewhere on Saturday's twilight card, Ellis Wong Chi-wang punched home his first Hong Kong treble with wins aboard King Oberon, S J Tourbillon and Ariel. Riding at his first meeting since reaching 45 career winners and having his claim reduced from 7lb to 5lb, Wong picked up where he left off before his two-meeting suspension with a breakthrough 1,002-1 three-timer. On fire, @elliswong05! 🔥 Our apprentice scoops a Sha Tin treble with a superb front-running ride aboard Ariel for David Hayes... #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 28, 2025 'This is my first time to have three winners in Hong Kong, so I'm very happy,' Wong said. 'These past few months I have had more support and I really appreciate that. I still have a lot to learn but when the opportunities are coming, I have been lucky to take advantage. 'I'm trying to learn a lot from Zac, from Hugh [Bowman], who is very patient, and I love Vincent [Ho Chak-yiu].' The win of Ariel completed a double for David Hayes after the earlier success of Gallant Crown, with the Australian declaring he's 'no chance' despite drawing within seven victories of John Size in the race for the trainers' title.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Beauty Waves salutes in stable debut for Tony Cruz: ‘I'm so happy this horse came over'
Talented sprinter Beauty Waves made the perfect start to life with new trainer Tony Cruz, banking a tough win in Saturday's Class One Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup (1,000m) at Sha Tin. Recently transferred to Cruz after four wins for Pierre Ng Pang-chi, the Irish import enhanced his reputation as a straight-track specialist when he proved too slick for strong opposition in Saturday's feature. Backed from $6.9 to $3.7 late, Beauty Waves was sent forward by Alexis Badel to race on the speed and fought on gamely to beat $3.5 favourite Wunderbar by half a length. 'I was expecting him to run a big race,' Cruz said of the five-year-old, who won the Group Three National Day Sprint (1,000m) for Ng and Badel in October. Beauty Waves is a winner again! The Starspangledbanner speedster defeats Wunderbar in the Class 1 Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup for @AlexisBadel and Tony Cruz at Sha Tin... 🏆 @Beautystablehk #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 28, 2025 'I wasn't really confident about the horse winning the race, but he showed today he's got some ability and I believe I can get better results. I believe he can win more races. 'I'm so happy this horse came over [to my stable]. I liked this horse from the very beginning - I've been watching him in the past. He's always a real speedy horse, like he showed today, and he won in good time. I believe he's a 1,000m horse.' Wunderbar launched a late challenge in the centre of the track but ultimately came up short, while Magic Control was beaten a length and a quarter in third. Cruz said Beauty Waves would be aimed at 1,000m features next season, while Badel was over the moon to hop back aboard the son of Starspangledbanner. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. Jockey Alexis Badel and trainer Tony Cruz after Beauty Waves' win. 'It's good to be back on him. I'm grateful that Tony gave me the ride and he's a talented horse and it was just a nice win,' the French jockey said. 'I'm doing the best I can to give my horses every chance and today it was good to win in such a good race.' Beauty Waves capped a Sha Tin double for Cruz after his Australian import Gentlemen Legacy broke through at his fourth local start, claiming the Class Three Nam Chung River Handicap (2,000m) under Zac Purton.
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Team bus of CSL leaders Beijing Guoan seized over debt issues, players forced to hire bikes
Chinese Super League (CSL) leaders Beijing Guoan have had their team bus seized, forcing players to return from training using shared bikes, as the club's parent company struggles with billions of yuan of debt. Advertisement Pictures on social media on Friday showed the team bus being towed away with its door bearing a seal from the Beijing Intermediate People's Court. Images then started circulating on Chinese social media showing three of the club's foreign players hiring shared bikes and riding away from the training complex wearing their kit. The real estate company Sinobo Group holds a 64 per cent stake in Beijing Guoan and reportedly owes more than 3.68 billion yuan (US$502 million). Despite the off-field issues, Guoan invested heavily in the build-up to the 2025 season, including bringing in former Barcelona manager Quique Setien to lead the team, as well as seven first-team players. Three of the club's foreign players have been pictured hiring shared bikes. Photo: Handout At the halfway stage of the current CSL season, Guoan have yet to lose a match, winning 10 and drawing five to top the league on goal difference. Shanghai Shenhua are second.
