Latest news with #HerveDagorne
South China Morning Post
15-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong cyclists get National Games warning, as provinces ask ‘famous faces' for help
Herve Dagorne has issued a sobering warning to Hong Kong's cyclists after a tough showing at the China Track Championships. Entering Tuesday's climax of the six-day competition in Shanghai, which serves as a a key warm-up for November's National Games, the city team's senior riders remained empty-handed. On Monday, leading light Ceci Lee Sze-wing opened up a 12-point omnium lead after three disciplines, only to slump to seventh following a closing points race where Dagorne said 'she did not execute the strategy we agreed'. These championships, like their China road equivalents last month, gave head coach Dagorne a rare opportunity to study their rivals at close quarters. 'Strategically, they're making good choices, which makes our lives more difficult; they're very strong,' Dagorne said. Vasil Kiryienka, here enjoying 2015 World Championships time trial gold, is coaching Chinese riders. Photo: AP Photo The Frenchman also noted that the provinces had been busy adding 'famous faces' to their staff, with Vasil Kiryienka, the Belarusian former Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana stage winner, among a host of coaches from his country and Russia working for Chinese teams.
South China Morning Post
22-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong cycling star Ceci Lee claims double wins after mental transformation
Herve Dagorne said star rider Ceci Lee Sze-wing's twin National Road Championships triumph this weekend highlighted the 24-year-old's psychological transformation over the past 12 months. The irrepressible Lee made good on her pre-race promise to go all guns blazing for her first Hong Kong time trial title. She delivered a personal best performance of 22 minutes and 10.258 seconds on Saturday to upstage two-time defending champion Chloe Leung Wing-yee, who was condemned to second place despite covering the 15-kilometre time trial course in her own personal best time. Meanwhile, in the men's time trial, Chu Tsun-wai took the top spot with a time of 19:57.507, ahead of Vincent Lau Wan-yau, who finished second. On Sunday, Lee broke away from runner-up Kwan Tsz-kwan near the finish of the 70km road race to secure her third straight national road race crown. Ng Pak-hang, the 2023 champion, won the 120km men's road race. 'Ceci really wanted to win the time trial,' head coach Dagorne said. 'In the past, she would ask if I thought she could win. I'd always say she was physically capable, but she had to really want it. Ng Pak-hang (left) celebrates after winning the 120km men's road race. Photo: Sam Tsang 'She is physically strong, but there has been a psychological change. She is racing for herself, most of the time. The conditions on Saturday were wet and difficult, and she showed a good mentality.'
South China Morning Post
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong cycling star's golden gift, as coach tempers National Games expectations
Chloe Leung Wing-yee has been given a golden reminder of her potential to achieve home glory at the National Games in November. One day after a heavy fall in the Madison, Leung delivered a fabulous exhibition of daring and execution to outpace the otherwise dominant Japanese Yumi Kajihara and win Saturday's scratch race at the Japan Track Cup. The 26-year-old's first international track success was all the more remarkable for the fact she recently said that until last year she feared competing in the velodrome Dagorne, who likened the four-day competition in Japan to a 'small World Cup', handed Leung a meaningful gift following her victory. 'It's a wrench you use many times every day to change your bike's gear, but this one is a masterpiece, and gold plated,' Dagorne said. 'I want her to remember, every time she changes her wheel, that gold is within reach … but you have to truly want it.' The gold-plated wrench Chloe Leung was given by Herve Dagorne. Photo: Chloe Leung With Kajihara, 28, preoccupied by the threat of perennial rival Ceci Lee Sze-wing, Leung surprised the field with a bold attack about three-quarters of the way through the 40-lap event.
South China Morning Post
24-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong cyclists warned: Chinese rivals will gang up on us at National Games
Herve Dagorne has warned Hong Kong's cyclists that mainland Chinese rivals will gang up on them in the fight for National Games glory later this year. Head coach Dagorne, whose squad is in Shizuoka preparing for this month's Japan Track Cup, has targeted four medals from November's Games, while Leung Hung-tak, the local association chairman, identified seven potential podium opportunities. The Frenchman, however, said lucrative bonus incentives for mainland riders, coupled with provinces treating the Games as seriously as the Olympics, 'would lead to coalitions'. 'We'll be alone on the track, which will make the races tougher, because it's difficult technically and tactically,' Dagorne added. 'In Hong Kong, we don't know [about potential bonuses], but we just care about the colour of the medals. For some of the provinces' riders, they can earn ¥10m (US$1.4m).' Ng Pak-hang is among the Hong Kong men set for this month's Japan Track Cup. Photo: Jonathan Wong Dagorne said Hong Kong's motivation for competing in Luoyang's China Track Cycling League closing leg earlier this month was to 'see how some riders collaborate for their mutual interest'. 'China have a reservoir of talent, it's absolutely incredible, especially on the physical side,' he added.
South China Morning Post
04-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
National Games: Hong Kong cycling coach targets repeat of 4-medal haul in November
Hong Kong cycling head coach Herve Dagorne said it would be a 'tough job' but the team aimed to replicate their medal haul at the National Games from four years ago when the city co-hosts the next edition in November. Advertisement Dagorne, who took over at the start of last year, admitted the team would have few excuses on home soil. 'We're targeting four for this [Games] – this is a very high expectation for me,' he said. 'We need to be good in every field of performance to be able to achieve this. 'The Games is very important for some provinces, and for some mainland athletes it's even more important than the Olympic Games. 'The level is very high, even higher than the Asian Games, but we are working on it. If we achieve all the different fields of performance – the technique, the strategy – I'm confident about the physical side of our athletes.' Ceci Lee (left) returns from the Paris Olympics with coach Herve Dagorne. Photo: Xiaomei Chen In 2021, Sarah Lee Wai-sze, Ceci Lee Sze-wing and Leung Ka-yu combined for four medals – two gold and two bronze medals – in Shaanxi to continue the team's medal-winning streak at the National Games since first taking part in 1997 in Shanghai.
