Latest news with #HerveDagorne
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.
South China Morning Post
12-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
No one happy with cycling bosses slashing marquee Nations Cup, Hong Kong head coach says
Herve Dagorne has said nobody was happy that cycling's 2025 UCI Track Nations Cup had been slashed to a single leg in Turkey this week. Advertisement The sport's annual blue-riband competition, outside the World Championships, the Nations Cup has been staged over three legs since it was introduced in 2021, to replace the old multi-leg World Cup. Dagorne, the Hong Kong head coach, said global governing body UCI's failure to find two additional hosts this year was 'concerning for everybody'. 'Every nation waited so long [for news about second and third legs], we were all planning training camps and, eventually, it was for nothing, so it's very frustrating,' Dagorne added. And the UCI had offered no guarantees over a return to the three-leg format next year, the Frenchman said, adding that with the global economy not as robust as previously many countries 'can't afford to host' an event. Advertisement 'My own country is struggling, which is often the way after staging an Olympics,' he added.
South China Morning Post
23-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's Lee claims scratch gold at Asian Track Championships, officials cost Chu medal
Hong Kong cyclist Ceci Lee Sze-wing claimed the first major title of her career on Sunday, winning gold in the scratch race at the Asian Track Championships in Malaysia. Advertisement The 23-year-old's huge career breakthrough changed the mood in the city team's camp, after head coach Herve Dagorne had blasted officials for costing her teammate Chu Tsun-wai a medal in the elimination race 24 hours earlier. Lee upgraded last year's scratch race silver, after a blistering last lap left home rider Nur Aisyah Mohamad Zubir trailing home in second at the National Velodrome in Nilai. 'She was proactive and made the right decisions and I am glad she got the reward for her positivity,' Dagorne said. On Saturday, Chu had been eliminated with four riders remaining, despite clear evidence that the 23-year-old crossed the cut-off line in front of Bernard Van Aert. Indonesian van Aert went on to claim bronze, behind gold medallist Eiya Hashimoto, of Japan, and Korea's Park Sang-hoon in second. Chu Tsun-wai (light blue) appears to have crossed the elimination race cut-off point ahead of Indonesia's Bernard Van Aert. Photo: Herve Dagorne A furious Dagorne, who used some colourful language to describe the officials, said officials had cost his rider a podium spot.
