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The Tokyo Olympic Games (Games) is around the corner. To help elite cyclists better prepare for the Games, the Hong Kong Cycling Team has been staging a series of simulated races on 16, 17 and 19 June in accordance with the Olympic specifications. The HKSI and the Cycling Association of Hong Kong, China (CAHK) have arranged a gathering for participating athletes and coaches to meet up with media today. The latest scientific research secret weapon which helps athletes to achieve medal standing was also unveiled.

Mr Leung Hung-tak MH, Chairman of CAHK said: "The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics and the cancellation of international competitions have made our Olympics preparation a very challenging task. Thanks to the support from the HKSI and the persistence of the athletes, our preparation has never been interrupted. Despite the threat of the pandemic, the CAHK had organised three simulated races, assisting our athletes to regain the competition momentum and compete at the Olympics in their best form."

Dr Lam Tai-fai SBS JP, Chairman of the HKSI said: "The HKSI’s Elite Training Science and Technology team has spared no effort in assisting elite athletes in preparing for the Games, including sports medicine, scientific conditioning, sport nutrition, sport psychology, sport biomechanics and technology. It is not easy to win a medal from the international competitions, the HKSI has always been committed to cooperating with different professional organisations to develop new equipment to assist athletes racing against time and break boundaries!"

Dr Chan Kwok-ki MH, Vice-Chairman of CAHK and Team Manager of the Hong Kong Cycling Team for the Games, announced the Hong Kong Cycling Olympic Team list during the event. Elite cyclists Lee Wai-sze and Lee Hoi-yan will compete in the Women’s Sprint and Keirin while Leung Bo-yee, Pang Yao and Yang Qianyu in the Women’s Madison and Women’s Omnium. Choy Hiu-fung will compete in the Men's Road Race.

Dr Raymond So, Director of Elite Training Science and Technology of the HKSI, pointed out that Hong Kong has a certain edge in the short-distance events in international competitions. On top of the hard work of the elite cyclists, it is also the concerted effort of the elite training science and technology team of the HKSI. He said, “The HKSI has been applying modern scientific approaches in elite training by cooperating with different scientific research institutions to develop advanced equipment, such as the wind tunnel laboratory in cooperation with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, this project has gathered experts in the fields of aerodynamics, sports research and cycling. Through the collaboration and wind tunnel experiments to research tailor-made equipment and the best riding posture for the Hong Kong Team."

Aero resistance contributes the major portion among various resistances and cyclists have to overcome various resistances, in particular in sprint cycling event. In order to reduce the aero resistance for better sports performance, the development of special fabric for bike suit plays a crucial role. Mr Louis Shih, the Founder of Champion System Limited, introduced the newly launched bike suit, Aero Speedsuit, dedicated for Hong Kong Team. He said, “We have been undergoing the testing of fabrics right from the early stage of developing Aero Speedsuit. A series of comprehensive tests in sophisticated wind tunnel, particular in air flow direction, air drag coefficient, the range of performance speed and temperature, etc. for determining the position of the fabric textures. Based on the wind tunnel test results to obtain the invaluable information on low pressure vortex and pressure gradient caused by the air flow on the bike suit. Therefore, the Aero Speedsuit design has considered the air flow applying on different body sections meanwhile a specialised seaming technology was also applied. According to the wind tunnel performance data, the newly launched Aero Speedsuit has 2.5% improvement in power consumption by comparing to traditional cycling racing suit. It is absolutely beneficial to sprint cycling event.”

HKSI Head Cycling Coach Shen Jinkang BBS MH pointed out that the pandemic has caused the Tokyo Olympics to postpone for one year. In the absence of major international competitions and being forced to train under a closed camp environment, the cycling team managed to actively respond to these challenges. Through the application of modern science and technology and the characteristics of the Hong Kong team’s participating events to revolutionise a new training method. The team has also participated in the development of new equipment, such as the new speed suit (Aero Speedsuit). Through aerodynamics technology, the team has experienced a new sense of speed. All the above compensated the adverse impact brought forward by the pandemic on training and competition. The training of the Olympic team members progressed smoothly and had reached the pre-set goals. With the support of the Government and the CAHK, the 2021 UCI National Cup Hong Kong Station was successfully staged, the adverse impact that athletes have not competed for more than 10 consecutive months has been made up. We are ready for the Tokyo Olympics!

Elite cyclists Lee Wai-sze and Lee Hoi-yan said, “The Olympic Games was postponed by one year due to the pandemic, which gives us a total of five years to prepare the Games and enter a state of selflessness with gratitude and enjoyment. Thanks to the CAHK, the HKSI, our coaches and other organisations for their support, we can prepare for the race without any worries.”