While China has won eight cycling medals in its Olympic history, it had never even qualified a single rider in the road race discipline – until now, with one pioneering cyclist aiming to inspire a nation.
#china #paris2024 #olympics
#china #paris2024 #olympics
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00:00He's made history just by being in Paris.
00:04Lv Xianjing is the first Chinese cyclist ever to qualify for the Olympic road race.
00:11He will come up against some of the biggest names on two wheels.
00:16Hello everyone, I'm Lv Xianjing from Yunnan, China.
00:24I race for the UCI China Glory Mantec Continental cycling team.
00:29I'm feeling both nervous and excited,
00:32because even participating in the Paris Olympics is a breakthrough for Chinese cycling.
00:37So the pressure is definitely on, but I'm feeling confident.
00:41The Olympic road races start right here on the Point Diana Bridge
00:45with a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower.
00:48After a punishing 273 km cycle for the men, 158 km for the women,
00:54the first to cross the finishing line right here will take gold.
00:59Far from being out of place among the world's elite,
01:03in 2023 Lv became the first Chinese rider to win a UCI Europe Tour race.
01:09He claimed stage 4 of Turkey's Tour of Saqqara.
01:13And this year had the winning run at the Grand Prix Cedra Ancient City in March.
01:19Lv will compete on the road and mountain bike in Paris,
01:23the first rider from China to do that too.
01:26Guys, watch out on the road.
01:28Sporting director Lionel Marie says he's ready to mix it with the best.
01:33Lv is in the team for the last three years, so we know him very well.
01:38He's one of the best riders in China.
01:40When he has a big goal he's focused and he's training very well
01:43and usually he can reach the goal.
01:46For example, he won the Asia championship on the mountain bike,
01:51but I believe also he would do well on the road
01:55because he showed us his victories in Turkey and also in China.
02:01So he's a guy who needs big goals and he's a fighter.
02:05The China Glory Mentech Continental Team was set up in 2021
02:10backed by the Chinese Cycling Federation
02:13with the aim of qualifying a Chinese rider for the Paris Olympics,
02:17a goal they comfortably achieved.
02:20Now a new generation of elite Chinese cyclists is ready to take on the world.
02:26Ken Brown, CGTN, Paris.