Chapter 494: A Glorious Homecoming, an Unprecedented Spectacle (Part 2)

The lineup of riders set to compete in this season’s Tour of Lombardy was also heading to Italy.

The team’s leader was, of course, Roglič, and his supporting lineup was arguably the most star-studded that Red Bull Bora could assemble.

They were Vlasov, Sindel, Martínez, Adrià, Lipowitz, and Jungels.

The lineup made it clear that this was their last race of the season, essentially an early end to their campaign.

As for the support lineup going with Huang Chong to the Tour of Guangxi, they were Aleotti, Buchman, Schachmann, Hayek, Marchyuk, and Herzog.

Well, upon seeing this list, Huang Chong certainly didn’t mean to look down on his teammates, but he couldn’t help but grumble to himself:

‘That son of a bitch Aldag… he said it would be a standard lineup, and it’s really fucking standard!’

Of course, the other teams’ lineups for the Tour of Guangxi would surely be similar, so he had no reason to dwell on it.

For the Tour of Lombardy, on the other hand, even though Red Bull Bora had dispatched nearly its strongest possible squad, the other teams’ rosters were just as stacked.

Needless to say, UAE was sending a trident of Pogačar, Sivakov, and Adam Yates, determined to help Mars People further solidify his dominance in this race.

The other World Tour Teams, naturally, were also sending their best climbers and team leaders.

For example, Quick Step’s Evenepoel, Trek’s Ciccone, Cofidis Isegerre, Movistar Team’s Mas, and EF Education’s Ben Healy and Powless, among others.

In short, Roglič’s support team was much stronger than his own, but this also meant that if Roglič failed to get a good result, the post-race pressure on him would be immense—certainly greater than what Huang Chong would face.

After all, judging by the roster alone, Red Bull Bora’s lineup for this year’s Tour of Lombardy was, without a doubt, the most star-studded of them all.

After Aldag and the others left for Italy, it was time for Huang Chong to pack his bags and prepare to return to China.

However, he had no time to pack today, because it was his birthday.

Chen Junyi, who was far away in the United Kingdom, had taken the day off from her studies and flown over just to celebrate with him. Naturally, he had to set aside time to be with his partner.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say. Even though they had only been apart for two weeks, for Huang Chong, who was fighting to build his career abroad, this brief reunion was deeply fulfilling.

He realized he had long grown accustomed to having Chen Junyi by his side every day.

But both of them needed to pursue their own ambitions during this crucial stage of their lives, which made a temporary separation necessary.

After a joyful day, that evening, Chen Junyi became the picture of a gentle, caring wife. Just like old times, she helped him pack his luggage for the trip back to China, reminding him of all the little things.

Huang Chong savored every moment. This feeling was just perfect.

After they finished packing, with the night growing late, they spent the night in tender intimacy, whispering sweet nothings to each other before drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, however, Huang Chong drove Chen Junyi to the airport. After she left, he went home alone and packed all the luggage for his trip back into his system space. Now, he could travel light. With just a simple backpack for his passport, phone, and other essentials, he was ready to head back to China with the team ahead of schedule.

His teammates were quite surprised to see him with just a backpack and no other luggage.

But Huang Chong just brushed them off with a casual excuse, and the matter didn’t generate much discussion.

However, just as he and his teammates were boarding their flight from Frankfurt to China, Red Bull Bora’s official social media accounts simultaneously announced the rosters for the final two races of the season.

For Red Bull Bora fans worldwide, the news that Huang Chong—the man who had just dethroned Pogačar at the World Championships—was skipping the Tour of Lombardy was undoubtedly a bit of a letdown.

It wasn’t that they doubted Roglič’s abilities, but without seeing Huang Chong and Pogačar go head-to-head again, the race was bound to be less exciting.

Who wouldn’t want to see a top-tier, clash-of-titans race?

However, fans across the globe also knew that Huang Chong was, after all, from China.

His decision to compete in his home country’s race for his final event of the season was understandable, even laudable.

As his country’s undisputed road cycling superstar, he shouldered a significant responsibility.

Racing back home could spur the development of the sport throughout the nation and give his fellow countrymen a spectacular race to watch. It was all perfectly reasonable.

As for the fans in China, when they saw Red Bull Bora’s announcement, their initial reaction was a touch of disappointment; they had also been hoping to see Huang Chong battle Mars People again.

But then it dawned on them: if Huang Chong raced in Lombardy, he wouldn’t be able to make it to the Tour of Guangxi. They immediately realized that by making this choice, he was making a personal sacrifice.

For the sake of his countless fans back home, he had willingly given up a top-tier race—one of the five Monuments—to come back and give them a treat.

And so, all the domestic fan groups, Huang Chong’s official fan forums on social media, and more, all erupted with excitement at once.

After all, for most ordinary fans—be they students or office workers—it wasn’t like they could just jet off to Europe to watch Huang Chong race live whenever they wanted, unlike those wealthy folks who could afford it.

But with Huang Chong coming back to race in Guangxi, if they made a little effort, many of them could find a way to go see him race in person.

The timing of the Tour of Guangxi, however, was a bit awkward for fans in China.

It was scheduled for shortly after the National Day holiday, which meant that for many people, trying to get more time off right after a long break would be a major hassle.

“Guys, did you all see the news from Red Bull Bora? Huang Chong is skipping Lombardy this year to come back and race the Tour of Guangxi!!!”

“Holy shit, for real? Didn’t Yellow God just pull off that insane last-minute win against Fanta Critter at the World Championships? He should be going to Lombardy to get the Double Kill on Mars People! What a shame!”

“A shame, my ass! If Yellow God went to Lombardy, he wouldn’t be able to race in Guangxi, right? He’s obviously doing this for his fans back home!”

“Exactly! Any big-time fans in this group planning to go to Guangxi for the race? We should link up!!”

“Yellow God is coming home a champion! We have to go support him in person! Maybe we can even get an autograph. That would be awesome!!”

“Dammit, I can’t go. This wage slave has to work. I already used up all my vacation days—”

“I suggest the poster above me fire their boss immediately—”

“So jealous of the hardcore fans who can go see it live. Would any kind soul be willing to help me get an autograph from Yellow God? I will be eternally grateful and reward you handsomely!!”

“Reward me with what? Let’s get it in writing. If you can get me ten hot models, I might consider helping my dear boy get his precious autograph from Yellow God!”

“Get lost!!!”

And just as fans everywhere were frantically discussing how to get to the race, the Tour of Guangxi organizers quickly released a series of VIP viewing packages on their official channels.

The packages not only included food and lodging for the duration of the event, but also offered fans a chance to meet World Tour Cyclists in person, and even participate in activities like the Red Bull Bora Team’s pre-race training sessions.

Furthermore, and most importantly, this year’s Tour of Guangxi would feature exclusive viewing zones set up specifically for VIP fans.

These exclusive zones were, without a doubt, located at the most crucial points of each stage: prime attack zones, key climbs, and right at the finish line arch.

In short, thanks to Huang Chong’s participation in the Tour of Guangxi, the entire region was already buzzing with excitement, even with the race still some time away.

This wasn’t just about the cycling race itself; it was also a massive promotional opportunity for tourism in the beautiful Guangxi region.

And so, when the Red Bull Bora Team’s plane touched down in Nanning, the airport’s arrival gate was completely overrun by a massive crowd of fans who had come to greet them.