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With all the Chinese riders failing to make an impact at the Tour of Qinghai Lake, which concluded Sunday, an International Cycling Union (UCI) expert has suggested Chinese riders and teams can establish China in international races only be reinforcing professionalism.

 

"China needs to professionalize its cycling teams and cyclists in order to be competitive in international cycling races," said Lucien Bailly, the technical advisor of the Tour de Qinghai Lake and a senior officer of UCI.

 

China boasts its riders' entry record this year as a total of 21 Chinese riders out of a total 140 cyclists joined the race, but none of them were able to collect a stage win or a top-10 finish in the overall standings.

 

Ma Haijun from China Merida Team holds the country's best record by finishing third in the fifth stage and 30th overall.

 

"We have to admit that the level of Chinese riders is to be improved. As we know that practise makes perfect, yet Chinese riders have hardly any opportunity to do that," said Jiang Guofeng, secretary-general of the Chinese Cycling Association (CCA). "We have to send athletes to overseas pro-teams to make them improve in a decent way."

 

Chinese riders' attempts for the new development have already started one year ago. Four of them joined two Netherlands' pro-teams for the first time earlier this year. Jin Long and Fang Xu are with Skil-Shimano (SKS), and national champion Li Fuyu and Yu Tong are competing for Marco Polo (MRP) at the race in Qinghai.

 

In addition, Chinese teams are combining with bicycle factories to boost the professionalism by inviting senior experts and trainers from UCI top teams.

 

"CCA aims to make breakthrough in cycling by adopting professionalism, and it has already been proved to be the best approach," said Wang Xuanqing, CCA vice president.

 

Since last year, CCA has sent out more than 20 riders to join overseas pro-teams in Europe to bestow them chances of racing in more than 30 events a year, which gets them much more experience and improve their skills faster than in China.

 

Li, the national champion and a 48th finisher at the race in Qinghai, said establishing professional circumstances is the only way for Chinese riders to improve.

 

"You have to compete in professional circuit around the world, otherwise, there is no chance to move up for us," said 28-year-old Li. "To feel the cycling environment in Europe is very important for me. I am expecting to bring it back home and make it benefit all my Chinese counterparts."

 

As major races show, the elite riders all come from professional teams. Cycling teams are classified into four categories - UCI pro-team, UCI continental pro-team, continental team and national team. Only UCI pro-teams are able to go into the top three tours of cycling (Tour de France, Tour de Italy and Tour de Spain).

 

A professional cycling team requires a sponsorship for a 50-member contingent consisting a team manager, 1-2 assistant managers, 2-3 massagists, 2-3 machinists and about 30 riders.

 

Professional cyclists go to races every week, so they can take part in around 50 races a year just like professional football players do, as Bailly explained. The top riders in Europe can earn 500,000 euros yearly and the professional riders are permitted to transfer between teams.

 

But China, a country dubbed as the Kingdom of Bicycles, has yet to establish its own pro-team at any level.

 

The Tour of Qinghai Lake, which has entered its fifth year, is in urgent need of competitive native participants and the involvement of top overseas teams to sustain its momentum and enhance its sway domestically and internationally.

 

Riders in road cycling races need not only strength and strong will, but experience and tactics to overcome various road conditions, weather, surroundings and stratagem from rivals, according to Jiang.

 

The participation of top native riders is necessary for a race to thrive. Japan had hosted the Tour of Japan years before, but the race failed to thrive due to the lack of native superiors.

 

"It won't be long for China to establish continental teams involved in international races, it's what we have to do," said Wang.

 

(China Daily July 29, 2006)