“I simply enjoyed the sport I love. Cycling is my entire life,” said Ryu Geum-chan, 23, after winning the 2025 Tour de Gyeongnam Special Race, which concluded Jan. 9 in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. Over the three-day event, held Jan. 7–9 across Geoje, Sacheon, Namhae and Changwon, Ryu completed the 230.8-kilometer course in five hours, 39 minutes, nine seconds to take first place overall.
During the first stage on Jan. 7 in Geoje, Ryu experienced muscle cramps in both thighs near the end of the race. His pace slowed noticeably in the final 2.7-kilometer uphill stretch to the finish line. With roughly 10 seconds remaining, he surged in a powerful sprint to overtake the leading rider, Jeong Woo-ram, 37, and claim the yellow jersey, awarded to the overall leader.
Ryu kept the yellow jersey during the second stage through Sacheon and Namhae by pulling ahead of his competitors 500 meters from the finish line. In the third and final stage through downtown Changwon, he secured his overall victory with a steady ride. He also won the sprint classification.
An ordinary office worker, Ryu trains consistently by cycling about three times a week. Even on weekdays, he wakes around 3 a.m. before work and rides for about three hours. “People often ask me if it is exhausting,” he said. “But the refreshing feeling of riding through the early morning air is the driving force of my daily life.” He added, “I am simply an amateur who loves cycling more than the results. Many people told me I earned a reward for enduring difficult moments, but for me, the act of riding itself is the reward. I will continue cycling just as I always have.”
Kim Hyun-jin and Lee Hae-won, both 34, shared the pink jersey with 10 points each as co-leaders in the Best Woman Rider category. Because neither finished the first stage, they did not appear in the overall standings. Kim Jin-pil, 46, who finished first in the overall classification for riders aged 45 and older, claimed the gold dot jersey with a time of five hours 37 minutes 11 seconds.
창원=조영우 기자 jero@donga.com