When he was named the city’s cycling head coach in March last year, Herve Dagorne briefly paused to consider that “all the guys who brought medals to Hong Kong had retired”.
In their place were young, enthusiastic and willing riders, but no one who could yet hold a candle to Sarah Lee Wai-sze, Leung Chun-wing, Cheung King-lok, Pang Yao, Leung Ka-yu, Ko Siu-wai, or reaching further back, the inimitable Wong Kam-po.
“I had to start with a new generation, there were no leaders, they had been the substitute riders,” Dagorne said. “We also didn’t have much young talent coming behind.”
Where some would have seen a poisoned chalice, Dagorne spied only opportunity and potential.
For starters, he noted that Hong Kong’s 7½-million population is larger than those of traditional cycling strongholds Denmark (roughly 6 million) and New Zealand (about 5.3 million).
Dagorne shares some advice with 24-year-old star rider Lee. Photo: Jonathan Wong
When John Morling became the local football association’s technical director, around the same time as Dagorne’s appointment, he made a similar point. Why should Hong Kong’s footballers not qualify for major tournaments, Morling questioned, when Croatia, a nation of around 3.9 million people, were reaching World Cup finals and semi-finals?