"Old Huang!! Awesome!!!"
"Huang Chong!! Awesome!!!"
"Huang Chong!! Way to go!!"
...
Huang Chong had just managed to edge out last year's defending champion, Vingegaard, at the finish line of the Baiye Plateau climb when a series of hysterical shouts suddenly reached his ears from beside the finishing arch.
Even though the cheers at the finish line were a thunderous, rolling roar, Huang Chong immediately picked out the few shouts yelled in his native tongue.
He knew those voices all too well.
He turned to look at the shouting crowd and saw it was none other than his best friend Dewey, along with Zhou Ming and Li Zifan.
'This bunch of show-offs. They finally made it to one of my races in person!'
Although he hadn't won the stage—and in fact, had lost another 1 minute and 6 seconds to Pogačar, now putting him 1 minute and 51 seconds behind overall—his shot at the overall Tour de France title was completely out of reach.
