Champion System is taking a team of six riders to the UCI 2.2 Tour of the South China Sea. The team is made up of half USA-based and half Hong Kong based riders, as follows:
Jared Bunde (USA)
Simon Chau (Hong Kong)
Daniel Lee Chi Wo (Hong Kong)
Joseph Papp (USA)
David Sommerville (USA)
Derek Wong (Hong Kong)
New York-based rider, David Sommerville will serve as team director, having had plenty of experience in that role this year at the UCI 2.2 Vuelta El Salvador, Vuelta Nicaragua and recently the UCI 2.2 Tour De Taiwan, where one of the Champion System composite riders, Tom Peterson, placed 3rd overall.
Cyclingnews diarist Joe Papp will serve as the team sprinter, with Jared Bunde as lead out, and also brings his impressive international race experience to the team. "I'm excited to return to Asia to compete, and am honoured to have been invited to join the Champion System for the Tour of South China Seas," said an enthusiastic Papp. "With the team we've assembled, I'll be free to concentrate on stage placing and won't have to stress about GC."
Hong Kong based rider Simon Chau recently broke Wong Kam Po's Tai Mo Shan uphill TT record, is probably the best climber in the Hong Kong local circuit, and recently placed 5th at Tour of Macau. Rounding out the contender spots is another Hong Kong based rider Derek Wong. Derek placed 2nd overall at the Tour of South China Seas in 2004 and was a two year member of the British Army National team and currently a member of the Hong Kong National Cycling team since 2001.
Finally, Daniel Lee Chi Wo a top ranked triathlete, sitting 63rd in the ITU rankings, and is very well known in the sport in Asia. His 2004 results include 16th Ishigaki World Cup in Japan, 65th Madeira World Championships in Portugal, 1st Hong Kong International, 6th Macau International, 1st Valsana International in ITA, and 43rd Athens Olympics.
"We've assembled a strong, capable team," says Champions System's owner Louis Shih, "And I expect to see some of our riders on the podium during the race, especially Derek Wong, who will be a front runner for the Best Asian rider and possible overall. Let's not forget Joe Papp in the fast finishes."
The stages
Stage 1 - December 26: Avenue of Stars, Tsim Sha Tsui– Tsing Yi, Hong Kong SAR
Stage 2 - December 27: Longhua, Shenzhen, PR China
Stage 3 - December 28: Nanhai District, Foshan, PR China
Stage 4 - December 29: University City, Guangzhou, PR China
Stage 5 - December 30: Jiangmen City, PR China
Stage 6 - December 31: Nantou town, Zhongshan, PR China
Stage 7 - January 1: Zhuhai, PR China
Stage 8 - January 2: Macau SAR
