(Dan Tri) - The riders of the Vietnamese road cycling team affirmed that they will try their best to compete, despite the incident of their entire bike burning down at the 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championship.
"The entire Vietnamese road cycling team has been provided with bikes and competition equipment by Thailand. This morning we started practicing getting used to the bikes and the road before officially entering the tournament," racer Nguyen Thi That told Dan Tri reporter on the morning of February 7.
On February 5, 27 bicycles and all equipment of the Vietnamese road cycling team were completely burned when being transported by a truck from the host country, Thailand, to the competition venue in Phitsanulok - the venue for the 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championship.
Bicycles provided by host Thailand to the Vietnamese team after the entire team's bikes were burned down (Photo: NVCC).
Hats and shoes provided by the Thai Organizing Committee for the Vietnamese team's athletes (Photo: NVCC).
This tournament started from February 7 to February 16 and gathered nearly 500 of the continent's best cyclists. However, the Vietnamese team encountered an unexpected incident right before the tournament, making it very difficult for the athletes to compete for medals.
"The organizing committee (OC) provided us with bikes, shoes and helmets this morning. Many team members immediately started practicing. This afternoon the team will also have their first competition, the whole team will try their best," said racer Nguyen Thi That.
According to the competition schedule, at 3pm today, the Vietnamese road cycling team will compete in the first event, the mixed team time trial for 3 men and 3 women for the youth age group. The Vietnamese team's lineup includes: Dang Van Phap, Phung Quoc Ha, Nguyen Dan Binh (men), Pham Thi My, Ho Thi Yen Linh, Lam Thi Ngoc Linh (women).
However, the Vietnamese team's medal hopes still lie with racer Nguyen Thi That, who will compete in the women's road cycling mass start event. This is the event in which the An Giang native won a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Championship to officially secure a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At the 2024 tournament, Nguyen Thi That also won silver in this event, but she hopes to "win gold" for the second time despite the fact that the two cars she brought to Thailand were burned.
Another athlete of the Vietnamese road cycling team, Nguyen Tuan Vu, also affirmed his determination in the continental arena, although he was also one of the athletes who suffered the greatest loss after the bike fire incident in Thailand.
"We encourage each other to overcome adversity to compete as best we can. Although getting used to a new car is not easy and will greatly affect our performance, we will try our best," racer Nguyen Tuan Vu affirmed.
Nguyen Tuan Vu said he will compete in 2 events on February 11 and February 16, so he still has 4 days to practice with the new car provided by host Thailand.
Notably, Nguyen Tuan Vu is among the Vietnamese athletes expected to win medals. The 26-year-old racer won individual time trial gold medals at the national championships in 40km in 2020 and 2023, and 40km road gold medals in 2022 and 2024.
"I myself have never won a medal in an international arena. Therefore, this tournament has given me great determination, creating motivation for the goal of winning a medal at the SEA Games at the end of this year," Tuan Vu affirmed.
Sharing with the press, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu - General Secretary of the Vietnam Cycling - Motor Sports Federation, Head of the Vietnamese delegation at the 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championship said that the Vietnamese team received 27 racing bicycles, 18 helmets, 18 pairs of racing shoes and 18 pedal sets from the Thai organizing committee after the incident of the team's bike fleet being burned down.
"For now, the whole team will play their best, and the Federation and the Organizing Committee will meet to negotiate compensation later," Mr. Vu affirmed.
The Vietnamese cycling team participating in the 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championship includes 5 female cyclists: Nguyen Thi That, Nguyen Thi Thi, Nguyen Thi Thu Mai, Lam Thi Kim Ngan, Lam Thi Thuy Duong, and two male cyclists: Nguyen Van Duong and Nguyen Tuan Vu.
In addition, young racers such as Ngoc Thao, Be Hong, Xuan Loc, Quoc Ha, Dan Binh, Anh Hao, Thi My, Yen Linh, Van Phap and Ngoc Linh also participated in this year's tournament.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/vdv-viet-nam-san-sang-chinh-phuc-giai-dua-xe-dap-chau-a-sau-su-co-chay-xe-20250207115830438.htm
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