UCI Track Nations Cup: ‘sleeping’ Ceci Lee disappointed with lowly omnium finish, ‘I put too much expectation on myself’
- Hongkonger finished 12th in Sunday’s Nations Cup omnium, after placing 12th in the previous day’s Madison
- Brilliant Briton Emma Finucane wins third gold, with second meeting triumphs for Yumi Kajihara, Kaiya Ota, and Aaron Gate
Ceci Lee Sze-wing says she was inhibited by her own and the public’s expectations, after labouring to a 12th-placed finish in her strongest omnium suit at the UCI Track Nations Cup on Sunday.
The 22-year-old was vying for Olympic qualification points in front of the largest, and most partisan crowd of the three-day event in Tseung Kwan O.
She entered the final points race 10th in the overall standings, after placing 12th, seventh, and 10th, respectively, in the earlier scratch, tempo, and elimination races.
Lee rode conservatively in the closing race, however, settling in the peloton for long periods. As she lost position, head coach Herve Dagorne could be heard shouting: “You are sleeping”.
“I was not thinking anything, then heard he was screaming at me, and thought, ‘I have to do a sprint’,” Lee said.
With points awarded every 10 laps, in the 80-lap race, Lee earned two points for finishing third in sprint number two. She finished fourth in the final sprint, worth double points, to add another two.
