An improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness meant an increase in endurance.
Whether it was Pogačar or Vingegaard, as the only two Grand Tour cyclists at the Tour de France who were a clear level above the rest, they both possessed cardio-respiratory fitness far beyond the reach of ordinary people.
But theirs was natural, while Huang Chong had to rely on the system's help.
And a single pill had merely gotten him past the beginner's wall; he still had to complete the system's various targets and tasks to close the gap between himself and the world's top cyclists.
Huang Chong was filled with anticipation, but he also remained level-headed. 'Even with the system's backing, I'll probably only see rapid growth in the early stages.'
'Once I really reach the Professional Level, any further improvement probably won't happen at this current breakneck pace.'
However, in addition to completing the tasks issued by the system, he wouldn't skimp on the daily training volume he set for himself.
Relying on the Basic Optimization Value rewarded by the system to increase his FTP Power was certainly a great method, but training on his own every day could also increase his leg power.
Even if the rate of improvement couldn't compare to his system-assisted boosts, long-distance riding allowed him to greatly improve his stamina management, as well as his familiarity with and ability to handle various road conditions.
It's impossible to get a free ride to victory in cycling. Ultimately, you have to rely on your own two legs to pedal those two wheels and carve a path to success over the high mountains.
This was also why the system had a separate entry on his personal panel: Terrain Prediction. Clearly, it wasn't going to let him get a free ride.
"Old Huang, aren't you on a fat-loss diet? Don't tell me you've been sneaking carb bombs behind my back?
We've barely been out for a minute, and you're already this far ahead?
Where'd you get all that energy? I had to kill myself trying to catch up!"
A familiar barrage of squawks came from behind, and Huang Chong knew it had to be Dewey.
However, he soon noticed that while he could maintain a steady speed of 25 km/h with his heart rate in Zone 2, Dewey was pale from the strain, just like he himself had been the day before.
Of course, that was probably also because Dewey had left later and had to pedal furiously to catch up.
Dewey was also decked out in standard cycling kit, but a glance at the brand names told Huang Chong it was of much higher quality than his own.
He was a textbook Lightning loyalist: his ride was a Tarmac SL7 S-Works, and his helmet, clipless shoes, glasses, jersey, and even his water bottle were all standard-issue for the World Tour Quick Step Team.
Although he hadn't bought it all from a Lightning flagship store—after all, as a bike shop owner himself, he had connections to get better prices—it was all top-of-the-line, and the total cost was still staggering.
But Huang Chong knew that for a rider with newbie legs, even the best gear was just for show.
The marginal weight savings from top-tier lightweight components have virtually no impact on an amateur's power output.
This was especially true since Dewey's height and weight were similar to his own—nearly 180 cm tall and around 75 kg. Instead of dropping thousands or even tens of thousands on components to shave off a few dozen grams here and there, he'd be better off just losing some body weight.
Of course, that line of thinking only applied to himself and other average cyclists. Dewey was a "Brother Fu," just like Zhou Ming. For them, buying top-of-the-line gear had nothing to do with cost-effectiveness; it was all just toys.
"What are you doing out riding? Aren't you watching the Tour de France tonight?"
It was the middle of the Tour de France. From his memories of the past, Huang Chong knew that after Pogačar's first loss to Vingegaard in Stage 11, Stage 12 would still be a spectacular watch, even if it wasn't the main battleground for those two.
This was the stage where Thomas Pidcock of the Ineos Grenadiers Team would launch a breakaway and a legendary downhill attack, ultimately claiming his career's first and only Tour de France stage win to date atop Alp d'Huez and shooting to fame overnight.
In road cycling, riders might attack on flat roads or climbs, but they rarely dare to do so on descents. The speeds are simply too high. The slightest mistake could send a rider over the edge of a sheer cliff to certain death.
But the prodigious Thomas Pidcock, leveraging his outstanding bike handling skills honed in mountain biking, dared to attack on the descent. He not only reached a staggering top speed of 105 km/h but also managed to close a gap of over a minute to the breakaway rider, Powless of EF Education, ultimately taking the stage win and stunning the world.
"I'm not watching. It's another mountain stage today. If it turns out like you said, and Pogačar not only fails to make a comeback but actually lets Vingegaard extend his lead, I'll be too frustrated to watch.
But what if I don't watch it live, and Pogačar suddenly makes a move and turns the tables on Vingegaard? Then it'll be a pleasant surprise, right?
Besides, after the Tour de France is over, isn't that guy Zhou Ming's cycling group having an event? He invited me ages ago, so it'd be rude not to go.
There's still a bit of time until then, so I figured I'd get out and stay in riding shape!"
After catching up to Huang Chong, Dewey rode alongside him, his pace slowing to a steady 25 km/h.
He was still panting, but as his speed dropped, the tension in his face visibly eased.
"You really know how to rationalize things, Old Du!"
Huang Chong retorted helplessly. His friend had the mentality of a gambler, always clinging to the most absurd hopes.
Of course, a fan's love for their idol—that willing, unwavering, and frankly irrational belief—was something Huang Chong could understand, even if he wasn't one to idolize celebrities himself.
'Maybe that's why so many intense fandoms pop up in the world of sports?'
"It's not rationalizing, it's a kind of superstition, my friend.
It's like when I watch the NBA. Whenever my team is trailing in the fourth quarter, I turn off the broadcast and wait until the game's over to check the final score. More often than not, they pull off a comeback victory.
Now tell me, how do you explain that little bit of juju?"
Huang Chong was speechless.
'Unbelievable, he's actually bringing superstition into this!'
He fell silent for a moment before replying with a thoughtful sigh:
"Old Du, I can't explain why that happens, but I feel like... if you really like your idol, or your team, don't you want to watch the process? To see them fight their way back from a deficit, bit by bit, and pull off the comeback?
Isn't that the most captivating part of competitive sports?"
Dewey looked stunned for a moment, but he quickly replied with conviction:
"No. Compared to the process, I care more about the result.
Only victory is the best reward for the fans.
The comeback process is precious, sure, but what if they don't succeed? That's just double the pain. I'd rather not watch at all!"
Huang Chong: "..."
After a moment, seeing that Huang Chong was still silent, Dewey asked again,
"Why aren't you saying anything? Am I wrong?"
"You're not wrong, but it's precisely because you're not wrong that I have nothing to say!"
"Tsk, everyone's different. I know you have a bit of a masochistic streak; you always have to know every last detail about everything.
Especially when you fail—it just makes you obsessed with figuring out the exact reason why.
I'm not a weirdo like you. I only care about the successful parts. You crazies can have fun wallowing in the pain of failure!"
Dewey snorted, then suddenly sped up, putting down more power to pull in front of Huang Chong. Then he announced with a flourish,
"Xiao Huangzi, stay on my wheel! Your big bro is going to pull for you!"
Huang Chong was still mulling over what Dewey had said. His friend's choice of words might have been a bit dramatic, but he really did understand him, describing his personality traits with surprising accuracy.
'It's not that I have a masochistic streak or that I enjoy the pain,' he thought. 'I just can't stand repeating the same mistakes.'
'After all, stumbling over the same hurdle again and again just makes me feel like an idiot with no ambition.'
Just as Dewey finished speaking, before Huang Chong could reply, a system notification popped up:
[Detected that a rider is voluntarily pulling for the Host. Please draft behind this rider, matching their pace for at least 10 km. Reward: 2 Basic Optimization Value, 1 Rapid Recovery Energy Bar.]
...