Just as Huang Chong was surprised by his deficit at the halfway mark, Lutsenko, who had started two minutes ahead of him, immediately received his specific data.
The head coach of Kazakhstan, following closely behind his country's star cyclist, began to speak:
"Alexey, the Chinese cyclist who started last has already passed the halfway turn. His average speed and time are nearly identical to yours. It's unbelievable!"
Lutsenko, who was pushing himself to the limit, didn't want to hear exclamations. He asked directly:
"What are the times? I need precise data.
What's the gap between us at the halfway point?
Is he faster, or am I?"
"Oh, thank God, you're faster than the Chinese cyclist, but only by three seconds—"
The head coach of Kazakhstan continued:
"If you want to secure the gold medal, you'll probably need to increase your power output on the upcoming climb.
After all, increasing power on a climb is the best way to open up a gap!"
