And so, the Bora Team Leader made a snap decision, telling Huang Chong without a moment's hesitation:
"Huang, go with Plan B!
Buchman isn't strong enough to drop the other riders. Just let him stay with the peloton and fight it out in the final summit sprint.
I need you to win Stage 5 for us!"
The number of victories was, without a doubt, the most direct metric for a team's success.
Every stage win brought not only points but was also tied to prize money—a crucial detail.
The Bora Team Leader couldn't afford to gamble. When he saw Buchman couldn't break away on the previous steep climb, he decided to have Huang Chong secure the victory instead.
Although Huang Chong could sense the team leader was treating him with increasing caution, as if afraid of offending him, a team order was a team order. As a Professional Cyclist, he had no right to refuse.
