Climbing such an incredibly difficult, steep slope in this scorching weather was truly grueling.
Only Huang Chong was unfazed by the heat, his riding rhythm remaining remarkably steady.
He remained seated for the entire climb, yet his upper body and core were rock-solid.
This stable pedaling efficiency and cadence continuously guaranteed a constant base power output.
This was significantly more energy-efficient than other riders, who had to frequently get out of the saddle to tackle the long, steep slope with gradients over 10%.
The difference in base power was a core metric for measuring the gap in raw strength between top-tier cyclists.
It was fair to say that among the current crop of World Tour Cyclists, aside from Pogačar and Vingegaard, practically no one could match Huang Chong's ability on long, steep climbs.
This was why he could handle the Vuelta a España with such ease.
If the team wanted to concede time, they could.
