Cyclist Ceci Lee focuses on dealing with pressure, Olympic Games bid in ‘one of the most important events of my career’
- The UCI Track Nations Cup, featuring some of the world’s best cyclists, gets under way at Hong Kong Velodrome on Friday
- Hometown star Lee aims to thrill supporters as well as win valuable Olympic qualifying points in the Madison and omnium events
Ceci Lee Sze-wing says she is in peak physical and mental shape for one of the most important events of her career at this week’s UCI Track Nations Cup in Hong Kong.
With the lion’s share of the world’s best cyclists showing up for the elite global event, leading home rider Lee is carrying hometown hopes on her slim shoulders.
However, the bigger picture for Lee, beyond a mission to thrill supporters at Hong Kong Velodrome, is her bid to qualify for this summer’s Paris Olympics in the omnium and Madison events.
Lee, however, said her mind was not so clear, and “strategically, I was not good enough”, leading to her missing gold in all four of her events in India.
Those shortcomings have been addressed over the past fortnight, she said, and Lee is ready to shut out both external noise and home expectation to focus on her overarching targets this weekend.
“I think this is one of the most important events of my career, because all my hopes are on qualifying for the Olympics,” Lee said.
“In the past, the pressure [of Olympic qualification and competing in Hong Kong] would have made me feel so stressed, and it is not possible to do well when you are in that way.
“Now, I am thinking, ‘I do not have to work for anybody else, the result is for me’, and I will just do as much as I can.”
Lee has not spoken to a sports psychologist but has instead spoken extensively to Dagorne about shifting her mindset. She has also been listening to her parents, who “always tell me to enjoy racing”.
“Now, I do not think too much,” Lee said.
The three-day Nations Cup begins on Friday, with Lee starting her campaign in the following day’s Madison, where she will continue an embryonic partnership with Leung Wing-yee.
Lee then competes in the omnium on Sunday. She is aiming for a pair of top-10 finishes, at least, and improvement on her performances at the Asian competition last month.
“I had done a lot of video analysis to study what I did in the Asian championships, to avoid repeating any of the same mistakes,” Lee said.
“Physically, I think I have improved since that competition, and our coach [Dagorne] has planned [training], so we are in the best shape this week.”
Lee placed 12th in the omnium and 13th in the Madison, riding with Leung, in January’s opening Nations Cup in Australia, before claiming bronze in tandem with Leung Bo-yee in India.
She will have one more chance to collect Olympic points in the closing Nations Cup leg, in Canada, next month.
Lee and Leung are using the final days before the home competition to refine their technique, with sound tactics and communication integral to success in the two-person event.
“She is really good at focusing when we work, and knows how to go in a big competition, and, mentally, she is great,” Lee said.
“I want to enjoy the races, and feel excited about having the crowd supporting us. If I follow the plan, I can achieve my aims.”
