Hong Kong cyclists warned that further improvement is needed in race for Rio Olympics
Impressive riders warned they must improve in bid to qualify for 2016 Games despite climbing eight places up rankings to 15
Hong Kong women's track cycling pursuit team need vast improvement to make the 2016 Olympic Games despite a big jump in their ranking this week.
After an impressive World Cup leg in Cali, Colombia, over the weekend, the team went up eight places to 15th in the latest International Cycling Union rankings.
Leung Po-yee, Meng Zhaojuan, Pang Yao and Yang Qianyu came fourth in the qualifying round of the Cali leg before finishing seventh overall out of 17 teams. But their finishing time of four minutes 32.293 against New Zealand in the play-off was the second fastest among all eight teams in the play-offs, just behind champions Australia who clocked 4:31.527.
The progress has been seen as they have improved 10 seconds from the previous leg in London, but more is required
"It was a well-accomplished job by the girls, but they still need to put in more hard work if they want to be part of the 2016 Olympic Games," said Cycling Association chairman Leung Hung-tak.
"Only the top nine teams can qualify for Rio which means there is a long way for them to go.
"But this is a good sign as the team was formed only after the Incheon Asian Games and there are some young members who will have plenty of room for improvement."
Fast-improving Pang, who also races on the road, is the youngest member of the team at 20, while Leung and Yang are 22. Meng is 26.
