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Ji Cheng (cyclist)

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Ji Cheng
Personal information
Full nameJi Cheng
NicknameBreakaway killer[1]
Born (1987-07-15) July 15, 1987 (age 37)
Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight67 kg (148 lb; 10.6 st)
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Professional teams
2006Purapharm
2007–2016Skil–Shimano

Ji Cheng (simplified Chinese: 计成; traditional Chinese: 計成; pinyin: Jì Chéng; born 15 July 1987) is a Chinese former professional cyclist, who rode professionally between 2006 and 2016 for Purapharm and Team Giant–Alpecin.[2]

Career

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Before taking up cycling, Ji competed as a runner whilst at school. One factor which led to him switching sports was the weather in his hometown, the northern city of Harbin, where temperatures can drop to −20 °C (−4 °F) in winter, when Ji could train for cycling indoors. Initially a track cyclist, he later switched to road racing.[3] Ji moved to Europe in 2006, competing in amateur criterium races in the Netherlands before turning professional.[4]

In 2012, Ji became the first Chinese rider to race in,[5] and complete, a Grand Tour, when he finished 175th at the Vuelta a España.[6] By taking the start in the 2013 Giro d'Italia, he likewise became the first Chinese cyclist to start that race. The following year he was selected for the 2014 Tour de France, and became the first Chinese rider to compete in the Tour.[3] Ji managed to complete the race despite a knee injury, finishing last as the 2014 race's lanterne rouge.[7]

Major results

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2008
1st Stage 1 Tour of South China Sea
2012
Combativity award Stage 19 Vuelta a España

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

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Grand Tour 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
A pink jersey Giro d'Italia DNF 156 154
A yellow jersey Tour de France 164
A red jersey Vuelta a España 175
Legend
Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

References

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  1. ^ "Chinese 'Breakaway Killer'". pelotonmagazine. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Ji Cheng". Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  3. ^ a b Tolan, Casey (4 July 2014). "Ji Cheng to ride into history as the first Chinese cyclist in the Tour de France". CNN.com. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  4. ^ Cary, Tom (25 July 2014). "Tour de France 2014: Ji Cheng blazes a trail for China by coming last". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  5. ^ Hood, Andrew (21 August 2012). "From China to the Vuelta: Ji Cheng is riding into history". VeloNews. Competitor Group, Inc. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  6. ^ Benson, Daniel (9 September 2012). "Degenkolb takes fifth Vuelta stage win in Madrid". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  7. ^ Austen, Ian (27 July 2014). "Italy's Vincenzo Nibali Wins the 2014 Tour de France". nytimes.com. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
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