In the 2026 China Road Cycling League (Shenyang·Kangping Station) that ended on June 10th, Xu Zhaoliang from the Merida Norco Team performed outstandingly and won the men’s individual time trial championship in one fell swoop. As an amateur cyclist, he stood on the highest podium of a professional Chinese event. It has been exactly one year since he won the men’s individual race (mass start) championship at the 2025 China Road Cycling League (Shenyang·Kangping Station). Last year’s championship was also the first amateur national championship in the history of Chinese cycling.
In the 2026 China Road Cycling League (Shenyang Kangping Station), Xu Zhaoliang won the men’s individual time trial championship.
In the 2025 China Road Cycling League (Shenyang Kangping Station), Xu Zhaoliang won the men’s individual championship.
Fresh from his second consecutive victory at the Shenyang Kangping Station, he wasted no time and headed straight to the venue of the 2026 Dalian Changxing Island Cycling Open. On the eve of the event, we were fortunate enough to conduct an exclusive interview with Xu Zhaoliang. From winning championships in two categories at national events for two consecutive years to facing off against professional powerhouse teams, from sharing training insights to planning for the new season, Xu Zhaoliang shared his mindset on the race track, the secrets to his growth, and his new outlook in the exclusive interview.
Two-time defending champion in both categories at Kangping, with a special fondness for the exclusive lucky venue in Liaoning
At the beginning of the conversation, when talking about the just-concluded Shenyang Kangping Station event, Xu Zhaoliang’s tone was full of joy and emotion. This is the second consecutive year that he has stood on the top podium of the Kangping event. Different from last year when he won the road race championship, this year he successfully won the ITT individual time trial championship, unlocking the achievement of winning the championships of the two core categories.
In 2026, Xu Zhaoliang once again stood on the highest podium of the professional race as an amateur cyclist.
“Winning championships in different categories at the northeastern race in Liaoning for two consecutive years, I’m really extremely excited and I especially love this place.” In Xu Zhaoliang’s eyes, Liaoning is a lucky place for his races. Every summer when he comes here to participate in the races, the comfortable cycling temperature, high – quality natural environment, and strong race atmosphere make him feel extremely relaxed, which also lays a foundation for his excellent performance. His successive outstanding results not only recognize his personal strength but also make him have a special affection for the northeastern race venues.
Facing off against professional powerhouse teams: Respect the arena, and even nervousness can be a driving force for progress
Looking at Xu Zhaoliang’s path to victory, it is full of high – quality achievements. All of his competitors are from professional teams of various provinces and cities in China, and they are all top athletes in the field of domestic road cycling. As a rider of a top amateur cycling team, facing off against professional strong teams, how he adjusted his mindset has become the focus of everyone’s curiosity.
In response to the question, Xu Zhaoliang was very candid and straightforwardly said that he would inevitably feel nervous before the race: “The strength of the opponents is beyond doubt. There are top riders from many high – level teams, so there must be pressure.” However, he said that this nervousness has never been a weakness, but a sense of awe for the race and the opponents. It is precisely because he faces every race seriously and values every opponent that he is forced to go all out, break through himself and show his best state on the track. This mindset is also the key for him to defeat strong opponents time and time again.
The secret to top athletic performance: Balancing work and rest, with diet and rest being more important than blind training
He can not only win the road race championship but also top the individual time trial, achieving a small grand slam in road cycling events. Xu Zhaoliang’s comprehensive and top – notch competitive strength makes him an example that countless amateur cyclists envy and learn from. When asked about the secret to maintaining his peak state, he shared the most simple yet easily overlooked insights.
“Many cycling enthusiasts think that the harder they train, the faster their performance will improve. However, this is not the case,” Xu Zhaoliang emphasized. In professional cycling competitions, it has never been just about single – high – intensity training. Training, diet, and rest are all indispensable. In fact, diet and rest are even more important than training. Scientific training lays a solid foundation, regular diet replenishes physical energy, and sufficient rest repairs the body. These three aspects complement each other, enabling the body to always maintain a sustainable top – level competitive state, and avoiding injuries and a decline in state caused by over – training. This is also the core secret of his long – term and stable performance output.
The full – year event schedule is packed, aiming to compete in the Japanese Gran Fondo World Championships
After winning the championships at the Gran Fondo and Shenyang Kangping Station in succession, Xu Zhaoliang is in great form in the 2026 season. In an exclusive interview, he also revealed his complete race plan for the next stage, with a packed schedule and clear goals.
Tomorrow, he will make his debut at theDalian Changxingdao Island Cycling Open. He will experience the Changxingdao Island race track for the first time, feel the unique atmosphere of this well – known competition, and go all out to meet new challenges. Immediately afterwards, on June 25th, he will participate in the Chinese Road Cycling Championships and compete in the individual time – trial event again. At the end of August, Xu Zhaoliang will travel to Japan to compete in the Gran Fondo World Championships, representing domestic amateur cyclists to compete on the world – class stage and strive for higher honors.
Heartfelt Message: Confront the trough of injuries and patiently bide your time. You will eventually return to the peak.
From winning the road race championship at the age of 18 to now claiming championships in all events including the road race, circuit race, and individual time trial, and unlocking the small slam in individual road events, Xu Zhaoliang, who has experienced the precipitation of the race track, has become more and more calm and composed. Compared with the excitement of winning the championship when he was young, he is now unperturbed by honor or disgrace. His stable mindset also allows him to be unaffected by the fluctuations of victory and defeat and steadily devote himself to subsequent training and competitions.
At the age of 18, Xu Zhaoliang shows his talent for the first time.
For the majority of cycling enthusiasts, based on his own experiences, he also offered brand – new and heartfelt advice. At the beginning of this year, Xu Zhaoliang suffered a serious cycling accident and injury, and was forced to take a break from competitions for nearly a month. During this period, he also fell into anxiety and confusion. Regarding this, he frankly said,Injuries and setbacks are normal on the cycling journey. All cycling enthusiasts will encounter bottlenecks and hardships.
“The most important thing is to stay patient.” This is what he most wants to say to fellow cyclists. There’s no need to be anxious during the trough period, and no need to be impatient during the injury period. Calm down, adjust your state, and patiently accumulate. Every cyclist can return to the race track and regain their peak state.
Pre-race wishes: Enjoy the ride and complete the race safely
At the end of the exclusive interview, Xu Zhaoliang sent sincere blessings to the 2026 Dalian Changxingdao Island Cycling Open, wishing the event to be held better and better, to deeply cultivate the race field and continuously build a high – quality competition platform for cycling enthusiasts. At the same time, he also sent a message to all the riders participating in the race tomorrow, hoping that everyone can keep a calm mind, enjoy the race, complete the race safely, and fully feel the love and purity of cycling on the beautiful track of Changxingdao Island.
Tomorrow on the race track, the pinnacle awaits! We’re looking forward to Xu Zhaoliang’s outstanding performance, and we also wish all the cyclists to chase the wind and waves and live up to their passion!
