For Macao rider Kam Chin Pok, cycling has become a passport to the world. Still in the early years of his career, he has already competed across several continents, representing both his home city and his professional team, the China Anta-Mentech Cycling Team. The squad, built around riders from China’s national programme alongside international athletes, operates in a lifestyle defined by constant travel, rigorous training and the pursuit of excellence.
“I enjoy living in the moment,” Mr Kam told Macao Magazine. “While I’m young, I want to see how far I can go. Later in life, I may not have the same chance to travel and compete like this.”
Just last February, he was in Saudi Arabia competing in the Asian Road Cycling Championships. In the men’s elite individual road race, he finished 30th, less than five minutes behind the winner and within the first half of the field.
Mr Kam’s route into cycling was unplanned. As a teenager he experimented with tennis, badminton and even jiu-jitsu before discovering the pleasure of riding a bicycle in secondary school. “I was about 16 or 17 when I first started riding with classmates.” What began as casual weekend rides soon evolved into league races, where his natural ability quickly became apparent.
“At first it was just fun,” he said. “Then I realised there were local leagues in Macao, and I thought: ‘Why not give it a try?’”
Even though Mr Kam only trained for two months before participating in his first Macau Cycling Road Race, he placed second in the junior group.
A rising rider
A major turning point came at China’s 2019 National Youth Games, in Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi province. That was when Mr Kam joined the Macao SAR team and represented the city for the first time. “That was my first taste of competition at senior level,” he said. “It made me realise I wanted to take cycling further.”
The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly accelerated his progress. With many team and contact sports suspended, cycling offered an escape route. Mr Kam trained independently, without a coach or structured programme, gradually building the stamina and technique needed to compete at higher levels.
His persistence paid off when he entered the Tour of Poyang Lake in Jiangxi, in 2023, a professional race that introduced him to the broader Chinese cycling scene. Soon afterwards he spotted an announcement that the China Anta-Mentech Cycling Team was recruiting riders nationwide. The squad currently consists of just 16 members, including Chinese national team athletes and international cyclists from Estonia, South Africa, the Netherlands, France and Italy.
“I saw the opportunity to become a professional cyclist and an extraordinary chance to improve myself, so I tried my best for it.” In 2025, Mr Kam secured a place on the team – the only rider from Macao to do so.
Pursuing a passion
At the time, Mr Kam was studying civil engineering at the University of Macau. Pausing his studies to pursue a professional cycling career was not an easy decision.
“My family were half supportive, half worried,” he admitted. “In Macao, being a professional athlete isn’t common. But they knew it was my passion.”
The risk was real. Contracts in professional cycling are typically renewed each season and depend heavily on results. Every race becomes, in effect, an audition for the following year.
“Of course there’s pressure,” he said. “But I want to show what I can do. Many riders in China dream of joining a team like this. I have to fight for my place.”
Even before turning professional, balancing training with academic life had already tested his endurance.
“I used to go to class during the day, then train in the evening. After that I still had to finish homework and revise for tests late at night. It was exhausting, but I felt it was worth it.”
The effort paid off. Professional status brought not only opportunity but also a demanding new routine centred on travel, training and competition.
“I didn’t have a big plan,” he said. “I just wanted to enjoy the moment and see what results I could achieve while I’m young.”
Since last year, Mr Kam’s life has revolved around an intense international racing calendar. Winter months from December to February are devoted to training and preparation. From March to October the racing season takes over.
Roughly half the year is spent in Europe, competing in countries such as Turkey, Spain and Greece. The rest takes him across Asia, with races in China, South Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia. Alongside his professional commitments, he continues to represent Macao in major competitions.
“Europe is on another level,” Mr Kam said. “The competition is deeper, the race routes are tougher and the atmosphere is incredible. A single race can have hundreds of riders, with teams working strategically. It’s not just about individual strength – it’s about teamwork.”
Within a typical six-rider squad, Mr Kam frequently plays a supporting role, protecting the team’s lead rider from the wind, helping control the pace of the peloton and ensuring supplies move efficiently through the team.
“We help our leader conserve energy for the final sprint,” he explained. “It’s about sacrifice and strategy.”
Daily life abroad follows a strict rhythm: morning training sessions or competition, afternoon recovery, and constant monitoring by a network of specialists, from nutritionists to physiotherapists. Yet the constant travel also brings moments of quiet discovery.
“Since I’m always in different countries, I love walking around, sitting on a beach or exploring local markets.”
Living in the moment
Mr Kam’s rise has been marked by steady progress, but some milestones stand out. At the men’s individual road race at China’s 15th National Games last November, he produced the strongest performance among Macao’s five entrants. Of the 104 riders who started, 98 completed the course, with Mr Kam finishing 30th, showcasing his ability to compete with some of China’s leading cyclists.
“Finishing 30th wasn’t entirely satisfying. Road cycling results often depend heavily on the course… This race was held on flat roads, which don’t suit my strengths. I believe there is room for improvement, but I was pleased with how I performed.”
In a first, the 15th National Games took place across the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. The road race competition was the first-ever cross-boundary road cycling race in National Games history, staged through the collaboration of Guangdong, Macao and Hong Kong, and partially using the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge.
During the Games, Mr Kam also competed in the men’s individual time trial, held in Zhuhai. He finished in 26th position. It was his second time at the country’s largest quadrennial sporting gala, after joining in 2021 the Xi’an edition.
Despite racing internationally with his professional team, Mr Kam says representing Macao carries a special significance. “When I wear the Macao colours, it feels different,” he explained. “It’s about pride – showing that athletes from a small place can compete internationally.”
Another defining moment came when he received the Young Cyclist Award at the Sanmenxia Along the Yellow River International Cycling Invitational, in 2024, his first major honour at international level.
“My condition during the race, together with the teamwork with my fellow riders, was excellent,” he recalled. “Winning that award felt like a real achievement.”
Despite his growing list of achievements, Mr Kam remains measured about the future. “I don’t think too much about it,” he said. “I want to enjoy this lifestyle, see what results I can achieve, and inspire others.”
For him, cycling is not only about rankings or medals but about the discipline of training, the thrill of competition and the friendships formed along the way. He believes sport should be embraced as a way of life rather than merely a path to success.
His advice to younger athletes is straightforward: “Know what you want, and don’t worry too much about the future. Respect the present moment.”
In the short term, his focus is on upcoming competitions, including the 2026 Asian Games, to be held in Aichi prefecture, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, and the National Road Championships, in Liaoning, scheduled for the second half of June. Beyond that, he hopes eventually to be worthy of earning the title of International Master of Sport, the highest recognition in the Athlete Technical Grading System, awarded by the General Administration of Sport of China to national athletes demonstrating elite-level performance in international competitions.
Mr Kam also plans to return to university at a later stage, pursuing studies in sports science to deepen his understanding of training and performance. “I want to keep improving, compete with Asia’s best, and maybe one day coach or teach.”
Ultimately, he hopes his journey will encourage more young people in Macao to take sport seriously. “Cycling gave me opportunities I never imagined – travelling, meeting people from different countries, competing at the highest level,” he said. “I want others to see that it’s possible.”
