STORY: Vibrant Plateau: Young Tibetan man's love for downhill mountain biking
SHOOTING TIME: Earlier footages
DATELINE: June 26, 2024
LENGTH: 00:07:07
LOCATION: LHASA, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/SPORTS

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): Referee
"30 seconds to go! Listen to the countdown and go!"
"Five, four, three, two, one."

Having been passionate about cycling for nearly a decade, Tenzin Jigme will finally compete on a national-level stage. 

Tenzin Jigme is busy packing up his bike for an entirely new challenge.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): TENZIN JIGME
"I am prepping stuff for tomorrow. And the bike also needs to be ready for tomorrow's flight."

As it's his first time leaving Xizang for a competition, Jigme seems a bit out of his element. Thankfully, help from his friends has given him much peace of mind.
   
SOUNDBITE 3 (Tibetan): TENZIN JIGME
"All done, right?"

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): ZHOU GEJIA, Jigme's friend
"Aren't you going to take the pedals?"

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ZHOU GEJIA, Jigme's friend
"I heard that bikers in Zhangjiakou's race are really competitive."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): TENZIN JIGME
"For bikers like us who don't take systematic training, I have no expectations for rankings in the competition. I'm just there to learn and see how the pros do it."

SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): TENZIN JIGME
"I've never been out of Xizang before. Except for the nervousness of taking a plane, I'm quite happy with everything else."

Early in the morning, Jigme sets off after having tsampa (a traditional Tibetan staple) made by grandma.

SOUNDBITE 8 (Tibetan): Jigme's grandmother
"What will you wear when it gets hot?"

SOUNDBITE 9 (Tibetan): TENZIN JIGME
"I've packed a thin shirt. Besides, I have to wear the uniform in the race."

SOUNDBITE 10 (Tibetan): TENZIN JIGME
"Grandma, bye bye."

SOUNDBITE 11 (Chinese): TENZIN JIGME
"It's really hot here, like being in a sauna."

SOUNDBITE 12 (Chinese): TENZIN JIGME
"The number of bikes here is twice as many as in Lhasa."

SOUNDBITE 13 (Chinese): TENZIN JIGME
"There are two types of downhill mountain biking. One is freeride, and the other is managed by Union Cycling International (UCI), which is pretty risky. I heard the black trail here is of UCI level, also the top tier. It's full of twists and rocks. For rookies like us, trying UCI trails will end up with going to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

What impresses him is not only the venue's modern facilities, but also the skills of top bikers.

However, once he stands at the starting point, Jigme has no choice but to give it his all.
   
SOUNDBITE 14 (Chinese): Referee
"Five, four, three, two, one."

Perhaps because of over excitement, not being fully prepared, and unfamiliarity with the racecourse, Jigme suffered a fall on the first day of the preliminaries.

This accident severely affected his performance. Despite giving his all, he couldn't regain his form.
   
SOUNDBITE 15 (Chinese): TENZIN JIGME
"I really regret it, but there's nothing I could do. When I started to practice downhill mountain biking, I leapt around without thinking of the consequences. After a severe fall, I broke my arm. Since then, I've been on a downward spiral. I knew that I couldn't find my best form again."

The accident is a tough blow to Jigme, leading him to question his fitness for such events.

SOUNDBITE 16 (Tibetan): TENZIN JIGME
"I'm going to ride a bike, grandma."

However, life always offers second chances. 
After Jigme returned to the familiar snowy mountains of Xizang and rode in the windy wilderness with his friends, it seemed like his long-lost passion has returned. 
Jigme has realized that he can no longer just be a simple biker, but must spread the culture of biking and advanced concepts to more Tibetan youth who love cycling. He has begun to invite higher-level bikers to share their advanced techniques in Xizang.

SOUNDBITE 17 (Tibetan): TENZIN JIGME
"The altitude up there is over 5,000 meters."

SOUNDBITE 18 (Chinese): HUANG JUNHONG, Downhill mountain biking enthusiast
"I haven't been to a place of over 5,000 meters in altitude. I am going to reach the top and ride down."

This is the best era. The vibrant plateau blesses everyone who stays passionate.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lhasa, China.
(XHTV)