Ho Chi Minh City Television Cup: Victory is not only at the destination

Born in 1989, the Ho Chi Minh City Television Cup started with 4 races, more than 500 km around the South, on primitive bicycles - hand-welded steel frames, iron handlebars, fixed saddles.

The mark of will

"Pede hard and it broke" - many people used to joke about racing cars at that time. But from that simplicity, the race nurtured names that went down in the history of Vietnamese sports in general and cycling in particular: journalist Pham Khac, racer Lu Hong Duc, Asian gold medalist Truong Quoc Thang, Mai Cong Hieu...

Cúp Truyền hình TP HCM: Chiến thắng không chỉ ở đích đến - Ảnh 1. — Central Highlands people welcome the racing team at a stage of the 2025 tournament

In 2025, the tournament has grown strongly with 25 stages, a total route of 3,059.5 km, from Tan Trao banyan tree - Tuyen Quang to the historic Thong Nhat Hall (HCMC).

What remains in each race is the will to overcome difficulties, the spirit of victory of the athletes, from conquering dangerous mountain passes, to enduring the scorching sun of the Central region. If in the 80s of the last century, racers still used Phoenix cars with copper spoke wheels, carrying tire pumps and spare tubes, now, each racing car is worth as much as a car, integrated with electronic chips to monitor all parameters from heart rate to tire pressure.

The motorcycle security force is also becoming more and more professional. "In the past, when a tire was flat, we would fix it ourselves. Now, just by looking at the screen, the technician can tell who is having problems," a veteran coach shared. However, no matter how modern the technology is, the spirit and legs are still the soul of the race, to create spectacular breakthroughs on the top of the pass or technical leaps at the finish line.

Every spin is a story

The 3,059.5 km journey of the 2025 season is not only a distance but also a pilgrimage through historical milestones: Tan Trao banyan tree, ancient Hue, heroic Quang Tri, Uncle Ho's hometown Nghe An , majestic Central Highlands... Each race stage is a story, each land is a memory, each turn of the wheel is a story about the country.

In Quang Binh, people lined both sides of the road, holding flags and cheering with excitement. Some even brought rice balls to cheer on the racing team. On each section of the national highway, children climbed school fences to watch.

A disabled fan like Mr. Ho Van Thanh, over 70 years old, has been persistently following the race for 7 consecutive years, bringing with him faith and enthusiasm because he loves cultural stories from the lands the race passes through. According to him, what makes the Television Cup special is:

Ho Chi Minh City is a humane city. In each locality, the delegation has practical and meaningful activities such as burning incense to pay tribute to heroic martyrs, giving bicycles and scholarships to children in mountainous areas, poor students who overcome difficulties, etc.

Coach Le Thanh Liem, Loc Troi An Giang Group Cycling Team, commented: "Each stage is a meaningful journey for coaches and athletes. It is not only a challenge on the track but also a spirit of looking back to the national roots, remembering the source of water when drinking. Therefore, participating in the tournament is our honor and pride."

Elevate the tournament

Since 2018, the Ho Chi Minh City Television Cup has started broadcasting the entire race live. Entering 2025, the tournament continues to break through with multi-platform livestreaming, vivid 3D graphics, real-time tactical analysis, satellite maps and spectacular panoramic footage from flycams. Viewers not only watch but also interact, comment, share, and even debate heatedly on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.

From a time when only spectators on both sides of the track could witness the race, millions of fans can now watch live and participate in commenting and interacting with editors and commentators - who are former famous racers - on social media platforms.

For the organizers, this strong transformation has brought about a wave of new sponsors, helping to increase the prize money for athletes, while attracting more professional and technological investment, contributing to raising the level of the tournament. If in the early years, the live coverage was limited to the final stage and ended at Thong Nhat Hall, now fans can accompany the racers at every stage - from ground-based angles to aerial photos captured by the reporters' flycams.

"Technology also contributes to promoting the transparency of the race, when any incidents or violations from the racing team are caught in the "sights" of the online community. This helps the race gain more and more trust from fans and create more prestige" - Mr. Nguyen Dinh Khoi, Head of the Race Management Board, shared.

Unforgettable journey

The Yellow Jersey is every rider's dream, but in the Television Cup

Ho Chi Minh City, victory is not just a destination. It is a journey of sweat, tears, sacrifice and the encouragement of millions of people. Each race is a story about Vietnam - resilient, united and always moving forward. So that every historic April, people eagerly wait for the race to "... overcome the sun, overcome the wind, overcome the showers..." to connect the country.