Ji Cheng (FILE)

Despite finishing in 164th position, the last on the final list, 27-year-old Ji Cheng made history by becoming the first Chinese cyclist to ever complete the Tour de France, which ran July 5-27 this year.

Ji is from Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. He was disabled at the age of 8 due to a traffic accident, which fractured the base of his skull and left him partially paralyzed. With his mother's help, he learned to walk again. Ji practiced middle-distance running before shifting to cycling in 2002, eventually joining the Dutch Giant-Shimano team in 2007.

He finished 175th, in last position, at the 2012 Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain), though sickness prevented him from completing last year's Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy).

Ji said he hopes to be a pioneer for his countrymen, but it will take more than just him to change the state of cycling in China.