2019 Qiansen Cup China Fengfeng Xiangtangshan International Cycling Culture Festival Opens

Chasing speed and passion, unleashing vitality and strength, spreading the spirit of sports, and boosting related industries. On September 7, the 2019 China Fengfeng Xiangtangshan International Cycling Culture Festival grandly kicked off at the Xiangtangshan Scenic Area in Fengfeng.

This year’s culture festival is an elevated version of the first China Fengfeng Xiangtangshan International Cycling Culture Festival successfully held by the People's Government of Fengfeng Mining District and Qiansen Group in 2018. It is an international sports and cultural event that organically integrates international cycling outdoor culture with local distinctive culture. Nearly 100 international professional riders from 48 UCI professional teams across 20 countries and regions, hundreds of amateur riders, nearly 1,000 primary and secondary school students, over 500 families, and tens of thousands of spectators either participated in the races, engaged in experiences, interacted, or watched the competitions and performances. “Gather in Fengfeng, Taste the World” — the entire festival will last for three days.

Yu Xinzhou, Director of the Handan Sports Bureau in Hebei Province; Niu Yingjian, Secretary of the CPC Fengfeng Mining District Committee; and Song Lishan, Chairman of Qiansen Group, delivered speeches respectively. Chen Zhenli, District Chief, presided over the opening ceremony. Gao Xisheng, Advisor of the Samaranch Foundation for Sports Development; Lu Jiuhai, Deputy Director of the Hebei Provincial Cycling Sports Management Center; Ma Mingting, Director of the District People's Congress; Duan Qingfeng, Chairman of the District CPPCC; Huang Changfu, Member of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee and Director of the District Party Committee Office; Wang Junfang, Deputy District Chief; and Dai Haisheng, among other leaders and guests, attended the opening ceremony.

In his speech, Niu Yingjian said that the District Party Committee and District Government attach great importance to the development of sports and tourism, vigorously promote the integration of sports and tourism as an important part of the city’s economic and social transformation and development, and have organized a series of high-level sports events and colorful public fitness activities. He stated that currently, as the district joyfully welcomes the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the event on one hand promotes public fitness and encourages citizens to engage in sports and adopt a healthy lifestyle; on the other hand, it also serves as an important platform for promoting Fengfeng externally and showcasing the city’s image and the quality of its residents.

At around 2:00 pm, the highlight of this year’s festival — the thrilling 2019 Qiansen Cup UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Professional Category 1 Race, Fengfeng Station — officially commenced. Riders from Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and other countries took part. The race route closely circled the Xiangtangshan Scenic Area, featuring multiple challenging sections such as steep slopes, continuous inclines, undulating roads, and sharp turns. As the starting whistle blew, the riders dashed out one after another, speeding back and forth through the mountainous terrain of the 2.5-kilometer Xiangtang scenic loop.

Fengfeng in September enjoys a comfortable climate and top-tier ecological environment, making it highly suitable for outdoor aerobic sports like cycling. The main venue of this event, the Xiangtangshan Scenic Area, is a national-level tourist attraction, home to the world-renowned Northern Qi imperial grottoes, the charming ancient Jixian Village, and naturally sculpted green landscapes. It not only provides a picturesque racing environment for cyclists but also serves as a great destination for tourists seeking leisure, sports, and travel.

After three hours of intense competition, the women’s elite group champions were crowned: Joyce Vanderbeken from Belgium, Aida Palacio Nuno from Spain, and Scott Davies from the United Kingdom, taking first, second, and third place respectively. Notably, Joyce Vanderbeken became the first rider in the seven-year, twelve-stop history of the Qiansen Cup UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup to win the championship four times individually, breaking the event’s record. Qiansen Group will later cast a statue in commemoration of Joyce Vanderbeken’s outstanding performance.

The men’s elite group champions were once again claimed by the Belgian duo from the previous Qiansen Cup UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Professional Category 1 stop in Aohanqi — Yannick Peeters and Arnaud Van De Wauwer — while Shida Sei from Japan made history by becoming the first Japanese rider to stand on the podium of the Qiansen Cup UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Professional Category 1, earning third place.

The 2019 Qiansen Cup UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Professional Category 1 Race, Fengfeng Station, is the core IP event of this international cycling culture festival. In 2013, Qiansen Company first introduced international cyclo-cross professional events to China. After seven years of development, the Qiansen Cup cyclo-cross professional races have grown into one of the classic branded events of the UCI. The event garnered attention from nearly 100 media outlets, achieving significant communication impact. With a wide outreach, 18 new media platforms live-streamed the event, attracting over five million online viewers, making it especially popular among young sports enthusiasts.

Aside from the professional cyclo-cross races, the 2019 China Fengfeng Xiangtangshan International Cycling Culture Festival will also feature a variety of activities, including the Qiansen Cup Cyclo-cross Amateur Open, the Qiansen Kids’ Cross Country Run Fengfeng Station, the 2nd Qiansen Cup Kids’ Balance Bike Competition Fengfeng Station, BMX freestyle performances, an International University Outdoor Music Festival, an International Outdoor Film Festival, a Primary and Secondary School Young Reporters’ Observation and Interview Team, a Bicycle Painting Competition, and a Bicycle Photography Competition. These events combine international sports competitions, performances, education and exchanges, participatory experiences, and cultural displays and dissemination into a diverse range of outdoor sports and cultural activities.

Unlike the previous festival, the organizers have specially set up an “Showcasing Fengfeng, Embracing the World” international cultural sharing session. International role models in the field of cycling are invited to engage in exchanges with local residents about cycling and its culture.

Mr. Song Lishan, Chairman of Qiansen Group, stated: “We hope to take this opportunity to promote excellent traditional Chinese culture while building a convenient bridge for communication between international athletes and the general public, allowing the people of Fengfeng to connect with the world, enabling youth to experience the diversity of sports culture, and helping them understand the spirit of sports through vivid growth stories, shaping a sound physique and character.”

In addition, a food culture corridor and creative market are also set up on-site, offering participants and visitors a feast for the taste buds and displays of intangible cultural heritage. Here, everyone can not only enjoy the excitement of cycling and the thrilling competitions but also savor the unique and long-standing food culture of Fengfeng and feel the historical charm of the area.

With the deepening cooperation between the People's Government of Fengfeng Mining District and Qiansen, Qiansen Group will leverage the local natural geography, historical culture, and social resources of Fengfeng to introduce the essence of Olympic culture, implement the national strategies of building a strong sports nation and promoting nationwide fitness, assist in the local government’s economic transformation and upgrading, explore the operational model of the Xiangtangshan International Cycling Park, conduct on-site assessments of the long-term development model for cycling and outdoor sports in Fengfeng, inspect the conditions for the 100-kilometer Xiangtangshan National Fitness Trail and the 168-kilometer Super International Trail Run, further enrich the connotation of the China Fengfeng Xiangtangshan International Cycling Culture Festival, create an industrial model for sports and cultural tourism, support the local government in formulating plans and strategies for nationwide fitness development, and strive to make Fengfeng a national model county (district) for nationwide fitness, as well as an international holy land for cycling and outdoor culture and a renowned city for sports and cultural tourism. (Editor: Guo Jiahui)