2019Qiansen Cup UCI BMX Racing Pro Grade 1 Aohanqi Station
8Month18Day,2019the 2019 Qiansen Cup UCI BMX Racing Pro Grade 1 Aohanqi Station was held with great excitement at the BMX International Race Track in Aohan Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This event was a double-header race, where riders could earn double points. Due to weather conditions, the two races were postponed to be held on18as a single-day event.
After intense competition, Kristensen Simon, ranked fourth in the world women's division, made Qiansen Cup history by becoming the first rider to win both races of an Olympic qualification double-header. In the first race, Swedish rider Simon Markert narrowly claimed the men’s title.
In the second race, world No. 1 Nick Keman fought back to successfully defend his championship. Lu Yan, the top-ranked female rider from Asia and Gansu Province, also made a historic breakthrough by reaching the women’s finals and earning Olympic qualification points.
Both international events were approved by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the Chinese Cycling Association, and organized by the Sports Bureau of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the People’s Government of Chifeng City. They were hosted by the Chifeng Municipal Sports Bureau and the People’s Government of Aohan Banner, and operated by the Aohan Banner Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau and Beijing Qiansen Sports Culture Investment Development Co., Ltd.
With an Olympic-standard BMX track in Aohan Banner, attentive race support, outstanding ecological environment, and rich local cuisine, the event attracted professional athletes from five continents. As Asia’s highest-level international professional BMX race, the Qiansen Cup UCI BMX Racing Pro Grade 1 is notable as a Tokyo Olympics qualifier, with the results from both races helping most athletes secure their place in the Tokyo Olympics finals.
The event drew nearly 100 professional riders from19countries, including the United States, France, Italy, Spain, and Australia. Ten of the world’s top ten male and female athletes appeared at the Aohanqi track. Taking advantage of this opportunity, over 30 elite domestic BMX riders also competed alongside world-class athletes, exchanging experiences and learning from the best. With high-level competition and top-tier participants, a thrilling showdown unfolded at the Aohanqi BMX International Race Track.
In the morning session, the women’s event kicked off first. Six of the world’s top ten female riders advanced to the finals, indicating the level of intensity. Surprisingly, among the elite field, Asia’s top rider Lu Yan also qualified for the finals to compete with the world’s best. At the start, within fifty meters, world No. 1 Laura Smulders fell and injured her back, withdrawing from medal contention and also from the afternoon’s second race. Subsequently, Kristensen Simon took an early lead to claim the championship. In the final straight sprint, Australia’s Sayaka Shinohara, ranked seventh in the world, dramatically overtook the U.S.’s Felicia Stancil, ranked fifth, to take silver, while Felicia secured third place.
The men’s finals that followed were no less dramatic. World champion Twan van Gendt had a poor start and did not finish the race. World No. 1 and “lane-eight killer” Nick Keman, highly anticipated, stayed neck-and-neck with Simon Markert, crossing the line almost simultaneously. After official calculation, Simon Markert won by a narrow margin of0.02seconds, taking the gold, while Nick settled for silver, and France’s Sylvain Andre, world No. 3, earned bronze.
After a short break, the second race started promptly at 2:30 PM. In the men’s finals, Sylvain Andre led through three straights and two turns. On the fourth straight, he was narrowly overtaken by the strong-finishing Nick Keman, who surged ahead in the final meter to claim the championship. Nick successfully defended his title, while Simon Markert followed to take third.
In the women’s finals, Danish rider Kristensen Simon made Qiansen Cup history by becoming the first rider to win both races of an Olympic qualification double-header. Australia’s Sayaka Shinohara once again claimed runner-up. Although Laura Smulders, who withdrew due to injury, was a disappointment, her sister Mera Smulders broke through in the second race finals to take third, easing the regret of her sister missing the podium.
To encourage local athletes and promote the internationalization of China’s BMX scene, the organizing committee continued last year’s “Best Chinese Athlete” award, recognizing the top-performing Chinese rider in the international event. Based on results, Sun Yue from the Shandong team was named “Best Chinese Male Athlete,” while Lu Yan from the Gansu team received the “Best Chinese Female Athlete” award.
It is reported that in addition to the international competitions, Aohan Banner in Inner Mongolia will also host the2019China Aohan International Cycling Culture Festival at the end of August.2019The China Aohan International Cycling and Outdoor Culture Festival will feature a variety of activities, including international sporting events, cultural sharing sessions from European and American countries, and mini off-road runs for children. The spirit of sports goes beyond spectating—allowing audiences to engage in cultural experiences and fully enjoy the charm and fun of cycling and outdoor sports.
Song Lishan, Chairman of Qiansen Group, stated that he hopes to use the2019year’s “Qiansen Cup” as an opportunity through these unique international events to build Aohan’s cultural, sports, and tourism brand, support the region’s economic and social transformation, and promote development through culture and sports—making Aohan, with its 8,000-year-old culture, an international tourist city and vibrant sports destination known for its beautiful scenery, many visitors, wealthy people, and prosperous land.