This exchange race was one of the activities of the 4th International Bicycle Touring Conference. It was organized by the Peking University Cycling Association, co-organized by the Yanqing County Sports Bureau, and received strong sponsorship and support from UCC Guangzhou Global Bicycle Company and Beijing ACANU Outdoor Products Co., Ltd. Additionally, Northwest Beijing Tourism Company provided comfortable accommodation and transportation for the event.
This exchange race is a traditional large-scale cycling competition hosted by the Peking University Cycling Association. It is the highest-specification and largest-scale mountain bike race in China specifically for university students and a grand gathering for university cycling clubs nationwide. This year’s race was held in Yanqing County, which has recently been promoting cycling tourism, and the scale was further expanded compared to previous years. Participating universities included Peking University, Tsinghua University, China University of Petroleum, Central University of Finance and Economics, Central South University, and 61 others, with over 700 attendees. To manage such a large-scale event, the Peking University Cycling Association deployed a team of over 60 staff members during the competition. Despite the rainy and cold weather on the second day of the race, the efforts of all staff ensured that the event proceeded in an orderly and safe manner.
On the afternoon of the 10th, teams from university cycling associations across the country arrived one after another and began testing and familiarizing themselves with the track in an orderly manner. The gloomy weather threatened rain at any moment, but the young riders were not worried, as racing in the rain would add even more fun. In the evening, an exchange party was held at the accommodation site, where each club showcased their unique features and essence, sharing experiences and stories. The party also featured a thrilling bicycle stunt performance by trick cycling expert Zhou Changchun, and the fixed-gear one-kilometer speed race brought the evening to a climax. After the exciting and fun competition, there was also an engaging WeChat wall activity. ACANU and UCC provided a large amount of cycling gear for the party, and the races, raffles, and WeChat wall activities drew waves of cheers.
The 11th was the official race day, featuring men’s open, men’s elite, women’s open, and team events. A night of rain turned the track muddy and slippery, and it was still raining right up to the start of the race. However, the mud and rain did not dampen the students’ enthusiasm, as they continued to pour their youth and passion into the competition. The muddy track caused many riders to lose control and fall, but most of them, regardless of injuries and covered in mud, immediately got back up and pressed on, striving for better results. The Yanqing County Sports Bureau arranged medical staff at aid stations to promptly treat riders’ wounds.
Finally, at 18:00 on the 11th, all the races concluded. The rain finally stopped, and the sun emerged from the clouds, adding a touch of warmth to the event. After intense competition, all the awards were distributed. The team from Shanxi University emerged as the biggest winner, taking home the championships in the men’s elite, women’s open, and team events. The men’s open champion was a member of the Taiyuan University of Technology team. The most exciting men’s elite championship was won by Li Shaoying from Shanxi University, who received a full-carbon custom frame sponsored by UCC Global Bicycle Store and cycling gear worth 3,000 yuan from ACANU Outdoor. Other top-performing riders also received helmets, cycling jerseys, and other gear from ACANU and UCC. After the award ceremony, university cycling clubs gathered in front of the main backdrop for group photos, creating lasting memories of this unforgettable holiday.
Through the exchange race, interactions among university cyclists from across the country were further promoted, bringing everyone together for this annual gathering. During this gathering, university students made friends with cyclists from different regions, gained cycling experience, and most importantly, everyone experienced the pure joy of outdoor cycling.
At the same time, the Peking University Cycling Association also hopes to gain social attention through organizing the exchange race, further encouraging university students to participate in outdoor sports, and promoting cycling as a low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and physically beneficial outdoor activity. According to a representative from ACANU, this event is part of the "Ride the World – ACANU Annual Partner Program" launched by ACANU in February at ISPO. This race is the second stop of the 2014 ACANU National University Mountain Bike Touring Exchange Race. Starting in May, ACANU will also collaborate with more university cycling associations in areas with high concentrations of universities, including Beijing in North China, Chengdu in Southwest China, Shenyang in Northeast China, Shanghai in East China, and Xi'an in Northwest China, to carry out national university cycling tour activities. These will include a wider variety and broader scope of cycling culture promotion activities, aiming to promote healthy and green outdoor lifestyles through such events among the target audience at universities. This will also gradually help the target consumers form a deeper understanding of ACANU, an online-created outdoor fashion cycling brand.
Below are the final results of each event: