The 2014 Tour of China International Road Cycling Race is set to kick off in Xi'an on the 30th. A total of 22 professional cycling teams from around the world will participate, including Denmark’s Christina Watches–DKK, the 2012 overall champion of the Tour of China.
The Tour of China is the only cross-regional international single-sport event named after China. The 2014 Tour of China International Road Cycling Race will conclude on September 14. The competition is divided into two stages, comprising a total of 13 stages. Of the 22 participating teams, 11 are from Europe, 9 from Asia, and 2 from Australia.
The race will start from the Xi'an Aerospace Base, followed by two days of city circuit races before heading to Sichuan Province. It will then traverse various terrains in Pengzhou and Dayi, Chengdu, challenging riders with difficult climbs and sprints on flat road sections, before concluding the first stage of the Tour of China along the scenic Yangtze River in Banan, Chongqing.
After a brief break, the second stage will begin in Hunan Province. This stage mainly features flat road sections, with two races taking place in Xinning, Shaoyang, and Jiahe, Chenzhou, before moving into Hubei Province. Competitions will be held in Wuhan, the ancient city of Xiangyang, and Laohekou, before transitioning to Tianjin to complete the second stage — also the final leg of the entire Tour of China.
Since its inception in 2010, the Tour of China has spanned 11 provinces and municipalities within four years, covering a quarter of China’s territory and attracting an on-site audience of over 50 million people. Following the Tour de France, Vuelta a España, and Giro d’Italia, the Tour of China has become the world’s fourth-largest and Asia’s largest international road cycling race in terms of competition days.
As the starting city for the fifth edition of the Tour of China, the ancient city of Xi’an has launched a series of promotional activities since early August under the theme “Heart for Aerospace · Cycling on the Road,” such as the “Explore Aerospace by Bike” event at the Xi’an Aerospace Base. Additionally, leveraging new media, interactive topics such as “Showcase Your Bike Online,” “Vote for Xi’an’s Top 10 Cycling Spots,” and “The One on the Backseat in Those Years” have been created on social media platforms, encouraging cycling enthusiasts to share their riding experiences and interesting stories.
According to the organizing committee, these series of events have so far attracted the attention of over 30,000 people. On the day of the race, in addition to thousands of Xi’an residents who will come to watch, cycling enthusiasts from surrounding cities and counties such as Xianyang, Weinan, and Lintong will also ride to the Xi’an Aerospace Base to take part in the “Healthy Cycling” activity.