On the 10th, the 12th Tour of Qinghai Lake International Road Cycling Race featured its longest stage. Iranian rider Mirsamad Pourseyedi from the Tabriz Petrochemical Team, who had claimed the yellow jersey in Stage 3, once again emerged as the biggest winner. He secured both the yellow and blue jerseys (overall leader and Best Asian Rider), and also took the polka-dot jersey (King of the Mountains) from Haji Nazar.
The stage started at the Qinghai Lake 151 Base and ended in Tianjun County, Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, covering a total distance of 227 kilometers. There were two intermediate sprint points at 34.13 km and 69.65 km, with riders ascending both the Rubber Mountain and Guan’jiao Mountain, and encountering two Category 1 climbs at altitudes of 3,807 meters and 3,847 meters.
This stage is a classic of the Tour of Qinghai Lake, where riders not only endure the challenges of an ultra-long distance and high altitude but also enjoy breathtaking views of Qinghai Lake and Chaka Salt Lake.
At 10 a.m., riders set off in strong crosswinds, with the peloton maintaining a speed of 40 km/h. Approaching the first sprint point, four riders broke away early but were soon caught by the main group. Italy’s Bardiani-CSF rider Moreno Moser, the day’s yellow jersey holder, was the first to take the first sprint point.
Afterward, the peloton continued battling the headwind, with riders switching to the drops to adopt a low-drag position. Around the 50 km mark, Liu Biao from the Champion System Pro Cycling Team, who had won the 2011 Chinese National Time Trial Championships, surged ahead of the peloton, taking a lead of 3 minutes and 10 seconds before entering the mountainous section.
Entering the Rubber Mountain area, the elevation gradually increased, and herders along the route came out of their tents to watch the race. Liu Biao maintained his advantage and captured the first Category 1 climb. Descending the mountain, the skies suddenly cleared, and riders sped ahead at 60 km/h with the tailwind. Moser once again claimed the second sprint point.
After entering the Qaidam Basin, the rising temperature prompted riders to switch from long sleeves to short sleeves. The Iranian Tabriz Petrochemical Team began to push forward and took the lead. The peloton then re-entered the mountains, facing the day’s second high-altitude challenge. Slovenia’s Sava Team rider Matej Mugerli initiated a breakaway, with Liu Biao and Taiwan’s RTS-Monton Racing Team rider Muradjan chasing from behind.
Kazakhstan’s Astana Team rider Yevgeniy Gidich took the second Category 1 climb at Guan’jiao Mountain. The final 10 km saw extremely intense competition, with riders sprinting in a large group toward the finish line.
In the end, Moser crossed the finish line in 5 hours, 32 minutes and 50 seconds to claim his second consecutive stage victory. Spain’s Burgos BH Team rider Carlos Barbero retained the green jersey (sprint leader).