Wang Yonghai, who believes in “getting an early start,” is studying the route map and preparing to ride ahead.
The 151-kilometer stretch from Huzhu to Guide is the second stage of this year’s Tour of Qinghai Lake. At 3 p.m., the cyclists arrived one after another at the finish line set up in front of the government building of Guide County. After all the riders had arrived, a one-legged cyclist also showed up. With a professional road bike, helmet, and cycling gear, his legs were clearly not “standard” — nothing below the left knee, propelling the bike forward with just his right leg. Wang Yonghai, a farmer from Rizhao, Shandong, said this was a dream he had been preparing for over the years. Here, he not only received media attention but also became an idol for a group of amateur cyclists who were planning to follow the race to Qinghai Lake.
Wang Yonghai: Fulfilling a Plateau Dream on One Leg
If you were to ask which cyclist has received the most media attention in this year’s Tour of Qinghai Lake, the reporters on site would undoubtedly choose Wang Yonghai. At the finish line of the first stage, the Xining city loop, Wang Yonghai made his first appearance. The professional racing bike, gear, and helmet weren’t what caught the journalists’ eyes — it was that, unlike most riders, he pedaled forward using just his right leg. “I’ve been following this race since the first edition,” Wang Yonghai said, adding that in the past, he was most interested in watching Hong Kong’s legendary cyclist Wong Kam-po.
Unlike many of Wong Kam-po’s fans, Wang Yonghai didn’t just watch the races — he got involved himself. “At first, I watched the races on TV every year. Then, about six or seven years ago, I suddenly had an idea: a bicycle can both keep you fit and take you to faraway places, and more importantly, it can take you all the way to Qinghai Lake.” Wang Yonghai, now 42, comes from a rural area in Rizhao, Shandong. “I lost my left leg in a car accident when I was 19.” Due to his disability, Wang rarely did farm work. “I mainly made a living by driving a tricycle taxi.” Working from dawn to dusk, life was peaceful, but he says the Tour of Qinghai Lake changed his fate. He told reporters his first bicycle was an ordinary one. “At first, I just wanted to practice my riding skills.”
Most cyclists can’t beat him
For most people, learning to ride a bike is inevitably tied to falls, and Wang Yonghai said he couldn’t remember how many times he’d fallen. “I definitely couldn’t learn to ride like you guys — I had to use a wall to support myself.” He added, “My family got scared because I fell so much. The worst time, I scraped my entire left side.” Proudly, Wang Yonghai said he might have a natural talent for it, as he quickly mastered balance and could ride relatively smoothly. “Later, I rode my bike into town, and everyone was amazed — after all, I only had one leg.” That’s how he became a local celebrity. “After riding for two or three years, I finally bit the bullet and bought the road bike I have now.” The bike itself cost around 2,000 yuan, but adding a cyclometer, lights, along with a professional helmet, cycling suit, and shoes brought the total to over 3,000 yuan. “Especially the shoes — since I ride with one leg, professional cycling shoes can lock onto the pedals, especially so they don’t slip off when going downhill.”
Before coming to Qinghai, Wang Yonghai said he hadn’t ridden long distances or done any specific training. “I just rode a bit more frequently, about five or six times a week, usually covering a few dozen kilometers a day.” Over the years, Wang discovered another natural talent for cycling. “My stamina and endurance are better than those of amateur riders. I occasionally join some local cycling competitions. Despite having only one leg, no one can beat me.” He added that especially his climbing ability is strong. “Today, I followed the race for about 50 kilometers, keeping a steady distance from the back of the pack, and had no problem with the climbs.”
Riding at high altitude for the first time, Wang Yonghai said he could still adapt. “The hardest part for me now is not being able to follow the race pack freely, as the organizers don’t allow it. So, I have to follow from a distance, which is especially tiring, not as easy as closely trailing the pack.” In addition, another challenge of following the entire Tour of Qinghai Lake route is that after Zhangye, the race involves long-distance transfers. “I can’t possibly ride the entire thousand-plus kilometers of transfer routes; otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to keep up later.” Tomorrow will mark the third stage of the race, from Guide to Qinghai Lake. Wang Yonghai said he’s not a professional cyclist and can’t follow the whole way. “So I have to get an early start.” After finishing the interview, he quickly hit the road, riding ahead along the race route while the other competitors rested.
Li Mengxiang: Only Tibet Counts as a Real Man’s Journey
Before Wang Yonghai reached Guide, on the road near the finish line of the second stage of the Tour of Qinghai Lake, five cyclists in full gear were patrolling back and forth. They were members of the 221 Cycling Club from Xihai Town, by Qinghai Lake. The five riders ranged in age from 18 to around 40. “I’ve only been in this club for less than a month,” said Li Mengxiang, who just finished the college entrance exam this year. He’s been into cycling since the first year of middle school. “It was because of the Tour of Qinghai Lake — the race comes to Qinghai Lake every year, and at first, I thought the riders’ gear looked so cool. So I asked my parents to buy me a bike.”
The person who brought Li Mengxiang and the other five to Guide was the club’s leader, a plump woman surnamed An. She said she and her husband were both laid-off workers from Xihai Town. “We founded this club five years ago, investing about 400,000 yuan we earned over the years and severance pay from our jobs to buy over 1,000 bikes, which we rent out to cyclists visiting Qinghai Lake.” According to her, the entire town of Xihai has only 7,000–8,000 residents, but there are over a dozen cycling clubs, and at least a thousand people regularly engage in cycling activities. “My club alone has over a hundred members, and we organize regular rides around Qinghai Lake.”
Li Mengxiang said he had heard of the 221 Cycling Club for a while, but because he started cycling in the first year of middle school, his parents weren’t too keen on him going too far. “My parents love cycling too, but they felt they were too old for it, so when I asked to buy a bike, they basically agreed after a discussion.” He revealed that his bike was actually quite expensive, with accessories bringing the total to over 4,000 yuan. “Only after buying it did I realize it’s like owning a car — you need regular maintenance every month, and parts have to be replaced after a certain period, costing over a thousand yuan a year.”
Cycling Changes Personality
Naturally, having a bike made him want to go on longer trips. “In middle school, my parents strictly limited how far I could go. I mostly rode locally, just 40–50 kilometers on weekends.” He started cycling around Qinghai Lake after starting high school. “Every summer vacation, I’d go with classmates to ride around Qinghai Lake.” He said that because of him, many boys in his class also fell in love with cycling. “We formed a 12-person cycling team.” In Li Mengxiang’s view, aside from getting stronger physically, cycling also made him much more outgoing. “Because you meet a lot of fellow cyclists, especially when riding around Qinghai Lake, where you constantly run into people from all over the country. Just seeing their gear makes you feel instantly close.”
Of course, cycling has also brought things that, in his parents’ eyes, are risky. “Once, I went on a trip with friends and fell because the road was slippery. My entire right side got torn up, and my arm was badly scraped.” He said a friend called an ambulance to take him back. “My mom was terrified and flat-out refused to let me ride again. Later, I had to promise with my grades and swear oaths to get my bike back.”
According to Li Mengxiang’s plan, tomorrow he’ll follow the Tour of Qinghai Lake racers from Guide to Qinghai Lake. “This will be a test for us, but we won’t push too hard — our abilities are limited, and we’re not even as good as that one-legged uncle.” He said this is just a “rehearsal.” “My plan is to cycle to Tibet. That’s the real test of your cycling ability. Only after completing the Tibet trip will I feel like I’ve become a real man.”