Route map of the Lanzhou circuit race, photo provided by Wang Jie.
The 12th Tour of Qinghai Lake International Road Cycling Race kicks off on July 7
The Lanzhou circuit race concludes on July 20
Daily Gansu Net-West Business News (Reporter Wang Jie): Approved by the Union Cycliste Internationale and the National Cycling and Fencing Sports Management Center, the 12th Tour of Qinghai Lake International Road Cycling Race will be held from July 7 to July 20, spanning 14 days with one rest day. It is reported that within Gansu Province, there will be 3.5 race stages, including two circuit stages, one road stage, and one finish stage.
After eleven successful editions, the Tour of Qinghai Lake International Road Cycling Race has developed into an official UCI road cycling event. Its status has been rated by the Union Cycliste Internationale as a top-tier continental race, second only to the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España. The total prize purse has been increased to 700,000 US dollars, making it the highest-level international road cycling event in China and Asia in terms of participating team caliber, prize money, and media coverage. Gansu Sports Lottery and Qinghai Tianyoude Continental Cycling Team will continue to compete as hosts.
It is reported that among the 3.5 stages in our province, there are two circuit stages, one road stage, and one finish stage. These involve four cities in our province: Zhangye, Wuwei, Baiyin, and Lanzhou.
For this edition of the Tour of Qinghai Lake, the race route design within our province has undergone significant adjustments compared to the 11th edition. The Zhangye circuit race in Stage 9 has changed from last year’s single-lap format to an urban circuit race, with each lap being 21.6 kilometers, totaling five laps and 108 kilometers. The Wuwei–Jingtai stage in Stage 10 has shifted from last year’s route via the Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway to using city and county roads, offering beautiful scenery along the way that will enrich the race experience.
The Lanzhou circuit race in Stage 13 still features the 100-li Yellow River Scenic Area as its main route. The course has been adjusted to start and finish at the International Convention and Exhibition Center, cycling along North Binhe Road to the Qilihe Yellow River Bridge before turning back. Each lap is 18 kilometers, with five laps totaling 90 kilometers. In addition, the closing ceremony of the 12th Tour of Qinghai Lake, hosted by our province, will be held on July 20 after the race concludes at the open-air stage of the Lanzhou Waterwheel Expo Park in the form of an award ceremony gala.