Cycling fever sweeps Qinghai
( 2003-08-15 09:14) (China Daily)
Cycling fever has taken over Qinghai, to the delight of residents and
visitors alike.
Wang Guozhang from
Chinese team remains the overall leader after four stages. [China
Daily] | "Greeting the arrival of the warriors" is
just one of the slogans for the Second Tour of Qinghai Lake Cycling Race, held
from August 10-17 in Northwest China's Qinghai Province.
Starting from a square at the centre of Xining, the provincial capital, more
than 100 riders from 20 teams from home and abroad are vying for the tour
championship along the 1,138-kilometre course, which covers not only Qinghai
Lake, but also the Qilian Mountains.
Tibetan woman
cheers on pasing cyclists. |
riders are on their
way to the finish line. | The annual race, which
debuted last year, will be divided into eight stages, three of which climb as
high as 3,800 metres above sea level. The riders will face a severe test of
their physical limits.
Throughout their journey, views of picturesque streams and lofty mountains
are common. Cycling on winding mountain roads, the riders will race along the
backdrop of pristine Qinghai Lake, charming tadpole-shaped Bird Island, and
boundless stretches of flourishing Chinese cabbage flowers.
The cycling race has already been adopted as an important festival by the
local people, and huge crowds of spectators of all ages line up along the road,
cheering for the passing riders. Last year, in the province with a population of
only 5.3 million, as many as 500,000 people went to watch the tour. The number
can be expected to be much higher this year with more publicity given to the
event.
Stretches of
Chinese cabbage flowers make a picturesque background for the
race. | Though it is only the second edition of
the Qinghai Lake Tour, the race has already become the second largest of its
kind in Asia, only next to the Tour de Langkawi cycling race held in Malaysia.
The Tour has been rated as a 2.5 class event by the International Cycling
Union, with the points won to be counted for in the world rankings by the
sport's global governing body.
(China Daily 08/15/2003 page9)
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