News

During the month of July, all eyes in the cycling world are focused on the Tour de France, the most important race of the year. However, overlapping with the French grand tour, 8000 kilometers away in China, a race debuts in the UCI ProSeries. It is the Tour of Qinghai Lake, which will share dates with the Tour for a week. Thanks to the time difference, however, the stages will start early in the morning and finish around 10 AM CET, so the most devoted fans won't have to worry about the overlap of both races.

The event, which had gained some international projection in the past, was canceled in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, and in the following two years, participation was restricted to Chinese riders. Now, with the inclusion of the race in the ProSeries, participation is once again open to teams from around the world, and includes teams from Spain, New Zealand, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, and Colombia, as well as national teams from China, Mongolia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Route

The route consists of 8 stages, with 3 or 4 opportunities for sprinters, while the remaining stages seem better suited for climbers. It should be noted that the entire race takes place on a plateau at over 3000 meters above sea level, so altitude will be a key factor.

Favorites

The start list features 5 UCI Pro Teams and 13 Continental Teams, and the main favorites will be found among the riders from these teams. Dylan Sunderland (200), Lucas De Rossi (200), Joan Bou (200), Andrés Camilo Ardila (200), Óscar Sevilla (200), and Jiankun Liu (200) are some of the most renowned climbers that we can find on the start list.

For the sprint finishes, José Manuel Soto (200), Timothy Dupont (200), Attilio Viviani (200), and Enrico Zanoncello (200) are some of the fastest riders in theory.

Photo: Tour of Qinghai Lake