On October 18, the 2nd Tour of Guizhou Park Province International Road Cycling Race (Bijie) started in Huawu Village, Qianxi. Twenty-two professional teams with athletes from 24 countries including China, Ireland, Belarus, Malaysia, Canada, Estonia and the United Kingdom took part in the competition.
As the starting gun fired, the peloton surged out from Huawu Square like a colourful river, winding along the undulating mountain route. Riders hunched low over their handlebars and pedalled at full tilt. Teams kept shifting tactics, with pace-setting, wind-breaking, attacks and chases unfolding one after another. Athletes gritted their teeth and sprinted hard, demonstrating the perseverance and competitive spirit of professional cyclists.
Warm cheers echoed all along the route. Local residents from villages and market towns lined the roads well in advance, waving national flags and capturing brilliant moments on their phones. Ethnic minority villagers watched the race in distinctive traditional costumes, with cheers and shouts of encouragement rising and falling. Gray-haired elders and young children alike waved warmly, cheering for international riders from afar in the most heartfelt way.
As a top-tier core road cycling IP independently developed by Guizhou Province, the 2nd Tour of Guizhou Eco-Province International Road Cycling Race carries the theme “Ride for a Thousand Li across Guizhou, Carry on Cycling Forever”. Over its 11-day race schedule, the event crosses all nine prefecture-level cities and autonomous prefectures of Guizhou, weaving together landscapes, culture, featured industries and urban-rural development. It features a highly challenging mountain course stretching 1,205 kilometres in total, with a cumulative elevation gain of 18,135 metres. Among the segments, Stage S2, the Bijie Gastrodia Leg, starts at Huawu Square on the Wujiang River Source Hundred-Mile Gallery, passing through Xinren Township, Daguan Town, Lühua Township, downtown Qianxi and Linquan Town in Qianxi before finishing at Fangjiaping Scenic Area in Baili Azalea. This stage runs approximately 119 kilometres in total, of which the Qianxi section, the core part of Stage S2, spans roughly 71 kilometres.
Using cycling as a bridge, the event showcases Qianxi’s natural scenery, ethnic culture and achievements in urban and rural development, allowing global riders to experience the unique charm of Qianxi while racing. More than a high-level international sports event, it serves as a vital window to display Qianxi’s ecological beauty, cultural heritage and development vitality. It empowers cultural and tourism development through sports and fosters deep integration of “sports, cultural tourism and industries”.
