On July 21, the 2023 “Xiwang Cup” Mount Huangshan International Road Cycling Race officially opened. This event is an Asian Tour Level 2.2 multi day event approved by the International Cycling Federation (UCI), sponsored by the China Cycling Association, the Anhui Provincial Sports Bureau, and the Mount Huangshan Municipal People’s Government, and hosted by the Mount Huangshan Municipal Sports Bureau, the Tunxi District People’s Government, the Mount Huangshan District People’s Government, the Huizhou District People’s Government, the She County People’s Government, the Yi County People’s Government, and the Mount Huangshan Scenic Area Management Committee. It is exclusively operated by Beijing Aozhong Sports Development Co., Ltd.

The first round of Mount Huangshan has three stages, with a total mileage of 362km, passing through the famous natural and cultural landscapes of Mount Huangshan, such as Huizhou Ancient City, Taiping Lake, Hongcun, Chengkan, Mount Huangshan Scenic Area and Xin’an River. 18 teams from around the world, including 15 intercontinental teams, 2 national teams, and 1 club team, participated in this competition, with a total of 97 athletes reaching the starting line of the first stage.

On the morning of the July 21, the opening ceremony of the competition was held in the ancient city of Huizhou in She County, with Zhou Yunjie, Chairman of ORG Technology Co., Ltd., attending the opening ceremony.

At 10 a.m., the first stage of the first Mount Huangshan International Road Cycling Race officially opened. The total length of this stage of the competition is 118 kilometers, with 2 secondary climbing points and 2 sprint points on the way. The track from Shexian County to Mount Huangshan District runs through the unique countryside in southern Anhui, which is not only beautiful, but also increases the difficulty and technicality of the competition.

At the beginning of the race, multiple teams attempted to break through, and nearly 10 drivers, including Lucas De Rossi from China Huaxing Intercontinental Cycling Team, launched an attack on the first climbing point. With De Rossi being the first to pass the climbing point, the number of breakout group members stabilized at 11. The first sprint point along the way was passed first by Mongolian driver Qiangba from the Dinganu Intercontinental Team in the breakout group. At the second climbing point, the two breakthrough riders gradually retreated to the main group, and the 9 members of the breakthrough group maintained a leading advantage of more than 2 minutes. De Rossi made persistent efforts to secure the top spot of the second climbing point, locking in the first climbing king polka dot shirt; the second sprint point on the way was won by Jiang Zhihui from the Li Ning Star Intercontinental Team, demonstrating his good sprint form.

The main group intensified their pursuit in the second half of the competition, but in the final 20 kilometers, the main group split and 7 people emerged from the big group, reducing the time difference with the leading group to about a minute and a half.

In the end, the stage champion was born out of the 9 people who broke through. Jiang Zhihui, the local famous player of Li Ning Star Intercontinental Team, sprinted to defeat Julian Tralio, the French driver of Huaxing Intercontinental Team, and made a good start to the first round of Mount Huangshan! Christian Lelianu of the Hengxiang Intercontinental Team finished third.

After the first stage, Jiang Zhihui took on three honorary shirts: the total yellow shirt, the sprint points green shirt, and the best blue shirt in Asia. De Rossi of Huaxing Intercontinental Team won the climbing king polka dot shirt with the first place in two climbing points.

Tomorrow’s race is from Mount Huangshan District to Yixian County, with a total length of 101 kilometers, including two climbing points and two sprint points on the way. The first grade climbing point at the 81st kilometer is the key to the race. Stay tuned!