QINGHAI, China, 16 August 2018: The 17th Tour of Qingdao Lake, an annual multi-stage cycle race, came to a close last week after 13 days of adventure and competition.
The 13-stage race started in Haidong, Qinghai, and ended in Lanzhou, Gansu, covering a distance of 3,671km.
The stage race attracted 154 riders from 17 countries making it more internationally representative this year than ever.
“More than just a cycling race, the Tour of Qingdao Lake is like a grand sport event and a people’s festival,” said Gaizang Cairang, the head of the Sport Department of Qinghai Provincial government.
The organisers are striving to make the Tour of Qinghai Lake a top cycle race in an expanding Asia race circuit.
“We will bring in more professional and international support to improve race organisation, and explore more innovative approaches to strengthen branding abroad,” said the organisers’ spokesperson Cairang.
One of the projects is to create side events to allow local people and tourists to participate.To expand its global reach, the Sport Department is also considering using live-broadcast, or webcasts, for next year’s Tour of Qinghai Lake to share the highlights with sports enthusiasts worldwide.
With the Tour of Qinghai Lake growing into a major competition, its market value and influence has also increased. It was estimated that the 2018 race created local economic benefits equivalent to USD70.9 million by boosting sport, culture, and tourism industries.
