At 9 AM on October 19, the Jin Long Quan · 2024 Tour of Zhanghe International Road Cycling Race grandly commenced in Aifeike Town, Zhanghe New District, Jingmen City, Hubei Province—a pearl of Hubei Province. The event brought together 116 cyclists from 21 teams representing 17 countries, including Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, along with over 700 cycling enthusiasts. In the golden autumn month of October, they gathered in Aifeike Town of Zhanghe New District to embark on a cycling feast that captures the city's beauty on two wheels, igniting the land of Hubei Province with excitement.
The event is hosted by the Chinese Cycling Association, Hubei Provincial Sports Bureau, and Jingmen Municipal People's Government. It is organized by the Wushu and Winter Sports Management Center of Hubei Provincial Sports Bureau, Hubei Zhanghe Project Management Bureau, Jingmen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism (Sports Bureau), and Jingmen Zhanghe New District Management Committee. Hubei Zhangfu Investment Group Co., Ltd. and Beijing Shizhi Shanshui Culture Communication Co., Ltd. are responsible for the operation. The two-day competition, from October 19 to 20, features three categories: Men's Road Race, Men's City Circuit Race, and Mass Fitness Cycling Tour. The race route starts from Zhanghe Airport, follows along the Zhanghe Reservoir, and finally reaches the finish line at Aifeike Town. The course is dotted with pastoral scenes, orange groves, and villages, showcasing picturesque landscapes that highlight both ecological beauty and cultural richness.
The first day of competition featured the Men's Road Race and the Mass Fitness Cycling Tour. The Men's Road Race covered a total distance of 137 kilometers. From the start, participating athletes went all out, with teams closely marking and breaking away from each other. After intense competition, John Charles Carter from the CCACHE Continental Team from Australia claimed the championship with a time of 3 hours, 7 minutes, and 3 seconds. Ben Carman from the St. George Continental Cycling Team from Australia secured second place by a fraction of a second, while Sun Wentao from the Li-Ning Star Cycling Team took third place with a time of 3 hours, 7 minutes, and 8 seconds.
The Mass Fitness Cycling Tour aimed to promote leisure cycling, encouraging more people to enjoy the fun and sense of achievement that cycling brings while exploring the hospitality of Jingmen and the beautiful scenery of Zhanghe. By combining professional competition with mass participation, the event embodies both elite sportsmanship and public engagement, promoting the new concept of "Cycling for All, Fitness for All, Health for All."
This race fully integrates Zhanghe's unique lake island sports resources. The race route organically combines Zhanghe's ecological beauty and historical culture, fully showcasing Zhanghe's green mountains, clear waters, and beautiful countryside. By connecting the lake circuit road, the event merges lake island scenery and rural charm with cycling, advocating a new trend of "traveling with the race." This not only drives the economic development along the route but also adds a vibrant chapter to Zhanghe and Jingmen's eco-tourism development, beautiful countryside construction, and low-altitude economy growth, carving out a unique path for the integrated development of sports and tourism with Zhanghe characteristics.
The Jin Long Quan · 2024 Tour of Zhanghe International Road Cycling Race marks Jingmen's first international cycling event. The successful hosting of this high-level competition heralds a new era for cycling and mass fitness in Jingmen. The event serves as a vivid practice in sharing China's story, Jingmen's story, and Zhanghe's story with the world. By closely linking event development with enhancing the city's capabilities, core competitiveness, and soft power, it helps forge Zhanghe's golden brand as a "cycling paradise" and empowers Jingmen's high-quality urban development.
