Qinghai-Tibet International Highway Cycle Track OpenedThe first Qinghai-Tibet International Bicycle Race began at 9:00 August 29 in Xining City. Bai Ma, vice-governor of Qinghai Province, Cai Jiadong, chairman of Chinese Cycle Association and Yan Bin, general manager of Beijing Jiuyuan Industry Development Co Ltd, attended the opening ceremony.At the sound of the starter's pistol, 45 cyclists from China and overseas began the first 100-kilometer leg toward Riyue Mountain, 3,570 meters above sea level. During the entire leg, the South African team was the strongest. Its team members were in the first five throughout the race and one South African cyclist set the record of 2:10:39. Zhang Hao from the Tianjin team caught up with one South African in the last five kilometers and came in sixth with a time of 2:13:12. South Africa came in first as a group in the first leg, Korea second, and the team from Tianjin third. The second leg of the race will be August 30. It is an eighty kilometer leg from Qinghai Lake to Heima River. |
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