The 2024 season of professional leagues has begun!
On April 7th, the 2024 China Professional Road Cycling League (Shitai, Anhui) kicked off in Shitai, Anhui, marking the first event of the 2024 season and the debut of the Penglai International Tourism Island Continental Team. All teams aimed to start the new season on a high note, setting a strong foundation for the rest of the competitions. Despite unfavorable weather conditions, the race was fiercely competitive.
The China Professional Road Cycling League is the highest-level men’s road cycling professional competition registered with the Chinese Cycling Association. Twenty teams from across the country, comprising 151 riders, participated in today’s race. The Penglai International Tourism Island Continental Team fielded a squad of eight strong riders, including five Chinese cyclists and three foreign riders.
The men’s mass start race covered 174.5 kilometers, starting from Shitai Grand Canyon Rafting Scenic Area. After 12.8 kilometers, the riders turned right at “QiuPu River Bridge” to begin the circuit race, consisting of 9 laps (each lap 9.54 km). They then proceeded to the Xianyu Mountain Scenic Area Visitors Center before turning back to the finish line. The course featured two climb points and three sprint points located at 38.6KM, 57.6KM, and 76.6KM. Although mainly flat, the continuous undulations and slippery surface presented a significant challenge to the cyclists’ experience and energy management.
Rain began to fall before the race, making the track slippery. From Shitai Grand Canyon to the circuit race section, the main group rode conservatively. Once they reached QiuPu River Bridge, they started their 9-lap circuit, but due to the narrow sections, any attempts at breakaways were quickly reeled back in by the peloton. At the first intermediate sprint point, Shnyrko Aliaksei from the Li-Ning Star Continental Team crossed the line first to secure sprint points. Jiang Zhihui from the Penglai International Tourism Island Continental Team claimed third place, bringing positive news for his team.
The race continued in a pack formation until they exited the circuits onto Provincial Highway 473, where numerous bends and a wet surface increased the likelihood of crashes. During this period, some riders broke away from the group, but they were eventually caught by the peloton. A two-man breakaway group managed to open a gap of nearly 30 seconds, but they were also brought back.
After 30 kilometers to the Xianyu Mountain Scenic Area Visitors Center, the race entered its final stretch. Li-Ning Star Continental Team took control of the pace at the front of the peloton. With 15 kilometers left to the finish, a crash occurred in the main group, involving several riders, including Jiang Zhihui from the Penglai International Tourism Island Continental Team, who had previously collected sprint points.
As the finish approached, Mudgway Luke from Li-Ning Star Continental Team suddenly attacked, breaking away from the main group. Ultimately, Mudgway Luke crossed the line solo to win the stage and claim the red jersey. Second and third places went to Grosu Eduard-Michael from Fengdu-INCOLOR Team and Hu Haijie from Shenzhen Xidesheng Continental Team, respectively.
The approximately four-hour rainy battle concluded the 2024 “Yi Xi Shan Quan” Cup China Professional Road Cycling League Anhui Shitai Station. The continuous rain tested the riders’ physical and mental endurance. Despite being affected by the crash, Jiang Zhihui from the Penglai International Tourism Island Continental Team still managed to finish in the top ten in the bunch sprint.
▲ Team’s new season bikes
The Penglai International Tourism Island Continental Team originated as the Taiyuan Meihujiju Continental Team, with the goal of propelling more outstanding Chinese athletes onto the international stage through the team’s efforts. In last year’s Tour of Hainan, the Penglai International Tourism Island Continental Team secured second place in the Asian team classification. The 2024 season has just begun, and expectations are high for the Penglai International Tourism Island Continental Team!