QUANZHOU, China, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The three-day 2016 Maritime Silk Road Ring of Quanzhou Bay International Road Cycling Race came to a successful conclusion in Quanzhou, a coastal city in southeast Fujian province, China, on October 16, 2016. Stalnov Nikita, a professional cyclist from the Astana Continental Team, won the race and sported the yellow jersey. Wang Xin from the Hysport Look Continental Team clinched the "Best Climber" title. Mauricio Ortega, riding for RTS - Monton Racing, was awarded the "Best Sprinter" title. The Astana Continental Team won the race as a professional cycling team.
As the sole top international competition around the world that is meant to celebrate the Maritime Silk Road culture and the highest-level single sports event that has ever been held in Quanzhou, the three-day, 337-kilometer, event was divided into three stages, with the first following a course through environmentally protected areas, the second following a route around Quanzhou Bay and the third following a route around the city of Quanzhou.
In addition to the professional hobbyists in the race, nearly 10,000 riding hobbyists participated in the second stage of the race, on October 15, 2016, and were able to experience the thrill that the professionals feel when they join such a competition. The hobbyists were led by Gong Jinjie, the first Chinese cyclist to win an Olympic gold medal, and Xu Zhihua, CEO of Peak Sport Products.
Gong Jinjie said, "By leading this ride, I have gotten a new understanding of Quanzhou, a Chinese city which has been crowned an 'East Asia Cultural City' and where the Maritime Silk Road starts. With plenty of historic sites , the ancient city is set to become a paradise for riding fans."
This year's race was managed by Peak Sport, a Chinese company focusing on the production of sporting goods. The company, by taking on the management role for the competition, see its participation as a critical step towards the company's transformation from a sports product manufacturer into a full-fledged sports industry group.
