Zigong wraps up cycling events, enhancing sports city profile

The Volant Aerotech 2026 China Cycling Super Game, featuring the Zigong Stage of the 2026 China Road Pro Cycling League and the Second Tour of Zigong Cycling Race concluded in Zigong, Sichuan province, on Aug. 8, bringing together professional cyclists and cycling enthusiasts in a celebration of speed, competition and urban tourism.

The events adopted an innovative dual-track model combining elite-level competition with mass recreational cycling, integrating competitive sports with cultural tourism and fitness activities. The approach is designed to promote the integrated development of sports, culture and tourism while further establishing Zigong as a distinctive destination for cycling and outdoor sports.

The events were jointly organized by the Chinese Cycling Association, the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Sport and the Zigong Municipal Government. They attracted 20 top domestic professional teams, more than 100 professional cyclists and over 1,000 cycling enthusiasts.

The professional race featured a 150.8-kilometer circuit starting and finishing at Zigong Nanhu Sports Center and passing through four urban areas — Ziliujing district, Gongjing district, Yantan district and the High-Tech Zone. The course linked major urban roads, lakeside ecological corridors and rural stretches on the outskirts of the city.

Making use of Zigong's distinctive rolling terrain, the course included successive gradual climbs, functional uphill sections, high-speed bends and dedicated sprint sections. The varied terrain tested riders' endurance, climbing power and bike-handling skills while creating room for a range of racing tactics, including breakaways, chases and sprint finishes.

The race also showcased Zigong's urban landscape and cultural heritage. Known as the "Millennium Salt City," the "Home of Dinosaurs" and the "City of Lanterns," Zigong combines its salt-making, dinosaur and lantern cultures with scenic attractions and outdoor recreation facilities. Its relatively gentle terrain and extensive network of cycling routes provide favorable conditions for road cycling and other outdoor activities.

After the start, riders immediately launched a fierce battle, with repeated breakaways, chases and positioning contests. The narrow, winding roads in the Jianshan Mountain Scenic Area proved particularly decisive, helping a leading group gradually emerge at the front of the peloton.

Although the breakaway group never built a substantial gap over the main field, it managed to maintain an advantage of around 1 minute and reached the finish ahead of the peloton.

In the final sprint among the leading riders, the Fnix-Scom-Hengxiang Cycling Team held a numerical advantage. Markus Pajur ultimately won the stage, with teammate Benjamin Dyball sacrificing his own chances to lead him out for the sprint, finishing fifth himself.

Looking ahead, Zigong plans to further develop its cycling event brand and upgrade its dual-track model of elite competition and mass participation. The city also aims to expand its range of outdoor sports activities and enrich offerings that integrate sports, culture and tourism, strengthening its reputation as a city of sporting events.