1000 racers take part in Zhejiang Great Bay Area Cycling Open second leg in Wenzhou

Nearly 1000 athletes and cycling enthusiasts took part in the 2019 Zhejiang Great Bay Area Cycling Open second leg race on Sunday in Wencheng, Wenzhou.

The competition featured a 15-kilometer climb race for professional cyclists from 84 teams from home and abroad.

Road cyclists depart from the starting line of the 2019 Zhejiang Great Bay Area Cycling Open second leg race in Wencheng, Wenzhou on Jun 16, 2019. [Photo provided to China Plus]

Defending champion Ding Yong from Jiangsu Province crossed the line first in the men’s road competition.

"Unlike last year's route, this year’s race added a canyon feel to it," Ding said, "In fact, I didn't practice in winter, and yesterday I had a more than 30-kilometer cross-country race, so I started conservatively.”

“My physical condition was not very good, after the line my normalized power read 326 watts, and the average power was 294 watts, so today I’m satisfied.”

Individual contestant Cheng Liangqiong won the mountain bike Elite group title while Team Quick’s Wu Ning was crowned in mountain bike Masters group.

Mountain bike cyclists race during the 2019 Zhejiang Great Bay Area Cycling Open second leg in Wencheng, Wenzhou on Jun 16, 2019. [Photo provided to China Plus]

In addition, race organizers also designed a challenging 80-kilometer full route and a half route amateur race in the Baizhangji Waterfall and Flying Cloud Lake Scenic Area, which is renowned for the high elevation in altitude.

Riders who finished the whole route within eight hours or the half route within four hours were awarded special memorabilia like medals and certificates.

The Great Bay Area Cycling Open will next go to Yuyao and Ningbo in the following two weeks.

Cyclists pose for photos ahead of the 2019 Zhejiang Great Bay Area Cycling Open second leg race in Wencheng, Wenzhou on Jun 16, 2019. [Photo provided to China Plus]