On October 20th, the 2024 Zhanghe International Road Cycling Race concluded in Jingmen, Hubei Province, as competitors completed the final lap at the Aifike Aviation Town. Over two days, 21 teams comprising 116 cyclists from 17 countries, including Russia, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, challenged themselves alongside over 700 cycling enthusiasts in the Zhanghe New District of Jingmen.
This event focused on the theme of “Professional Competition + National Fitness,” featuring three main categories: a men’s road race, a men’s city lap race, and a community cycling activity. The road race on the first day spanned a total of 137 kilometers, testing the overall strength of the participants, while the second day’s 80-kilometer city lap race assessed their explosive capabilities.
The race attracted many top-tier cyclists from both domestic and international backgrounds. John Charles Carter, representing the Australia CCACHE Intercontinental Team, claimed victory in the men’s city lap race on the second day with a time of 1 hour, 49 minutes, and 52 seconds. Dzianis Marchuk from the Jichi-Ruibao team and Wu Junjie from the Giant Intercontinental Team took second and third place, respectively. Consequently, the title of “King of Zhanghe” for overall performance was awarded to Carter, with the CCACHE team also securing first place in the team competition. They were followed by the St. George Intercontinental Team in second and the Li Ning Star Intercontinental Team in third.
“I really love Jingmen. The city is clean and beautiful, and the people are incredibly friendly and warm. Competing here feels amazing, and I’m already looking forward to coming back next year!” said Colombian cyclist Alvaro Durate, who was deeply impressed by the hospitality of the Jingmen locals and the scenic beauty of the Zhanghe Reservoir.
In recent years, Jingmen has actively explored new development models combining “sports and tourism,” continuously promoting the integration of sports with culture, agriculture, and low-altitude economy, thereby enhancing the development and utilization of regional tourism resources while achieving a win-win situation between ecological resource protection and urban economic development.
