UCI Women's WorldTour 2024 - Tour of Chongming Island kicks off

The highly anticipated UCI Women's WorldTour 2024 - Tour of Chongming Island kicks off on Oct. 15, 2024. Eighteen teams from around the world and 108 professional cyclists will compete over a total distance of 349.3 kilometers.

During the three-day race, competitors will cross 17 townships in Chongming District, passing through characteristic landmarks and beside scenic spots such as the Yangtze River Bridge, Changxing Island Country Park, Lotus Expo Park, Mingzhu Lake Park and Shanghai Sports Training Base.

The racers will be immersed in the achievements of Chongming Ecological Island construction, where they can appreciate the beauty of Chongming's countryside, ecology and culture, and feel the warmth and hospitality of the Shanghai people.

The UCI Women's WorldTour 2024 has 27 stops worldwide, including 13 multi-day events in France, Spain, Italy, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

The Tour of Chongming Island remains the only women's multi-day tour in China.

"The Tour of Chongming Island is an international A-class event in China. It is of the same 2.WWT level as the famous Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and La Vuelta cycling races," said Feng Baozhong, vice chairman of the Chinese Cycling Association.

In the three-day competition, the first stage is the Chongxi Stage, covering a total distance of 108.9 kilometers; the second stage is the Chongdong Stage, with a total distance of 129 kilometers; and the third stage is the Chongzhong Stage & City Circle Race, with a total distance of 111.4 kilometers, Feng said.

"Among the cyclists, there are six national champions, 16 women's stage champions and 12 event champions. The 2023 team overall champion Roland and the UAD team represented by the 2023 individual overall champion will continue to compete this time," Feng told Shanghai Daily.

Luo Wenhua, deputy director of Shanghai Sports Bureau, introduced the preparation and the characteristics of this year's event.

"This year's race still highlights the natural environment and ecological advantages of Chongming. Crossing the Yangtze River Bridge, Chenjia Town Bicycle Theme Park, Shanghai Sports Training Base, Dongtan Wetland Park and Xisha Mingzhu Lake Scenic Area, the event showcases the new achievements of Chongming's world-class ecological island," he said.

This year's event will present four major highlights, Luo added.

Firstly, the event coincides with the end of the National Day holiday, and the popularity of "sports plus tourism" during the holiday week will continue to be promoted.

Secondly, Amateur elite competitions will be conducted prior to the main event, adhering to the standards of professional competitions, with the aim of promoting the development of cycling.

Furthermore, multi-channel interactive and integrated communication will be adopted to enhance news coverage and generate a vibrant atmosphere for the event.

Last but not least, by integrating culture, sports, business and travel as the competition's organizing model, the event will offer a rich and diverse array of supporting activities, providing a wonderful experience for everyone involved.

In the opinion of Chongming District Director Li Jun, The Tour of Chongming Island -- UCI Women's WorldTour 2024 is one of the concrete measures to implement and carry out the "Chongming World-class Ecological Island Development Plan Outline (2021-2035)" and the "Shanghai Sports Development Regulations."

In recent years, Chongming has been committed to advancing green ecology, sustainable production, and lifestyle greening, crafting a national ecological civilization calling card. It has set a benchmark for green development within the Yangtze River region and propelled the growth of its sports industry through the event economy and the stimulation of sports consumption.

Li said that Chongming has a flat terrain, superior ecology and favorable climate, making it an ideal location for cycling.

In an ongoing effort to enhance its cycling infrastructure, Chongming is developing a high-standard leisure bicycle greenway with a layout described as "one ring, five circles, 15 longitudes and multiple spots," as well as a "bicycle town" in Chenjia Town. These initiatives aim to provide the public with outdoor spaces that seamlessly blend cycling with tourism, sightseeing, leisure and entertainment.

Public cycling events, such as the Yangtze River Delta Island Elite Race, Island Cycling Tour and Dongtan Cycling Festival, are held every year, forming a distinctive and widely influential brand image of cycling sports.

The "Everyone Can Bike" program is carried out in all primary schools in Chongming, aiming to instill in students the principles of low-carbon living and green travel, and to nurture talent in cycling.

Source: The Organizing Committee of UCI Women's WorldTour 2024 - Tour of Chongming Island