On August 27th, the 2024 15th Tour of Hainan International Road Cycling Race, sponsored by XDS, will commence, drawing the attention of cycling enthusiasts worldwide to this grand cycling feast. On the picturesque tropical island of Hainan, a thrilling race is about to unfold.

This event, classified as UCI2.Pro, encompasses five stages: Qionghai to Qionghai, Qionghai to Lingshui, Lingshui to Wuzhishan, Wuzhishan to Changjiang, and Changjiang to Sanya, covering a total of 810.5 km.

The first stage, a circuit race in Qionghai City, covers 95.6 km and includes one intermediate sprint and one category 4 climb, making it a flat sprint stage.

The second stage, Qionghai to Lingshui, spans a total of 178.9 km, including two intermediate sprints and one category 2 climb. The overall difficulty is not high, and it will ultimately end in a group sprint finish.

The third stage from Lingshui to Wuzhishan has always been one of the most exciting stages of the Tour of Hainan. This stage includes two intermediate sprints, two Category 1 climbs, and two Category 3 climbs, making it a must-win stage for general classification riders.

The fourth stage from Wuzhishan to Changjiang requires riders to cross three mountains and challenge three Category 1 climbs, which will greatly affect the general classification.

The fifth stage from Changjiang to Sanya is relatively easy, and the riders will have a sprint battle in Sanya to determine the various honor jerseys.
The total prize money for this year's event is $300,000, with 21 teams from around the world and approximately 140 participants. The participating teams include 1 WorldTour team - Astana, 5 professional teams including Burgos-BH, Cortic, Kern Pharma, Bardiani, and Novo Nordisk, and 15 continental teams including Saint Michel, Medellin, Volkenburg Parkhotel, Frøy, Roubaix-Lille Métropole, China Glory Mentech, St George, Hengxiang, Tarteletto-Isorex, Terengganu, Li Ning Star, Wuzhishan 1867, and Shenzhen Xidesheng.

In the men's road race at the Paris Olympics, Chinese rider Lü Xianjing was the only participant from China to finish the race, achieving the best result for Chinese road cyclists in 32 years. In this edition of the Tour of Hainan, Lü Xianjing will lead the China glory team to compete. Lü Xianjing has also made history in the Tour of Hainan; in 2018, he won the titles of "King of the Mountains" and "Best Asian Rider" in the 13th edition. Let's look forward to his performance in this year's race.

From the Medellin team in Colombia, the 47-year-old veteran Oscar Sevilla, who won the overall championship in the 2023 Tour of Hainan, will participate in this year's race again. Whether this passionate rider can defend his title is worth watching.

The Astana team is the only World Tour team participating in this race. Since its establishment in 2006, the Astana team has continued to grow and has performed brilliantly in the UCI World Tour, producing many star riders such as Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali, and Fabio Aru, who are well-known names among cycling fans. These riders have not only earned the team great honors but have also become beacons of inspiration for future generations with their extraordinary athletic performance and resilient spirit. The team's superstar rider, Mark Cavendish, has won 35 stages in the Tour de France, showcasing the strength of the entire Astana team.
When asked about the challenges the Astana team might face in this edition of the Tour of Hainan, Italian young rider Alessandro Romele, who is participating in a race in China for the first time, responded confidently: "Everyone is familiar with the Astana team. We must understand that we are a World Tour team, so every rider on the field wants to compete with us and beat us. Therefore, we are facing a different kind of race than before. However, I believe we have a very strong team, and we will do our best in the upcoming 5-day race."
Another rider from Eritrea, Henok Mulubrhan of the Astana team, has shown a steady attitude. He stated: "We will take each day of the race seriously. Our team has both sprinters and general classification riders, so we will strive for every opportunity day by day. We are here to win."
On August 27th, the 2024 15th "XDS Cup" Tour of Hainan International Road Cycling Race is about to kick off. What kind of sparks will the various teams create? Let's look forward to it together!