Tour of Magnificent Qinghai 2026 Stage 2 | BESSEGA Gabriele Wins in Menyuan to Take the Yellow Jersey
- Cassie Lyu
- Jul 12
- 3 min read
Menyuan, Qinghai, China, July 12 – BESSEGA Gabriele (Team Polti VisitMalta) claimed victory on Stage 2 of the 2026 Tour of Magnificent Qinghai with a powerful bunch sprint in Menyuan, moving into the lead of the ICBC General Classification and taking the Yellow Jersey.
Leader Jerseys after Stage 2
ICBC General Classification (Yellow Jersey): BESSEGA Gabriele (Team Polti VisitMalta)
Jinhui Liquor Points Classification (Green Jersey): MANENTI Marco (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber)
Mountains Classification (Polka Dot Jersey): CAICEDO CEPEDA Jonathan Klever (Wheeltop Rotor Chengdu Team)
Peak Best Asian Rider Classification (Blue Jersey): BATSAIKHAN Tegshbayar (Roojai Insurance Winspace)
Stage 2, the Jinhui Liquor Huangyuan–Menyuan Stage, covered 225 kilometres from the historic Dan'gar Ancient Town in Huangyuan to Menyuan. The stage featured two Category 1 climbs and three intermediate sprints. Racing got underway under cloudy skies with temperatures around 14°C, as 146 riders rolled out for the second-longest stage of this year's Tour.
The race headed straight onto the ascent of Beishan Yakou, where the peloton set a fierce pace. Stage 1 winner and Yellow Jersey holder SALBY Alexander (Li Ning Star) was dropped early on the climb, followed shortly by Polka Dot Jersey wearer PAJUR Markus (FNIX–SCOM Hengxiang Cycling Team). As the bunch split near the summit, CAICEDO CEPEDA Jonathan Klever (Wheeltop Rotor Chengdu Team) crested the first Category 1 climb ahead of AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon (Euskaltel–Euskadi) and RODRIGUEZ MARTIN Cristian (XDS Astana Team).
After the climb, the three leaders were joined by BRACALENTE Diego (MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort), TERCERO LOPEZ Fernando (Team Polti VisitMalta) and AGUIRRE CAIPA Hernan Ricardo (Qinghai Tianyoude Hotel Cycling Team) to form the day's decisive breakaway. With RODRIGUEZ MARTIN Cristian spent much of the breakaway driving the pace, the six riders steadily extended their advantage to more than one minute as the peloton settled into a controlled chase. Meanwhile, a group of around 20 riders, including SALBY Alexander, trailed the main peloton by more than three minutes.
Working smoothly together, the breakaway increased its lead to over three minutes. CAICEDO CEPEDA Jonathan Klever claimed maximum points at the first intermediate sprint, ahead of AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon and TERCERO LOPEZ Fernando. As the race entered Menyuan County, the riders passed through the region's iconic rapeseed flower fields, one of Qinghai's signature summer landscapes.
The breakaway reached the second Category 1 climb at Baha Daban with an advantage of more than three minutes. AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon took maximum mountains points, followed by CAICEDO CEPEDA Jonathan Klever and RODRIGUEZ MARTIN Cristian. With the peloton maintaining a measured pace, the gap briefly stretched to four minutes, placing AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon in the virtual lead of the General Classification. CAICEDO CEPEDA Jonathan Klever also won the second intermediate sprint to further strengthen his lead in the Mountains Classification.
Inside the final 70 kilometres, the breakaway gradually began to lose momentum as the peloton increased the pace. Sensing the pressure from behind, AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon attacked from the leading group in a solo move, while his former breakaway companions were reeled in one by one. His determined solo effort came to an end with 42 kilometres remaining.
At the final intermediate sprint, FERNANDEZ GARCIA Samuel (Caja Rural–Seguros RGA) took maximum points before immediately launching a late attack. The Spaniard held a slender advantage until just 400 metres from the finish, when he was finally caught by the charging peloton. XDS Astana Team and Team Polti VisitMalta then led out the sprint, with BESSEGA Gabriele producing the strongest finish to claim an emphatic stage victory and move into the overall race lead.
"My teammates did a perfect lead-out for me in the final sprint, and I was feeling really good today. When the bunch sprint started, I believed I had a chance to win. To actually take the victory is an incredible feeling."
Speaking about the stage itself, he added:
"It was a stage that suited me quite well, and I really enjoyed it. It was challenging, but I gave everything I had, and I'm very happy to come away with the win."
Racing continues on July 13 with Stage 3 – ICBC Menyuan–Huzhu. The stage includes one Category 1 climb, one Category 2 climbs and three intermediate sprints, with two major climbs inside the final 40 kilometres expected to provide the first significant test for the General Classification contenders.
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