Giro d’Italia RIDE LIKE A PRO Makes Historic Xiamen Debut With 77km “Pink Storm”
Thousands of cyclists gathered in Xiamen as the iconic Italian cycling experience expanded to China for the first time.
At 6:00 a.m. on June 28, the starting gun officially flagged off the Giro d’Italia RIDE LIKE A PRO China Tour Xiamen Open Race 2026 at the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center. Thousands of cyclists surged past the starting line, heading north along Island Ring Road like a pink storm sweeping across the city.
This marks the historic debut in Xiamen for the 117-year-old Giro d’Italia brand, and the first time for the city to host a world-class premier road cycling race. The 77-kilometer closed-circuit course traversed five administrative districts, seamlessly weaving together Xiamen’s most iconic coastal landmarks. Major urban thoroughfares underwent full traffic closure for a cycling competition for the first time in history.
As the ceremonial horns sounded, Xiamen took center stage. A lineup of distinguished heavyweights — including SUN Weimin, President of Chinese Cycling Association; RUAN Dunliang, Director-General of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Sports; Michele Napoli, CEO of RCS Sports and Events DMCC; and legendary cyclist Chris Froome — jointly flagged off the race. The event comprised four competition categories, bringing together professional riders and cycling enthusiasts from numerous countries and regions to compete on the same stage.
“Riding across the cross-sea bridge was absolutely exhilarating!” exclaimed XUE Fuwen from Winspace Xiamen, pumping his fists in the air as he crossed the finish line. XUE captured the Men’s Elite championship with a stunning time of 1:37:08. His teammate WANG Qiang followed closely to secure third place, bringing immense honor to the local cycling community. In the Women’s Elite category, ZHANG Tingting from Bigrock claimed the crown with a powerful sprint finish at 1:56:25.
“As a local Xiamen team, we were deeply motivated to secure this championship on our home turf. Thanks to our flawless teamwork, we made it happen,” said Wang Qiang, captain of Winspace, in a post-race interview. He expressed his hope that Xiamen will continue to host more cycling events in the future, promising that local teams will always compete with full dedication and strive for excellence.
The debut of the legendary Giro d’Italia further expands the landscape and ecosystem of high-level sports in Xiamen. Though the race has concluded, the passion remains unquenched. This romantic and exhilarating pink storm has officially added another dazzling luster to Xiamen’s golden reputation as an "International Coastal Sports City."
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Nancy Tsoi
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