Speedy Xiwuqi is the new road cycling race in our 3-day festival on Saturday afternoon. With a fast course of 58km, it follows the running event in the morning. For the KOG participants, it is a test of their recovery and endurance. Riders from Mongolia have built a great tradition in Xiwuqi’s cycling events over the years, and for the first time since the covid crisis there was once again a winner from Ulanbaatar. Saikhanbileg Enkhbaatar outsprinted his compatriot Khuslen Amarbat after a four-men-breakaway from the very early stages of the race in the northern part of Xiwuqi, which was the first time our event visited that area. Striking detail: Enkhbaatar and Amarbat are merely 16-years-old! These juniors thus step into the footsteps of previous young winners such as Jamba (now riding for UCI Pro-Continental Team Burgos in Spain) and Bilguunjargal (current Mongolian road champion in the elite category).
Hu Ying was third in the race and the last rider to be dropped by the two Mongolian teammates in the final kilometres. They were initially also joined by Li Ran, which was amazing as he was riding his mountainbike instead of a roadbike! Li Ran held on until about km 40, and on his own still managed to stay ahead of the next group at the finish! The sprint of that next group went to Inner Mongolia’s Su De Er Qi.
Important for the KOG ranking was that marathon winner Mengke Wuleji lost his leader’s jersey to Zheng Changlei from Shenyang in Liaoning province. Wang Lidong, on his MTB, is just a few points behind.
In the women’s race, the victory went was expected to 2023 Granfondo Yunnan winner Li Si. She looked very much at ease on the flat roads and higher speeds, and was the only female in the front groups. She won by 8 minutes over Wang Yike and Joelly Ines from Austria. Lu Fangfang was 8th and preserved her lead in the KOG ranking.
