China had scheduled a first event in the UCI Gran Fondo World Series earlier this year in March. The event had to be postponed, but the country will now also add a second event on the calendar.
UCI Gran Fondo Hangzhou Qiandao Lake and Xiang Lake will take place on the weekend of 6 and 7 September in Hangzhou. A16km time trial will be raced on Saturday on the borders of the Xiang Lake, followed by a 136km Granfondo around Qiandao lake on Sunday. The course served for the Asia Games Cycling Route in 2022 and is the last qualifier for the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships taking place in the Great Ocean Road Region in Australia in October.
UCI Gran Fondo Hainan, meanwhile, is scheduled to take place from 12 to 14 December 2025 and will count as a qualifier for the 2026 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships taking place in Niseko (Japan).
The event has a 110km flat stage on day 1 in between Lingao and Danzhou on the north side of Hainan island, followed by a time trial on day 2. The event will finish with a 80km mountain stage in Wuzhishan on the central southern part of the island with a course comprising two major climbs for a total elevation of 1535m.
With these two events on the calendar, the UCI Gran Fondo World Series is happy to be present for the first time in China.
