Check your start time in the Prologue TT!

For all full tour long distance riders, the Prologue time trial on Saturday kicks off the 6th edition of Colourful Granfondo Yunnan Cycling Festival. By clicking on the below buttons you can now find your starting time. In most cases this reflects your prefered time frame that you indicated when signing up. Please understand if your starting time is a bit later, or earlier, than wished for. The truth is that most wanted a morning slot, but obviously not everyone can start in the morning.

The Prologue TT, dubbed “It’s Dehong Time!” is a 8.6 km individual time trial from the Kongque Hu (lake) to the Silver Pagoda. It starts with a twisty winding road around the lake (which makes aerodynamic tools such as triathlon handlebars and special TT bikes superfluous AND NOT ALLOWED) and ends with a 1.5 km uphill climb that is quite steep in the end. If you are not a climber, put on a small-enough gear for those final 200 metres!

For those who were with us last year, the silver pagoda is 300m further up than the golden pagoda. For newcomers, after your TT you are welcome to visit the golden pagoda on your way back down. Obviously, be careful when you descend and do not obstruct the participants who are still doing their race!

As last year, please remember that your starting time is 100% fixed and cannot be changed. No excuses, just be there. We do not have time for any discussion. In fact, be there 20 minutes early as you will be required to line up well in time. With almost 1000 participants and only 30 seconds interval between each rider this is for us - technical organisers - a colossal task on Saturday to ensure everything goes right! Anyone who is not on time will not be allowed to start and will get a 2 hour time penalty for the general classification of Granfondo Yunnan.

Speaking about time penalties, we cannot emphasise it enough, your bike plate must be worn IN FRONT of the handlebar and clearly visible (i.e. NOT wrapped around the stem!). Follow the instructions given in the event brochure. Read point 5 in the Yunnan-specific regulations: each infringement will cost you 15 minutes for the general classification. Also on this one: no discussion whatsoever.

The first rider will start at 8:30 am and the honour for this year will go to local rider Wang Li (王里) . The last rider will of course be the defending Granfondo Yunnan champion Myagmarsuren Baasaankhuu (aka Miga), winner of the past four editions of our event. Can he make it five this year? For once, he will be without a real team by his side. Anne Stegehuis is also back! The tall Dutch woman who struggled hard in the last few stages to take the win will be the last female starter in the TT.

The start list will also be available online very soon, courtesy of our time-keeping partners Race Timing Solutions.