Mangshi kicks off most mountainous Granfondo Yunnan ever

The 11th edition of Colourful Yunnan Granfondo Cycling Festival begins this Saturday with the first of five new stages in five different cities. Participants in the long distance category will ride 650 kilometres in total over challenging and mountainous terrain in southern and southwestern Yunnan. Despite a late opening of registration, the event was again sold out in less than 24 hours with approx 1300 people signing up for the full tour, and several hundreds more for one or more stages. 

Mangshi in Dehong will kick off the cycling festivities as the ‘peacock city’ already did back in 2018 and 2019. Then there was a short TT and a ride to the Myanmar border in Ruili, now there is a brand new 113km stage going around Mangshi and including the ascent and descent of Jiangdong mountain. Besides tea, climbing mountains is the key theme of this year’s Granfondo Yunnan , as every stage features significant elevation gain. There are no sprinter stages in the long distance category, which is entirely due to the mountainous surroundings of each host city. On paper it is therefore the most technical and toughest edition of the event, and the gold finisher certificate - for riders who complete all five long distance stages within the cut-off time - will be a hard-earned one with a considerable amount of bragging rights attached! 

Mangshi is followed by another returnee to Granfondo Yunnan, namely Tengchong. Again a brand new course, based on last year’s Epic Tengchong race organised separately. This takes riders to the beautiful flower town of Simola. Upon returning to the city centre, however, there will be a right-turn taking participants to a new section that includes the ascent of the magnificent Dong Shan mountain. A perfect road  with amazing views along the climb. 

The first two stages are spicy in their own right, but nevertheless can be regarded as a warm-up for the Queen’s Stage of this year’s GF Yunnan in Fengqing, which follows the first rest day. Fengqing in Lincang enters Granfondo for the first time.  A true mountain challenge of 156km and 3300 hm with two long ascents and descents and fantastic scenery. Lucky Dragon Mountain is first, a long climb on a rather narrow mountain road with the steepest sections in the middle. It is the most technical stage that is likely to see most DNFs of the week. 

After a welcome second rest day, stage 4 takes place in newcomer Pu’Er-Simao for a 106km long hilly ride through various big tea plantations. Perhaps the easiest stage of the week, but should still not be underestimated either as there is 1400 metres of elevation gain to be conquered. Pu’Er is the most famous tea area in Yunnan, and riders will have time to enjoy a few cups before heading to the fifth and final host venue of this year’s event: Xishuangbanna.

Popular on the backpack traveller’s trail for a long time, Xishuangbanna-Jinghong is a solid substitute for Lijiang as the event's finish venue and will surprise many who have never been there before. However, the last stage of 162km is a tough one and will test everyone’s physical and mental resilience with a rollercoaster of 2500 hm, of which the most difficult part lies in the first half. 

The event will be concluded with a podium ceremony and local performances in the city itself. Plenty of nightlife in Xishuangbanna, so if there’s something left in the legs, participants can dance the night away!

Last year, the general classification for men was won by Li Peng Chen, and by Li Si for women. The latter features again on the start list this year.