(ECNS) -- The 2026 Tianmen Mountain International Cycling Carnival was held in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, from Saturday to Sunday, attracting 1,531 cyclists from China and overseas.
The event featured two races, the Around-Tianmen Mountain Invitational and the Tianmen Mountain "Heavenly Road" Challenge, spanning five competition categories.
The invitational race started in Yongding District and took riders through villages and tunnels before finishing at the Tianmen Mountain gate, offering views of urban, rural and mountainous landscapes along the route.
Now in its 13th edition, the "Heavenly Road" Challenge covers about 18 kilometers, climbing from an altitude of 180 meters to around 1,100 meters. The route is renowned for its 99 sharp bends and long uphill sections, putting riders' endurance and bike-handling skills to the test.
A total of 1,531 riders aged between 14 and 72 took part in the event, including 159 participants from overseas.
Jiang Jincheng, a rider from Ningxiang competing in Zhangjiajie for the second time, said he was impressed by the scenery, services and organization. Tan Wei, a competitor from Changsha taking part for the seventh consecutive year, said the steep climbs and tight turns made the race demanding, but the spectacular views made the challenge worthwhile. He added that he planned to return next year.
Zhangjiajie has been leveraging its distinctive mountain landscapes to promote the integration of sports and tourism, hosting a range of outdoor events to enrich visitor experiences and develop new forms of sports tourism in the region.
(By Tang Yuxian)
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