Cyclists compete in the race.

The "XDS Cup" Tour of Shenzhen · Guangming kicked off on Science Avenue in Guangming District on Sunday, attracting nearly 500 riders from around the globe.

This premier cycling event, organized by the Chinese Cycling Association, the Shenzhen Municipal Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau, and the Guangming District Government, welcomed cyclists from countries including Israel, Belarus, Thailand, Malaysia, and Mongolia.

Sunday's event, categorized as a UCI C-level race, featured professional, elite, and mass categories. The challenging city circuit race had different distances for each category — 10 laps covering 105 km for the professionals, five laps totaling 52.5 km for the elite riders, and three laps totaling 31.5 km for the mass participants.

The race, which debuted in 2023 with 18 top-tier professional teams and was recognized among Shenzhen's Top 10 High-level Sporting Events last year, traversed iconic landmarks like the Shenzhen Science Museum (new museum) and Science Park, offering riders a scenic and dynamic experience in Guangming District.

Hu Haijie, from the XDS Intercontinental Cycling Team, secured the professional title. The young man commended the impeccable track conditions and the spectators' unwavering support. "As a member of the host team, I am very happy to win the honor for XDS," he told Shenzhen Daily.

Israeli rider Omer Goldstein, with the Shenzhen Kung Cycling Team, was the runner-up. He said, "I really enjoy the race. The roads are clean, nice, and big. The cheering fans make the atmosphere much better." Goldstein added that he will come back to China for a race next year.

Belarusian Mark Grinkevich, with the Valore Cycling Team, said is was his first race in Shenzhen. "This is also my first race in the season. I am off season two months because in Belarus it’s very cold. I like the place here — green and beautiful."