The 18th Tour of Sayram Lake Road Cycling Race kicks off in Xinjiang

On May 19, 2026, the prologue stage of the 18th Sayram Lake Road Cycling Tour kicked off at the Mutetar Desert Scenic Area in Jinghe County, Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Cyclists from home and abroad gathered here, marking the grand start of this unique sports gala amid desert poplars. This competition will last seven days.

Cyclists ride along the road.

At 10:30 a.m., the starting whistle blew, and cyclists in professional gear dashed off from the start line, racing across the vast desert. Local residents of all ethnic groups gathered to cheer them on, waving colorful flags and singing and dancing amid warm cheers.

Gao Lei from Shandong Xidesheng Cycling Team shared his feelings. "There are no deserts in my hometown, so this fun, non-ranking trial ride is such a unique experience. The Mutetar Desert is stunning, and desert cycling feels amazing. I've long looked forward to this round-lake race as a big challenge, and I'll strive for great results in the competition."

Local people of all ethnic groups cheer enthusiastically.

Mutetar Desert Scenic Area sits in Tuotuo Town, Jinghe County. As a national 4A-level scenic spot, national desert park and top-tier adventure tourism destination, it covers a planned area of around 247 square kilometers.

The prologue cycling race is hosted here. Leveraging its distinctive natural scenery, it offers riders a brand-new racing experience. The event fully displays Jinghe's cultural and tourism charm, boosts integration of sports and tourism, and injects vitality into local cultural tourism development.

Cyclists ride along the road.

Cyclists ride along the road.

Kang Xue, a local villager, said, "We're thrilled to welcome so many professional cyclists here. This desert is the pride of Jinghe. It is the largest shifting desert in the Junggar Basin, famed as a desert nestled amid wetlands. We hope more visitors will come and fall in love with this vast desert land."

The prologue race took place at Mutetar Desert Scenic Area. Local influencer Dong Yi was present to watch the event."I feel extremely proud as a local seeing cyclists race across the desert. This event will help more people know about charming Jinghe and boost the desert's tourism popularity. Everyone is welcome to visit here," he said.

Cyclists ride along the road.

Cyclists ride along the road.

After over 20 minutes of racing, all 148 contestants finished the ride and collected exclusive finishing gift packs in order. Later, they explored the scenic area in groups, enjoying spring road trips, off-road vehicle rides and other fun activities. They also tasted local farm specialties and delicacies, relaxing amid stunning desert scenery.

Participating riders take a group photo together.

Gu Jianlei, deputy manager of Mutetar Desert Scenic Area Operation and Management Co., Ltd., noted that this prologue race is China's first high-standard road cycling event held in desert terrain. He expressed his pride, hoping riders could experience the desert's unique charm, share Jinghe's beauty and local hospitality. This would help more people learn about Jinghe's rich cultural tourism resource and drive diversified development of the scenic area and help nearby villagers increase their income.

Yang Ruifeng from Wanjia Sports Cycling Team shared his experience. The desert track brought a brand-new feeling. Despite strong winds, pace cars allowed riders to enjoy the views easily. He also praised the thoughtful event services and well-prepared finishing gifts including local goji berry products and souvenir medals.

In recent years, Jinghe County has leveraged the cycling event to tap desert tourism and cultural resources, upgrade supporting facilities and enrich tourism offerings. It has built a distinctive local tourism brand, drawing numerous cycling and outdoor lovers, and realized sound development via sports-tourism integration.

Cyclists sample distinctive local specialties of Jinghe County.

Athletes have a great time exploring the Mutetar Desert.　

Ma Yanqin, a member of the leading Party members' group and deputy director of Jinghe County Culture, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, said, "We have built a 20-kilometer exclusive track for the prelude race. Its main goals are to help riders adapt to the race rhythm, adjust their competitive state, and let them experience Jinghe's beautiful ecology and vibrant development through cycling."

She added that the county will take this event as an opportunity to further explore the integration of sports and tourism. Based on local unique natural and cultural resources, Jinghe will create more distinctive and influential cultural tourism events. These efforts will attract more tourists and promote the high-quality development of the local cultural tourism industry.

(The Media Convergence Center of Jinghe County)