UCI Gran Fondo Hangzhou Qiandao Lake

UCI Gran Fondo Hangzhou Qiandao Lake and Xiang Lake is a first ever UCI Gran Fondo in China and organized by the Chinese team delivering logistics for the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge.

Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, is one of China’s most historically and culturally significant cities.  It is famous for the West Lake, a Unesco World Heritage site.  Marco Polo once described the city as “heaven on earth”

The time trial takes place on a 16km course on the borders of the Xiang Lake in one big loop with the start and finish located on the south side of the lake.  The course has beautiful vistas on the lake and is organized in a stunning landscape with a flat and fast course.

The 136km granfondo on Sunday has its start on the east side of the Qiandao Lake and will make a big loop around the lake before finishing back where the start had been given. 

One climb gets the label of a category 4 climb, a 1,5km climb coming after 90km.  The rest of the course is rather flat with an elevation varying from 100m to 289m above the sea.

The landscape around the lake is a mix of lakeside roads, quiet villages and lush countryside with a well paved road and feed zones scheduled after 35, 70 and 105km to have a good split of options to refuel.