Competitive cyclists steer around stunning scenery of Lake Sayram in Xinjiang

China

Competitive cyclists steer around stunning scenery of Lake Sayram in Xinjiang

2026-05-26 20:58 Last Updated At：21:37

Competitive cyclists steered their way around the spectacular natural scenery of Lake Sayram in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region as the 18th edition of the Tour of Sayram concluded on Monday, with a home favorite fending off international rivals to take the title.

The closing 90-kilometer stage, renowned for its breathtaking scenery and competitive demand, unfolds at an average altitude exceeding 2,000 meters, with challenging winds sweeping along the shoreline of Lake Sayram in the Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture.

The finale is often dubbed the "most beautiful stage" as the event saves its best for last, with a course that inspires riders to maintain impressive speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour against a stunning backdrop.

After a hard-fought race, home favorite Hahailisi Habudeli clinched both the final stage and the prestigious overall individual title, securing the yellow jersey and fulfilling his dream to become champion.

"I only planned to follow the pack and keep my second place. But I broke away and won the stage. Winning the overall title was my dream, and today it came true. The Tour of Sayram Lake is the most beautiful race with mountains, the lake, snow, and grasslands all together. Absolutely gorgeous," said Habudeli.

The local hero was able to hold his nerve against some of international talent on display, with Russia's Mikhail Mukhin finishing in second place, and Uladzislau Yarash of Belarus claiming third.

After six grueling stages covering an overall distance of over 500 kilometers, Zachary Patterson of New Zealand earned the green jersey, which is awarded to the best sprinter, showcasing his prowess throughout the competition.

Originally a local event, the Tour of Sayram has blossomed into a premier international sports showcase, attracting cyclists from around the globe. Local officials say the tour aims to spotlight the natural beauty, cultural richness, and openness of Xinjiang to the world.

"Since 2007, the Tour of Sayram Lake has grown over 18 years into a world-class event. We will continue to use the race as a platform to build our brand, amplify its positive impact, and welcome more visitors to Sayram Lake," said Na Narengaowa, director of the Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, TV and Tourism.

China reports over 5 mln 5G base stations by end of April

China had deployed over five million 5G base stations across the country by the end of April, data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed on Tuesday.

In the first four months of this year, China's telecommunication sector continued its steady expansion along with the progress in the construction of its internet infrastructure such as 5G and gigabit optical network, according to the ministry.

From January to April, China's telecommunications businesses volume, calculated at constant prices, grew by 8 percent year on year, with fixed broadband and gigabit optical network coverage both posting solid gains.

By the end of April, the country's three major telecom operators served a total of 698 million fixed broadband subscribers, of whom 95.5 percent had access speeds of 100 Mbps or above, while 253 million were on gigabit-or-faster plans.

On the mobile side, 5G penetration continued to climb. The 5.009 million base stations accounted for 38.7 percent of all mobile base stations by the end of April, and 5G users make up 68.7 percent of the total mobile subscriber base.

Cao Jiguang, deputy director of the Technology and Standards Research Institute at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, noted that the numbers underscore a positive trajectory of China's digital consumption demands.

"China's internet consumption demands continued to expand. In the first four months of this year, mobile internet data traffic saw drastic surge, with cumulative national data usage reaching 142 billion GB, up 18.5 percent year on year. The data reflects the growing demands of internet usage across the population, and the continuously surging vitality of digital consumption on the user side," said Cao.