The 2026 China Xizang Trans-Himalaya International Cycling Race was inaugurated today with an opening ceremony in Lhasa, the capital of China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

The six-day event will take riders through the cities of Nyingchi, Lhasa, Shannan, and Xigaze, with the opening stage set to begin tomorrow in Nyingchi.

A total of 18 domestic and international teams with more than 120 riders are set to compete.

Covering over 570 kilometers across five stages, the course ranges from 3,000 to 4,000 meters in altitude.

This year's edition is the first time the Nyingchi segment of the race has been divided into two stages.

CORMAC MCGEOUGH Rider 7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines Team "I've never been to a place this high, to such a high city in my life, with mountains all around. The energy here is incredible, and I am also really excited to be part of this race. It's a beautiful race, I am looking forward to seeing the scenery along the way, enjoying the experience while remembering to breathe."

DAVID DELGADO HIGUERUELO Rider Quick Pro Team "I'm more of a climbing specialist. Although there aren't many climbing stages in this race, I'd really like to perform well, maybe by trying in other aspects. Yesterday we did some training and put in some effort to see how everything felt. The breathing takes some getting used to, but the views make it all worth it, so overall it felt really good."

CHEN YUSHENG Rider China Anta-Mentech Cycling Team "Three years ago, I raced as an amateur. Now, as a more professional rider, the competitive level is certainly not the same and so are my expectations. I'm hoping to do better in this Trans-Himalaya race than I did last time."