ZHUHAI, China, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Hao Ran was more thrilled by the experience of competing on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) than by his victory.
The Chinese national champion from Inner Mongolia claimed the title at the 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Road Cycling Race on Sunday, a test event for China's 15th National Games and the first sporting event to span the three regions.
The race covered a distance of 230 kilometers and lasted over five hours, with the most notable segment being the two crossings of the HZMB, the longest bridge-and-tunnel sea crossing in the world. Cyclists traversed more than 60 kilometers on the bridge alone, an experience that left a profound impact on the competitors.
"This was my first time riding more than 60 kilometers across a sea bridge," Hao said. "It was truly awe-inspiring to experience the vastness of nature. The side wind on the bridge was tough, but crossing multiple regions made it even more exciting."
Hong Kong's Vincent Wan Yau Lau, who finished eighth, found the experience particularly engaging, noting the novelty of passing through three regions in just five hours.
"Crossing the bridge and suddenly seeing Disneyland, with Hong Kong spectators cheering for us, was a feeling I had never experienced in previous races," he said.
Kok Mun Wa, head coach of the Macao team, described the race as "magical," noting that witnessing athletes cycle across the bridge exceeded his expectations. "The efforts from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao to plan such a route are evident," he said.
However, the logistics of the event presented a complex challenge, particularly regarding the entry and exit of athletes and support staff across borders. A simplified immigration system was implemented, allowing for efficient customs checks at a temporary facility near the starting point.
Herve Dagorne, a French coach for the Hong Kong team and the only foreign team member, said that his customs procedures took less than 10 minutes, with other team members experiencing even quicker processing.
Throughout the race, the governments of Zhuhai, Macao, China and Hong Kong, China worked closely to ensure smooth transitions. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government deployed six ambulances to support the event, while the Macao segment, though covering only 13.5 kilometers, drew enthusiastic crowds cheering for the cyclists.
Kok praised the organization of the event, while Dagorne, who has coached national teams in France and Kazakhstan, deemed the race's organization "perfect," expressing his confidence that next year's National Games would be even more successful.
Looking ahead, athletes and coaches voiced concerns about weather conditions during the crossing of the HZMB for next year's events. Yuan Xiong, deputy director of the Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism, and Sports, reassured participants, stating, "Based on the weather analysis over the past decade for this route and the bridge, we found that November typically presents minimal weather-related impacts on the event."
With less than a year until the opening of the Games, Yuan emphasized the importance of refining logistics and gathering feedback from athletes, judges, and support staff to optimize border crossing procedures and race routes.
The men's road cycling event will be the only competition spanning the three co-hosts of Guangdong, Hong Kong, China and Macao, China for the 15th National Games, which will take place from November 9 to 21, 2025. ■
