China will join the UCI Gran Fondo World Series later this year with two new events, Gran Fondo Hangzhou Qiandao Lake in September and Gran Fondo Hainan in December.

Both events offer amateur cyclists the opportunity to qualify for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, with Hangzhou Qiandao Lake qualifying riders for the 2025 worlds in Australia. Hainan, in December, will qualify riders for the 2026 worlds planned in Japan.

Offering three opportunities to qualify for the 2026 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, Gran Fondo Hainan takes place 12-14 December 2025 on the island of Hainan. Organized by the same folks who put on the Tour of Hainan professional race, the first stage is 110 flat kilometers between Lingao and Danzhou, followed by a time trial on day two. The final stage will cover 80 mountainous kilometers, including 1535 meters of ascent, in Wuzhishan on the central southern part of the island.

Taking place just 150 kilometers southwest of Shanghai, Gran Fondo Hangzhou Qiandao Lake will kick off its 2025 world championship qualifying with a 16 kilometer time trial on Saturday 6 September, followed by a 136 kilometer gran fondo on Sunday morning.

Riders finishing in the top 25% of their UCI age/gender category at any of these events will automatically qualify to participate in the world championships – 2025 or 2026 accordingly.

Photo Credit: UCI Gran Fondo China

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