Ni Hao again from the amazing Yunnan and as promised we continue to report back from the 2018 edition of the Granfondo Yunnan organised by Beijing based company Nordic Ways.
Part of the Old Town of Teng Chong.
Nearly 1000 riders arrived here the day before the stage in Teng Chong.
The logistic of Nordic Ways have been amazing especially to move around so many riders including bikes. Jade & her team have made our transfers smooth with great communication & collaboration.
Riders were able to travel in busses and bicycles were travelling well packed in the SF Express Trucks.
The entourage of riders at the service station.
As true 101% Belgian, Kris van de Velde, race director of the event has brought to the plate for the riders an amazing 185km with a total ascent of nearly 2600 metres where included all kind of terrains.
Kris selected the route to give the riders great memories enabling them to race & ride along cobble stones, gravels section, road sections along the volcanos and amazing little villages
A bit of landslide happen recently but riders were still able to ride through.
Some of the riders were tamed by this stage that on completion this was vanished by the euphoric state & joy of accomplishment.Unfortunately due to unhealthy body state I had to return to the start just after only 30Km.Please see route file here.
Along the route stage 3
The sceneries enrolee were speechless.
The day after we travelled to Dali to do the “Lake Ride” at an elevation of 1975 metres sea level and good training practice for all of the riders living at sea level.
Certainly as soon as the start shot gun was fired the pace was hard & we were all gasping for air,but after a while it was all back to the normal riveting hard. Unfortunately we had tactic to get Tom in the top 20 of his age group,but at km 18 at a speed of over 45km/h he was pushed into the concrete trail making him flying on the side of the road with just few bruises & 2 punctured tyres.
After admiring his crash I stopped and helped him out,he was in a bit of shocked but we had amazing views to cheer him up.After that the peloton was gone and for us there was only left to ride around the lake.
Temple in the middle of the Erhai Lake.
In the evening Mark & Zhang took us out to try a local cuisine which included of an amazing fish soup ideal for our bodies.
Zhang our new friend..A great cyclist & great helper with his language skills.