The 2025 Grand Canal Cycling Series is held in Yazhou town, Hai'an, Nantong, Jiangsu province. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The 2025 Grand Canal Cycling Series (Hai'an Yazhou Station) concluded with great enthusiasm, attracting over 500 riders from more than 10 provinces in China and international participants from the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The competition featured five categories: Men's Road Youth Group, Elite Group, Masters Group, Women's Road Group, and the Public Cycling Group, catering to participants aged 18 to 65.

The 13.5-kilometer course blended modern agriculture with the natural beauty of the area. Cyclists navigated through modern industrial zones, smart greenhouses, rainbow roads, and vast wheat fields, experiencing the pastoral charm of the countryside. As they raced through lush green landscapes and along the banks of the Grand Canal, they were inspired to pursue their dreams.

Yazhou Modern Agricultural Park transformed into a cultural tourism carnival during the event. Traditional handicrafts such as paper-cutting, clay sculpture, and lacquer fans captivated the participants. Meanwhile, the agricultural market offered local delicacies such as flatbreads and goose. The cycling music concert featured impromptu performances by riders.

Canadian cyclist Cormier Jean Richard expressed his admiration: "Not only did I experience a thrilling competition, but I also had the chance to immerse myself in Chinese culture and enjoy authentic local food. Hai'an has left a lasting impression on me!"

Yang Rui, Party secretary of Yazhou town, shared that special consumption promotions were introduced for this event, including distributing agricultural product packages to the winners and over a thousand consumer vouchers to riders and visitors. This led to a 30 percent increase in local dining and accommodation revenues, with total sales reaching nearly 100,000 yuan ($13,884).