NANNING, China, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Belgian rider Lionel Taminiaux from Lotto-Dstny won the opening stage of the 2024 Tour of Guangxi which officially kicked off on Tuesday in Fangchenggang, a port city in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The first stage featured a circuit race, with both start and finish lines set at the scenic Beibu Gulf Marine Culture Park. Competitors covered a distance of 149.4 km, which included two designated intermediate sprint points along the route.

After clocking an impressive time of 3 hours, 17 minutes and 58 seconds to take an early lead, Taminiaux credited his team's strategy for positioning him perfectly for the finish, and expressed his eagerness to maintain that momentum as the race progresses.

As the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Tour event, this year's Tour of Guangxi has introduced significant changes in both course design and competitive challenges. The six stages span a total of 1,021.8 km, highlighting the stunning geography and rich cultural diversity of Guangxi. The revamped route emphasizes mountainous and hilly terrains while scaling back flat sections, posing a greater test to the riders' endurance and climbing skills.

The six-day event has attracted a total of 19 elite teams, including Visma-Lease a Bike, UAE Team Emirates and Intermarche-Wanty. Enditem

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