MENYUAN, China, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Denmark rider Alexander Salby of the Li-Ning Star Team won the 220-km third stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai in 5 hours 31 minutes and 53 seconds here on Tuesday in the chilly rain.
Swiss rider Simon Pellaud, also from the Li-Ning Star Team, who claimed the Polka Dot Jersey as the best climber in the grueling 151-km second stage on Monday, successfully defended glory in Tuesday's third stage.
The third stage from Huzhu to Menyuan, one of the top 10 Chinese beautiful counties famous for its hundred-mile rape flower fields, includes a challenging 34.3-km opening climb from 2,500 meters to 3,485 meters above sea level.
Pellaud broke away early, aiming for the Polka Dot Jersey. Answering a question about whether he doesn't like cycling in a peloton, Pellaud joked, "I don't like it."
Talking about the beautiful flowers along the route, Pellaud said, "I enjoy the landscape. Today, there are many more flower fields in my view. The feel was super nice, especially when I was alone in the front."
Salby, 27, regarded the rain as a normal thing, saying, "For me, it's OK. It's just cold. I need to put on a jacket. I feel confident in the race."
"There was a fog on the downhill, but it was a necessary risk you have to take. You need to pay attention to the race all the time to avoid a crash," the Dane added.
Both Salby and Pellaud vowed to play all out for the Li-Ning Star Team, as it is one of the host teams in the tour.
Spain's Manuel Penalver of Team Polti VisitMalta, who won the first stage with his brilliant sprint, finished second in the third stage and claimed the Green Jersey as the day's top sprinter.
Uruguay's Guillermo Thomas Silva, who grabbed the Yellow Jersey from Penalver after winning the second stage, kept topping the general individual classification with a cumulative time of 11:39:23.
Iran's Saeid Safarzadeh of the Tianyoude Hotel Cycling Team, who was awarded the Blue Jersey as the stage's best Asian rider on Monday, maintained the honor in the third stage.
Safarzadeh said that "the Blue Jersey has been kept by our team after three stages. We will try to keep it through cooperation."
Formerly known as the Tour of Qinghai Lake, the event was rebranded this year as the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai. Since its inception in 2002, it has become one of Asia's premier high-altitude road races, known for its diverse terrain and average elevation of 3,000 meters.
The 2025 edition includes eight stages totaling 1,400 kilometers and features more than 150 professional riders from 11 countries and regions. The race runs through July 13.
Wednesday's fourth stage covers 172.5 kilometers from Menyuan to Qilian without steep ascents, but the highest point - Jingyangling Yakou - reaches 3,767 meters above sea level. ■