In a first for the National Games, the men’s individual road cycling event will take place across the three jurisdictions of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau on November 8, with a full route covering 231.8 kilometres.
At a joint press conference held in Zhuhai, officials from the three governments laid out the detailed logistics of the cross-border competition.
The event, organised by the Hong Kong leg of the Games, is heralded as the sole landmark cross-boundary race of this year’s National Games, weaving together Hong Kong, Zhuhai, Macau and the Hengqin Guangdong-Macau Deep Cooperation Zone via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge.
Huang Zhenqiu, Vice Mayor of the Zhuhai Municipal Government and Vice Chairman of the National Games Zhuhai Executive Committee, described the race as “not only an athletic contest, but as a symbol of integration among the three regions.”
The course begins at the Zhuhai Museum, concludes at the plaza outside the Planning Exhibition Hall, and traverses 55.8 km in Hong Kong, 13.5 km in Macau, 117.7 km in Zhuhai, and 44.8 km in Hengqin.
A total of 24 teams, comprising 104 cyclists, will compete. They are required to cross border control checkpoints between jurisdictions six times during the race, with plans in place to enable athletes clear borders seamlessly at speeds up to 40 km/h.
Huang added that since the trial runs, adjustments have been made to the race route, the command structure, border clearance protocols, and the cross-boundary coordination of medical and security services.
Last month, a comprehensive rehearsal was held to test system operations and interconnection across jurisdictions — the results were deemed successful, he added.
marco.lam@singtaonewscorp.com
