Cycling Through Golden Fields: A Shared Celebration of Sport, Beekeeping and Tourism
Pasang Lhamu
International cyclists racing through vast fields of yellow rapeseed flowers on the Qinghai Plateau brought together sport, ecology, beekeeping and tourism in a single spectacular landscape.
The second stage of the 25th Tour of Magnificent Qinghai international road cycling race was held on July 12 from Huangyuan, known in Tibetan as Tongkor, to Menyuan, or Julak.
The 225-kilometre stage included two mountain climbs and three intermediate sprint sections. As the 146 participating cyclists entered Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, they raced through long roads bordered by golden rapeseed fields.
Menyuan lies in the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province, near the Qinghai section of the Qilian Mountains National Park. Its forests, the Haomen River and mountain water systems support the region’s agriculture and ecological environment.
Hillsides and riverbank areas once affected by ecological degradation have gradually been transformed into layered fields of rapeseed. Stretching for more than 100 kilometres beneath the Qilian Mountains, the fields create a striking highland landscape when they bloom fully in July, with golden flowers, forests and snow-covered peaks complementing one another.
The flowering season is important not only for local farmers but also for beekeepers who travel to the area from different parts of China.
Li Cuifang, a 54-year-old beekeeper from Wuhan in Hubei Province, and her husband, Wang Huaping, travel each year with their beehives, following seasonal flower blooms across the country.
They begin their journey in March in acacia-growing areas around Zhengzhou in Henan Province. In April, they travel through Pingliang and Dingxi in Gansu before reaching Menyuan in late June as the rapeseed begins to bloom. When the flowering season ends, they continue towards northern Shaanxi.
A temporary metal shelter of about 14 square metres serves as their home during the journey. It contains a cooking stove, containers for collecting pollen, beekeeping equipment and a simple bed.
Wang first visited Menyuan 36 years ago. Since then, he has returned almost every summer during the flowering season. Whenever the cycling race passes through Menyuan, he stands beside the road to watch the riders.
The couple say Menyuan’s climate, water, soil and dense flower fields are highly suitable for beekeeping. Local authorities also help beekeepers find places to set up their hives and collect pollen.
While cyclists cross mountains, valleys and long roads in pursuit of victory, beekeepers travel from region to region following the fragrance of flowers. Their journeys are different, but both reflect endurance, discipline and commitment to their professions.
Gabriele Bessega of Italy’s Polti VisitMalta team won the second stage after defeating his rivals in the final sprint. He also claimed the yellow jersey as the overall individual leader.
After the race, Bessega described cycling through the golden flower fields as both a demanding competition and an enjoyable experience.
Large numbers of visitors gathered at scenic viewpoints and along the race route. Some had travelled hundreds of kilometres to witness Menyuan’s annual flowering season and the international cycling competition at the same time.
The Qinghai race extends beyond sporting competition by linking cycling with the plateau’s ecology, local agriculture, beekeeping, ethnic culture and tourism.
The eight-stage event concluded on July 18 in the Qinghai Lake area. Ecuadorian cyclist Jonathan Klever Caicedo Cepeda won the overall individual title.
The second stage through Menyuan, however, left a message broader than the race result itself. It offered a vivid example of how ecological conservation, agricultural production, the migratory lives of beekeepers and international sport can coexist within the same landscape.
