Traditions are there to be upheld and so Nordic Ways begins also 2015 with the popular professional China Tour de ski stage race in northern China. Six stages feature on this year’s programme in three distinct regions: Jilin, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang.
Since a few years the Vasaloppet China event in Jilin’s motorcity Changchun opens China Tour de Ski, but as last year a sprint race will preceed the classic-style long distance race. The sprint stage will also be changed and take place on the Jingyuetan golf course under the name “Worldloppet Vasaloppet China Sprint”. Indeed, Sweden’s Vasaloppet’s offspring in China is now a proud member of the Worldloppet family, which will attract more foreigners to the race. The Vasaloppet China race course has also been modified and now measures 50km or two loops of 25km.
The China Tour de Ski then moves to Xiwuqi in Inner Mongolia, a grassland location known for the Genghis Khan MTB Adventure and Grassland Marathon every July, for another sprint stage and a medium distance race. The same concept will finally also be held in the far west of China, in beautiful Nalati, which is an ethnic Kazakh prefecture in Xinjiang.
The list of participants for the 2015 edition of China Tour de Ski will be published soon. Last season, the tour was won by Adam Steen in the men’s, and Ida Lindqvist in the women’s.
