海拔最高的環(huán)湖自行車賽

馬小明 楊鵬 張夢(mèng)澤

2023 年7 月8 日至16 日，第22 屆環(huán)青海湖國(guó)際公路自行車賽（簡(jiǎn)稱“環(huán)湖賽”）順利舉行，并完美收官。

From July 8th to 16th， 2023， the 22nd QinghaiLake International Road Cycling Race， also known asthe “Tour of Qinghai Lake，” was held and concludedsuccessfully.

自2002 年起，每年的6 月至8 月間，“環(huán)湖賽”在青海省的環(huán)青海湖地區(qū)和鄰近的甘肅省及寧夏回族自治區(qū)舉辦。第22 屆“環(huán)湖賽”，是升級(jí)為國(guó)際自行車聯(lián)盟（UnionCycliste Internationale，UCI）職業(yè)系列賽后的首屆比賽。相較于過去的比賽，本屆賽事的規(guī)模與獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)都有所提升。因此，比賽得到了更多的關(guān)注，吸引了13 個(gè)國(guó)家和地區(qū)的22 支隊(duì)伍（共計(jì)154 名運(yùn)動(dòng)員）前來(lái)參賽，其中包括5 支職業(yè)隊(duì)、14 支洲際隊(duì)和3 支國(guó)家隊(duì)。

Since its inception in 2002， this race has been afixture on the calendar between June and August. Itprimarily unfolds around Qinghai Lake， extendinginto the neighboring provinces of Gansu and theNingxia Hui Autonomous Region. This year markeda significant milestone as it attained professionalevent status recognized by the Union CyclisteInternationale （UCI）. This upgrade led to a largerscale and more substantial rewards and， in turn，increased attention. A total of 22 teams， comprising154 athletes from 13 countries and regions，including 5 professional teams， 14 continentalteams， and 3 national teams， competed in the race.

“環(huán)湖賽”向來(lái)以其“高難度”而聞名。這是世界上海拔最高的國(guó)際性公路自行車賽，具有高海拔、長(zhǎng)距離、多爬坡、低氧環(huán)境等特點(diǎn)，使比賽具有極高的挑戰(zhàn)性。比賽共分為八個(gè)賽段，總距離為1 384 公里，賽段總長(zhǎng)度為1 294 公里。比賽路段平均海拔在3 000 米以上，最高點(diǎn)位于大冬樹山埡口，海拔為4 120 米，沿途落差高達(dá)1 800 米。這些極端條件，對(duì)運(yùn)動(dòng)員的體能和毅力而言，都是極其巨大的挑戰(zhàn)。

The race is renowned for its high level ofdifficulty. With its challenging combination of highaltitudes， extensive distances， steep hill climbs，and low-oxygen environments， it stands as one ofthe most demanding international road cyclingcompetitions. The race spans eight stages， coveringa total distance of 1，384 kilometers and aggregatelengths of 1，294 kilometers. Cyclists contend withan average altitude of over 3，000 meters， reachingthe race’s highest point at the Dadongshu MountainPass at 4，120 meters. Throughout their journey，they encounter elevation differences of up to1，800 meters. These harsh conditions push theirendurance and resilience to the utmost limits.

賽場(chǎng)上，身穿各色隊(duì)服的自行車賽手們，緊握車把手，俯下身子，雙腳發(fā)力，有節(jié)奏地蹬著踏板。他們?yōu)榱藰s譽(yù)，也為了自我超越，在賽道上你追我趕，破風(fēng)騎行。他們一次次技巧的展現(xiàn)、一次次策略的博弈、一次次意志的碰撞，點(diǎn)燃了全場(chǎng)觀眾的熱情。經(jīng)歷了八天上千公里的精彩角逐，最終，來(lái)自意大利巴迪亞尼車隊(duì)的81 號(hào)車手穆魯布蘭（Muluebrhan Henok）鎖定了總成績(jī)第一的位置。在賽后接受采訪時(shí)，他說：“今天的比賽在后程時(shí)很困難，最后一公里的時(shí)候我很努力地追趕，我很開心能夠獲得黃衫（第一名）。除了平時(shí)要進(jìn)行刻苦的訓(xùn)練，團(tuán)隊(duì)協(xié)作也是非常重要的。我覺得賽事組織得很好，也很有高海拔體育的競(jìng)技特色，有機(jī)會(huì)我還會(huì)來(lái)參加?！?/p>

On the racetrack， cyclists donning an array ofjerseys firmly grip their handlebars， lean forward，and pedal with rhythmic determination. They arein relentless pursuit of personal triumph and honor，slicing through the air as they race against oneanother. The crowd watches with great enthusiasmas they witness the cyclists’ technical prowess，strategic gameplay， and clashes of will. After anintense 8-day competition covering thousands ofkilometers， Muluebrhan Henok from Italy’s Green?Project-Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè team， sporting thenumber 81 jersey， emerged as the overall winner. Ina post-race interview， he shared， “The competitionwas incredibly tough in the latter part of today’srace. I gave it my all in the final kilometer， and I amso happy to win the yellow jersey （the top spot）.Beyond hard training， teamwork was crucial. Imust say， the event was impeccably organized andshowcased the unique challenges of high-altitudesports competitions. If given the opportunity， Iwould participate again.”

比賽的冠軍雖然只有一個(gè)，但勝利應(yīng)屬于每一位參加比賽、堅(jiān)持到最后一刻的賽手。運(yùn)動(dòng)員們?cè)谶@個(gè)高原場(chǎng)地上競(jìng)賽，時(shí)刻在與艱苦的環(huán)境戰(zhàn)斗著：缺氧、高原反應(yīng)、低溫、大霧、路滑、漫長(zhǎng)的山路坡道……他們克服種種困難，獲得了意志的磨煉與自我的實(shí)現(xiàn)。一位領(lǐng)隊(duì)在采訪中告訴筆者：騎行最開始的目的是鍛煉身體，但后來(lái)逐漸發(fā)現(xiàn)自己很熱愛這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)，而且身邊也不乏一些像他一樣熱愛這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)的人。他每年都會(huì)設(shè)定目標(biāo)繞湖騎行，雖然已經(jīng)過了參賽的最佳年齡，但對(duì)這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)的熱愛是不會(huì)消失的，騎行也會(huì)一直堅(jiān)持下去！

While there can only be one champion，victory belongs to every athlete who takes partand perseveres until the finish line. On this highaltitudecourse， they continuously battle harshconditions such as oxygen deprivation， altitudesickness， frigid temperatures， thick fog， slipperyroads， and steep and long mountain slopes. Byconquering these formidable challenges， theynot only fortify their determination but also findpersonal fulfillment. One team leader shared thathe initially took up cycling to improve his physicalfitness， but over time， he developed a passion forthe sport and discovered a welcoming communityof fellow enthusiasts. Every year， he set the goal tocycle around the lake， and even though he may havepassed the prime age for competitive cycling， his?passion for cycling remains undiminished， fuelinghis ongoing pursuit of the sport.

比賽不僅讓選手們熱血沸騰，也點(diǎn)燃了場(chǎng)外觀眾們的熱情。本次賽事首次實(shí)現(xiàn)了全程電視直播，熱愛自行車賽的人們不用千里迢迢趕往青海，也能夠觀看到選手們的精彩表現(xiàn)。

The competition didn’t just set the athletes’pulses racing; it also ignited a fiery passion amongspectators. This year， for the first time， the event wasbroadcast live on television， allowing cycling fans toexperience the electrifying atmosphere without theneed to travel thousands of miles to Qinghai.

與此同時(shí)，前來(lái)觀賽的群眾絡(luò)繹不絕，西寧市的重要路段和十字路口人潮涌動(dòng)、氣氛熱烈，整座城市也沉浸在節(jié)日般的歡樂中。比賽的第一賽段“繞城賽”，參賽者需環(huán)繞城市賽道騎行100 公里左右，這是最能吸引運(yùn)動(dòng)愛好者和當(dāng)?shù)鼐用裼^看的賽段。當(dāng)比賽車隊(duì)一次次飛馳而過，百名選手佩戴頭盔，穿著五顏六色的騎行服，風(fēng)馳電掣般從加油吶喊的圍觀群眾面前騎過，那場(chǎng)景著實(shí)令人驚嘆。

Meanwhile， a steady stream of spectatorsflocked to the event， and the streets of Xiningcity buzzed with excitement on key roads and atintersections. The spirit of festive joy could befelt in every corner of the city. The initial stage，known as the “city circuit race，” took place alonga winding 100-kilometer urban track， attractinga diverse crowd of sports enthusiasts and localsalike. Athletes， dressed in colorful cycling gear andhelmets， raced by as onlookers cheered them on，captivated by a display of strength and speed.

比賽沿線，當(dāng)?shù)氐纳贁?shù)民族群眾同樣熱情洋溢。青海省互助縣為土族居民聚居區(qū)，當(dāng)?shù)厝舜┲宀拾邤痰拿褡宸b，拿出自產(chǎn)的青稞酒來(lái)迎接參賽的騎手。他們?cè)诠放蕴琛⒑染?，為自行車賽手們加油助威?/p>

Along the race route， local ethnic communities?also showed heartwarming enthusiasm. In HuzhuCounty， which is predominantly inhabited by theTu ethnic group， residents adorned themselves intheir most vibrant traditional attire， greeted thecyclists with homemade barley wine， and expressedtheir genuine support for the racers through dancesand cheers.

在青海湖畔海晏地區(qū)的藏族聚居區(qū)，當(dāng)?shù)氐牟刈迦蓑T著馬，舉著國(guó)旗，自發(fā)地在自行車車道旁陪跑一段，一路歡呼，場(chǎng)面非常壯觀。

In the Haiyan region， which is predominantlyTibetan and located near Qinghai Lake， residentsenthusiastically joined cyclists on horseback， wavingChina’s national flags as they galloped alongside.Their hearty cheers created a magnificent and aweinspiringscene.

本次比賽的路程經(jīng)過精心設(shè)計(jì)，幾乎囊括了各種不同比賽地形，展示了青海湖環(huán)湖各地的美麗風(fēng)光，兼具挑戰(zhàn)性與觀賞性，使參賽者與觀賽者都能在比賽沿途一覽美麗風(fēng)光。例如，從互助到門源的賽段有著青海著名的油菜花花海，選手們可以穿行于上百畝金黃色的油菜花田間，一邊騎行，一邊享受自然的芬芳。 又如，第七賽段從西海鎮(zhèn)到共和是最貼近青海湖的一個(gè)賽段，選手們進(jìn)入青海湖環(huán)湖公路，可以領(lǐng)略到廣闊、湛藍(lán)的青海湖風(fēng)光。

The entire route has been carefully planned totraverse various terrains， allowing participants andonlookers to experience the beauty surroundingQinghai Lake while facing a challenging yetpicturesque journey. For example， the stretchfrom Huzhu to Menyuan showcases the renownedQinghai rapeseed flower fields. Cyclists can pedalthrough hundreds of acres of golden rapeseed fields，enjoying the natural fragrance as they ride. Anotherhighlight is the seventh stage from Xihai Town toGonghe County， which offers the closest proximity?to Qinghai Lake. As athletes race along the QinghaiLake Ring Road， they are treated to expansive， azureviews of the lake itself.

比賽的最后一段要經(jīng)過著名的“天空之鏡”—茶卡鹽湖。鹽湖透明澄澈，倒映著天空；鹽灘潔凈如雪，好像天上的白云。騎手們經(jīng)過此處，猶如飛鳥般無(wú)拘無(wú)束，翱翔于廣闊的天地之間。

As the race nears its conclusion， cyclists willmake their way through the renowned “Mirrorof the Sky” — Chaka Salt Lake. The lake boastsastonishing clarity， reflecting the vastness of thesky with pristine shores resembling white cloudssuspended in the heavens. During this moment，athletes will experience an overwhelming sense offreedom， as if they were about to soar into the sky.

比賽沿線中，在湛藍(lán)天空的映襯下，黃、白、藍(lán)、綠……各種顏色匯聚，好似一幅幅絢麗的油畫。

The race unfolds under an azure sky， wherea vibrant array of colors — yellow， white， blue，and green — blend harmoniously， creating scenesreminiscent of magnificent oil paintings.

青海湖國(guó)際公路自行車賽的舉辦， 不僅向人們傳達(dá)了一種體育競(jìng)技精神，也向世界展現(xiàn)了青海獨(dú)一無(wú)二的美麗風(fēng)景，展示了多年來(lái)青海人堅(jiān)持生態(tài)保護(hù)的努力和結(jié)果，同時(shí)也傳遞了“綠色” “環(huán)保”的理念，體現(xiàn)了一種健康的生活方式—人與自然的和諧。

The Qinghai Lake International Road CyclingRace not only embodies the spirit of competitivesport but also showcases Qinghai’s distinctivebeauty to the world. It is a testament to the region’ssustained efforts in ecological conservation.Moreover， it champions the principles of greenliving and environmental stewardship， encouraginga healthy lifestyle that highlights harmony betweenhumanity and nature.