Tour of Shanghai 2026 Opens Pro Track to Amateurs

The 2026 Tour of Shanghai New City Cycling Race will take place from September 4 to 6, bringing together 21 professional teams from 12 countries to compete across the five "new cities" of suburban Jiading, Songjiang, Qingpu and Fengxian districts as well as Nanhui in the Pudong New Area.

The Li Ning Star Continental Team, ranked among Asia's top two, will lead a handful of domestic teams, and compete against counterparts from Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania.

To strengthen the connection between the race and amateur cycling enthusiasts, this year's event will open its international-standard professional course to amateur riders for the first time, while also expanding the scale of the accompanying virtual cycling competition.

After the professional race starts on September 6, 20 amateur elite teams will also ride the Fengxian-Nanhui section, which is approximately 100.2 kilometers in length, experiencing the same course configuration as the pros.

The online virtual race, meanwhile, will feature two categories this year: an Open Group and a University Group. The top 20 riders from each group will qualify for the respective offline finals. The Open Group final will take place on September 4 in Jiading, and the University Group final the next day in Songjiang.

The top four finishers from each group – eight riders in total – will form a Tour of Shanghai Virtual Race representative team. On September 6, they can also ride the same course as the professional cyclists.

On September 5 and 6, a two-day cycling carnival will be held by Dishui Lake in Pudong's Lingang Special Area. A series of interactive activities – including race viewing and virtual cycling experiences – will be taken to Shanghai's commercial establishments and public spaces.