GDL Race – July 26th–27th, Thaiwoo, Chongli
Photos & Words Mesum Verma
For years, I’d read and heard about the bike parks and ski areas near Zhangjiakou. This time, I Finale experienced it for myself. It took us 12 hours, exactly 850 kilometers, to drive from Qingdao to Zhangjiakou. I stayed one night in the city and met the team from GTS (more on them later, they manufacture pedals), and we shared a delicious hotpot dinner.
On Friday, I headed to Thaiwoo, located in Chongli. After checking into the hotel, I found out that my bag hadn’t arrived yet, so I took a walk over to the race finish area.
If it weren’t for the Chinese signage and storefront names, I could’ve easily thought I was in a small village somewhere in the Alps. I quickly located the finish line and caught a first glimpse of what the race had in store. It had been raining for days, and it didn’t seem like it would stop anytime soon. Still, some brave riders were already out testing themselves, and the trail, in these brutal, muddy conditions. There was only one dominant color on both riders and bikes: deep, dark black mud.
Saturday: Training, Fog, and a Change of Plans
Saturday’s schedule included training and qualifying runs, but due to torrential rain, the qualification had to be canceled. I went up the mountain, which peaks at 2,160 meters above sea level and was entirely blanketed in fog. It was still raining steadily. While waiting for the riders, I grabbed a coffee and watched as tourists arrived in large numbers to enjoy the mountaintop, though we could barely see anything, people still seemed to enjoy the experience.
I started wondering why no riders were coming up the mountain. Stepping outside, I discovered the second chairlift was down for repairs. Fortunately, the organizers acted fast and allowed riders to take the gondola up instead, usually reserved only for tourists. Understandably, they try to keep it clean and avoid muddy bikes inside, but given the situation, they made the right call.
I was lucky enough to meet a few riders who had already made it to the top, and they kindly showed me the start of the trail, which was actually halfway up the gondola line. I hiked down to the start gate and quickly realized how slippery everything was. The trail was unmistakably marked, not by signs, but by deep, dark ruts in the mud. It was raining off and on, sometimes so heavily that organizers ultimately canceled qualifying altogether. The race would head straight into finals on Sunday.
I still managed to catch a few riders flying down the track, and I was thoroughly impressed. Despite the conditions, they kept surprising control and speed through mud that reached up to their ankles.
Race Day Sunday: Mud, Speed, and Spirit
Rain poured all night. By morning, the forecast predicted a break by the afternoon, but I wasn’t taking chances. I geared up with rain pants and a rain jacket, ready for anything.
At 11:30 AM sharp, the U10 category kicked off the race. A total of 122 riders across 10 categories threw themselves into the mud with fearless determination.
I was especially amazed at how the kids, from U10 to U15, tackled the course. They didn’t seem fazed by the thick mud at all! It was a fantastic show of skill and courage, and I truly enjoyed watching them race down the hill.
Thankfully, I didn’t witness many crashes. In some flatter sections, riders did get stuck in the mud and had to hop off and push their bikes until gravity helped again. Just as forecasted, the rain held off, and at times the sun even peeked through. While this didn’t do much to dry the trail, there were a few small sections where riders could go full speed again.
One standout was Connor from New Zealand, who has only been in China for a month, working as a bike instructor at Tiger Ridge Mountain Academy. In his first-ever race in China, the 23-year-old showed everyone how it’s done. He rode with power and finesse, finishing a full 10 seconds ahead of the fastest Chinese rider. Despite never having ridden in such extreme mud before, he adapted like a pro and delivered a stunning run.
A Muddy Success
The mudfest turned out to be a big success, despite (or maybe because of) the brutal conditions. Everyone was smiling. Awards were handed out, group photos snapped, and soon riders began to head home, traveling back to their corners of China.
Podium pictures provided from Yan Yong Kang
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