By now it's well known, Alexander Salby has a special feeling for these races and when the sprint calls, he rarely makes a mistake. The Danish rider from Team Li Ming Star struck immediately in the opening stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, beating Iuri Leitao and Pierre Barbier in a sprint over the 121 km circuit of Xining.

THE RACE. A very fast stage for the opening of the twenty-fifth edition of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, a first day entirely in the capital Xining that hosted the 121 km of racing. A flat circuit entirely in the city with no particular difficulties but which was affected by rain that fell from the early morning hours.

From the first laps the average speed exceeded 52 km/h and the peloton did not give too much space to the attackers. The breakaway of the day formed after 44 km and saw 7 athletes as protagonists: Tegshbayar Batsaukhan (Roojai Insurance Winspace), Ming Wang (body wrap ltwoo Cycling Team), Markus Pajur (Fix Scom Hengxiang Cycling Team), Calum Johnston and Cang Yang (Li Ning Star), Aleksandr Bereznyak (Wheeltop Rotore Chengdu Team) and Hailing Sun (Qinghai Tia you'd Hotel Cycling Team). The breakaway riders managed to gain a maximum of 2'50 on the peloton.

The peloton came back together 24 km from the finish and immediately the CSF 7 Saber team went into action trying to control the race. The race was then affected by a major crash near the final kilometer that split the peloton. Among the riders involved was also Alexander Konychev who finished the race but appeared to be in pain after the finish line.

Alexander Salby managed to move up positions and contested the sprint in the best way possible, winning ahead of Portuguese Iuri Leitao from Team Caja Rural Seguros and Frenchman Pierre Barbier from Terengganu Cycling Team. Two athletes from Team Bardiani CSF 7 Saber in the top ten: Enrico Zanoncello in fifth position, Marco Manenti seventh.

Tomorrow the Danish rider from Team Li Ning Star will start with the leader's jersey to face the second stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, one of the longest of this edition. There will be 225 kilometers from Huangyuan to Menuyuan and two climbs will be tackled, both category 1. The first climb of the day will be the Beishan Mountain Pass, immediately after the start, while the Bahadaban ascent is positioned at approximately mid-stage.

FINAL CLASSIFICATION

1  Salby Alexander Li Ning Star 2:27:53

2  Leitão Iúri Caja Rural - Seguros RGA   ,,

3  Barbier Pierre Terengganu Cycling Team ,,

4  Renard Alexis Cofidis ,,

5  Zanoncello Enrico Bardiani CSF 7 Saber ,,

6  Peñalver Manuel Team Polti VisitMalta ,,

7  Manenti Marco Bardiani CSF 7 Saber ,,

8  Darder Sergi Caja Rural - Seguros RGA ,,

9  Macías César Burgos Burpellet BH ,,

10 Avondts Mathis Azerion / Villa Valkenburg ,,