The 13th Tour of Qidong 168km Cycling Race kicked off in Qidong, a county-level city of Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province, on Oct 22.

The race features both full-course and half-course routes. Athletes from Shanghai, Nantong, Ningbo and other places participated in the event. The race track offered beautiful river and sea views.

The Tour of Qidong 168km Cycling Race has been held 13 times since 2010. Ji Changchun, president of the Qidong City Cycling Association, said that the number of participants has increased from eight to nearly 1,000, with more than 20,000 participants in total. A total of 960 cyclists participated in this year's event.

In recent years, Qidong has been focusing on beautifying its riverbanks and coastline. It has also undertaken a series of major events, such as a triathlon, beach volleyball, kite surfing and CBA summer league, promoting national fitness and making itself a more attractive destination.

A large number of cyclists participate in the 13th Tour of Qidong 168km Cycling Race. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Cyclists ride along the coastline during the 13th Tour of Qidong 168km Cycling Race. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]