Stage 8 Results:

SALBY Alexander (Li Ning Star)
PEÑALVER ANIORTE Manuel (Team Polti VisitMalta)
GATE Aaron Murray (XDS Astana Team)
Final Jersey Holders:
Yellow Jersey (General Classification Leader): MULUBRHAN Henok (XDS Astana Team) sponsored by ICBC
Green Jersey (Points Leader): MULUBRHAN Henok (XDS Astana Team) sponsored by Jinhui Liquor
Polka Dot Jersey (King of Mountains): AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon (Euskaltel – Euskadi) sponsored by Nissan
Blue Jersey (Best Asian Rider): SAFARZADEH Saeid (Tianyoude Hotel Cycling Team) sponsored by PEAK

The 121km Tongbaoshan Circuit (sponsored by ICBC) began under clear 15°C skies in Xihai Town with 125 riders. Early control by GC teams prevented breakaways until SEYFOLLAHIFARD Hasan (Tianyoude Hotel Cycling) attacked at the day’s sole KOM climb (Cat 3, 25.8km). AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon secured second-place points to mathematically clinch the polka dot jersey.

Tension peaked at the first intermediate sprint where CRESCIOLI Ludovico (Team Polti VisitMalta) beat MULUBRHAN Henok and SILVA COUSSAN Guillermo Thomas (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA) as the yellow jersey fought for bonus seconds. A 14-rider break later formed including RIKUNOV Petr(Chengdu DYC), but was kept on a 20-second leash.

Finale Drama:
With 8km remaining, the last breakaway was reeled in. In the bunch sprint, MULUBRHAN Henok launched first, followed by SILVA COUSSAN, but SALBY Alexander surged from the right to claim his second stage win this week.

Champion’s Reflections:
SALBY Alexander: “Crosswinds made it brutal, but we stayed focused. Though positioned poorly in the sprint, I caught the right wheel at the perfect moment. Winning the finale means everything – two stage wins for our Continental team is beyond expectations.”

MULUBRHAN Henok: “This jersey belongs to the whole team. We targeted yellow from day one and executed perfectly. We’ll celebrate briefly before shifting focus to upcoming races.”

Epic Conclusion:
The 2025 Tour of Magnificent Qinghai concluded amidst the stunning backdrop of snow-capped mountains and turquoise lakes. Over eight days, riders conquered 3000m-high passes, battled fierce winds, and etched new legends into the race’s history. From Xining’s energetic start to the Atomic City’s triumphant finish, this edition celebrated human resilience against nature’s grandeur.

Acknowledgments:
To the riders who inspired us, fans who lined the roads, and the unsung heroes – volunteers and organizers – thank you for this symphony of grit and beauty. The 2025 Tour of Magnificent Qinghai isn’t just a race; it’s where sporting dreams meet the roof of the world. See you next year in magnificent Qinghai!

The 137km stage, sponsored by PEAK, started in Gonghe and finished at Wang Luobin Square in Haiyan County. Despite a relatively moderate profile, fierce GC battles electrified the race.

RIKUNOV Petr powered to the stage win ahead of Enrico ZANONCELLO (VF Group – Bardiani CSF – Faizanè) in second and MULUBRHAN Henok (XDS Astana Team) in third.

Jersey Winners:

Yellow Jersey (General Classification Leader): MULUBRHAN Henok (XDS Astana Team) sponsored by ICBC
Green Jersey (Points Leader): SILVA COUSSAN Guillermo Thomas (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA) sponsored by Jinhui Liquor
Polka Dot Jersey (King of Mountains): AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon (Euskaltel – Euskadi) sponsored by Nissan
Blue Jersey (Best Asian Rider): SAFARZADEH Saeid (Tianyoude Hotel Cycling Team) sponsored by PEAK

After race, the 28-year-old RIKUNOV Petr was elated: “We’ve been aggressive all week, but victory narrowly eluded us until today. My teammates were flawless. Finally winning feels incredible!”

The “PEAK ” Gonghe to Haiyan stage featured two categorized climbs and three intermediate sprints. Riders tackled climbs early before a gradual descent towards the lakeside, concluding with another downhill run to the finish.

Under sunny skies and 22°C (72°F), 127 riders departed Gonghe at 11:45 AM.

Attacks flew immediately on the opening climb. KOM leader PELLAUD Simon (Li Ning Star) was active, but the peloton remained controlled. After 15km, CARBONI Giovanni (Unibet Tietema Rockets) and COVILI Luca (VF Group – Bardiani CSF – Faizanè) escaped, building a 40-second lead.

The duo crested the first climb together, with COVILI Luca taking maximum KOM points ahead of CARBONI Giovanni. AGIRRE EGAÑA Jon (Euskaltel – Euskadi) claimed third, moving virtually into the KOM lead. A reduced peloton (around 50 riders) summited, with dropped riders rejoining on the descent.

The break extended its lead to 1:50 minutes by the second climb, where COVILI Luca again took top points. The peloton accelerated, slashing the gap to 56 seconds. CARBONI Giovanni won the first intermediate sprint at Qinghai Lake before crosswinds intensified. A concerted chase by Equipo Kern Pharma, XDS Astana Team, and Caja Rural – Seguros RGA reeled in the break with 74km remaining.

After a brief lull, ALLENO Clément (Burgos Burpellet BH) attacked before the second intermediate sprint, taking the win ahead of CALLEJAS SANTOS Edison Alejandro and GARCIA TREJO Carlos Alfonso (both from Petrolike). Yellow jersey SILVA COUSSAN suffered a mechanical during this phase but quickly regained the peloton.

Final Showdown: Approaching the last intermediate sprint at 13km to go, GC contenders ignited. FERNANDEZ GARCIA Samuel (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA) surged clear to win the sprint, followed by GARCIA TREJO Carlos Alfonso and MULUBRHAN Henok.
In the final kilometer, MULUBRHAN Henok launched first, with SILVA COUSSAN glued to his wheel. But RIKUNOV Petr timed his effort perfectly, powering past all rivals to seize a memorable victory.

Up Next: Stage 8 (Sponsored by ICBC) is the concluding stage – the Tongbaoshan Circuit Race on July 13th. Featuring one categorized climb and three intermediate sprints around Qinghai Lake, the flat profile sets the scene for a final bunch sprint.