A total of 140 racing cyclists from 20 high-level professional teams across the world have gathered in Qionghai, Hainan province to compete for the 2023 Tour of Hainan, the 14th edition of the prestigious international road cycling event, which kicked off in Qionghai on Thursday.

This year, the race spans over 781.1 kilometers and is divided into 5 stages, commencing in Qionghai and ending in Sanya, passing through 11 cities and counties including Wanning, Lingshui, Baoting, Wuzhishan, Qiongzhong, Baisha, Changjiang, Dongfang and Ledong. The five-day event's total prize pool is $300,000 (about 2.19 million yuan).