Team Novo Nordisk returns to China’s roads to compete in the Tour of Hainan
03 October 2023
After three weeks, the world’s only all-diabetes professional cycling team, Team Novo Nordisk, is gearing up for their return to China to compete in the prestigious Tour of Hainan.
The 14th edition of the Tour of Hainan is a challenging five-day race, with a total distance of 790 kilometers and over 9,000 meters of altitude to climb through the beautiful landscape of China.
This time, the team is coming in strong, with Belgian neo-pro Quinten De Graeve making his second appearance in China, having recently completed the Tour of Taihu Lake less than a month ago. Joining him is the Dutch rider, Gerd de Keijzer.
“We’re very happy to be racing once more at the Tour of Hainan,” said General Manager Vassili Davidenko. “The race marks an important point on our calendar and we will be looking to make the most of every opportunity while sharing our inspirational message of what is possible while living with diabetes.”
“The Tour of Hainan is always a beautiful and difficult race, the variety of stages provide something for everyone and we hope to make the most of the chances on offer. We have a versatile and balanced team lining up and it’s going to be important to work together to show our jersey out front and achieve the best results we can.”
Adding strength to the team is the standout climber, David Lozano, alongside the Kiwi Hamish Beadle.
De Graeve said,“Just a few weeks ago, I raced in China for the first time at the Tour of Taihu Lake, and now I’m excited to return for the Tour of Hainan. It’s going to be a tough competition, but we’ve got a strong team ready to take on the challenge. I can’t wait to hit the road again and see what we can achieve.”
The team’s roster is completed by Manxman Sam Brand, Irish rider Stephen Clancy, and American cyclist Logan Phippen, forming a strong competition.
Team Novo Nordisk at Tour of Hainan, 5th– 9th October:
Hamish Beadle (NZL, 26)
Samuel Brand (ENG, 32)
Steven Clancy (IRL, 31)
Quinten de Graeve (BEL, 23)
Gerd de Keijzer (NED, 29)
David Lozano (ESP, 34)
Logan Phippen (USA, 31)
Stages:
Thursday 5th October, stage 1: Qionghai – Qionghai (92.6 km)
Friday 6th October, stage 2: Qionghai – Baoting (215.5 km)
Saturday 7th October, stage 3: Baoting – Wuzhishan (122.6 km)
Sunday 8th October, stage 4: Wuzhishan – Changjiang (147.1 km)
Monday 9th October, stage 5: Changjiang – Sanya (203.3 km)