One of the world's top motorcycle races comes to exciting finish in Shanghai

The Oriental Beauty Valley MXGP of China, which comprised Round 19 of the MXGP World Motocross Championships at the Shanghai International Off-Road Circuit, concluded successfully on September 15.

Impacted by Typhoon Bebinca, the event condensed its schedule, hosting three categories—MXGP (450CC), MX2 (250CC), and youth category (85CC)—in a single day.

Jorge Prado, the reigning 2023 champion, claimed victory at the MXGP China round for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing, while 18-year-old Lucas Coenen took his eighth GP victory of the year for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing at the MX2 China round. In the 85CC youth category, the championship was won by Yang Jinyu.

"We could finish the weekend with a red plate and seven points ahead. One round left, and this makes us hopeful, and I'm so excited for the final round in Spain," said Prado.

Renowned as one of the world's four major motorcycle races alongside F1, MotoGP, and WRC, the event marked the return of the international A-class tournament to China, four years after its debut in Shanghai in 2019.

Starting from the Argentina race in March and concluding at the Spain leg in Sept, the Shanghai event served as the penultimate stop, attracting over 70 riders from 33 teams representing 22 countries.

"Among them are many world champions in off-road motorcycle racing. This edition of the race can be seen as a blend of both seasoned and new riders, bridging the gap between international and domestic circuits," said Huang Yihao, the promotional official for event.

Ni Huajie, CEO of Hehui Investment Group Co Ltd, who introduced the event to Shanghai in 2019, explained that significant changes have been made to this year's schedule in addition to the doubling number of participants.

"Previously, many audiences in China were unaware of this event, but since 2019, we have noticed that many domestic enthusiasts are eager to attend the races," Ni said.

The Shanghai leg also added wild-card entries this time, including six Chinese participants.

Young talent Li Haoyu, 17, is currently the leading Chinese rider in the MX2 category, He began learning riding motorcycles at the age of 3 and a half.

"This is my first time participating in MXGP, and for us Chinese riders, it's quite a challenging experience. However, we are working hard to learn from and progress alongside foreign riders. I feel that MXGP in China has provided us Chinese riders with a fantastic opportunity," Li expressed.

Special guest Richie Jen also attended the event to show his support.

"I used to have to go abroad to watch races and gain some experience. Although we started later in this sport compared to other countries, with our vast market and strong manufacturing support, I believe we can cultivate many excellent athletes," said Jen, who is a popular singer-songwriter and a motocross enthusiast.

During the event, the organizers also arranged themed activities for the teams and riders, such as touring Fengxian district, which provided a splendid cultural feast based on Chinese traditional culture.

The tour included the recently opened exhibition at the Fengxian Museum, titled "Crafts of Nature – Essence of Ancient Chinese Science and Technology". The exhibition showcases authentic dragon robes worn by Emperor Qianlong and the Queen of the Qing Dynasty dating back to 1638.

Visitors were encouraged to create their own souvenir stamps using traditional Chinese methods.

Luo Bin contributed to this story.