Cycling in Nghe An: Many players, but still insufficient venues.
Over the years, the cycling movement in Nghe An has maintained thousands of participants and many regularly active clubs. However, the lack of large-scale, annual amateur tournaments and professional guidance has meant that the sport has not kept pace with the development of the cycling community.
From training habits to a passionate community.
Every morning, along familiar routes such as the area around the reservoir, the main roads connecting the old Vinh city to Cua Lo ward, or the coastal roads, the sight of groups of cyclists has become a familiar part of urban life. Regardless of age or occupation, many people choose cycling as a sustainable and inexpensive form of exercise.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Tu Huong (Thanh Vinh ward), a member of the Nghe An Cycling Club, shared: “I have been cycling for over 10 years. Before, I often suffered from aches and pains, but since cycling regularly, my health has improved significantly. Every morning, I exercise and chat with fellow enthusiasts, and I find life more meaningful.”
Mr. Nguyen Van Phu (Vinh Hung ward) also said: “Since retiring, for more than two years now, I have cycled over 20km around the regulating lake area every day. Thanks to maintaining this habit, my health is stable and my spirits are more relaxed. This sport is suitable for all ages and does not require too many conditions.”
According to incomplete statistics, the province currently has more than 30 cycling clubs and groups, including prominent clubs such as: Nghe An Cycling Club, Anh Quan Cycling Club (formerly Vinh City), Song Luong Cycling Club (formerly Do Luong district), Song Hieu Cycling Club, 7X Cycling Club (formerly Thai Hoa town), Que Phong Cycling Club…
These clubs range in size from a few dozen to hundreds of members, operate relatively systematically, have uniforms, fixed training schedules, and regularly organize weekend tours or participate in grassroots sports events. They also serve as an important environment for connecting people with shared passions, while contributing to the promotion of mass sports movements in the local area.
From 2024 to the present, although the number of cyclists hasn't increased dramatically like in the 2020-2023 period, the movement has remained relatively stable. Notably, instead of expanding in number, many groups have tended to focus on depth: emphasizing technique, increasing distances, raising the difficulty of cycling routes, aiming for long-distance journeys, or combining cycling with experiential tourism in western Nghe An, coastal areas, or neighboring localities.
We need a system of amateur tournaments.
In reality, although the training movement remains fairly stable, the amateur tournament system in the province is still not commensurate with the scale of the players.
In the 2024-2025 period, the number of large-scale cycling events will not be significant. Notable examples include the Phuong Hoang Trung Do Cycling Race (held every two years, most recently in 2018), the Cua Lo Open Cycling Race - Hoa Cuc Bien Cup, and the Thai Hoa (formerly) Town Open Cycling Race, none of which have been held annually. This is partly due to limitations in attracting social investment and partly due to changes in local government organization.
The lack of a stable competition system forces many athletes to seek opportunities to compete in Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, or other open tournaments in the Central region, while also limiting opportunities for clubs to gain experience and develop their skills.
Many amateur athletes believe that the demand for competition is currently very high, especially for tournaments specifically for amateurs with various age groups and suitable categories. However, organizing a large-scale tournament requires significant resources, from funding and organization to traffic safety and media coverage. Meanwhile, most clubs operate on a voluntary basis, making it difficult to maintain large-scale tournaments.
Besides the issue of tournaments, the infrastructure supporting cycling is also a factor affecting the development of the movement. Most of the routes suitable for cycling are still general roads, lacking dedicated bicycle lanes. This poses a potential safety risk, especially as the movement attracts more and more participants.
In this context, the cycling community in Nghe An hopes for greater attention from management agencies in the future, especially the formation of an official representative organization for the provincial-level cycling movement. Establishing a federation or coordinating organization would facilitate the development of long-term plans, tournament organization, club networking, and the mobilization of social resources.
Mr. Phan Ngoc, a member of the Nghe An Cycling Club, shared: “Currently, the clubs are quite active, but if there aren't many official tournaments, players will lack motivation. We hope the province will pay attention so that each year there is at least one large-scale tournament, bringing together clubs from within and outside the province.”
The cycling movement in the province has spread to many localities and attracts diverse age groups. However, for the movement to develop sustainably, it is necessary to plan and organize grassroots sports activities more systematically; encourage localities and clubs to proactively host and coordinate tournaments, while ensuring safety and professional quality during training and competition.
Mr. Hoang Van Phuc - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nghe An Province
Despite the challenges, the cycling movement in Nghe An province continues to show enduring vitality thanks to a strong community foundation and the passion of its participants. With better guidance and organization, it could become one of the exemplary mass sports movements, contributing to spreading the image of a dynamic, healthy, and friendly Nghe An.
