In Zhangjiakou, Hebei province - the former Winter Olympics co-host - Chongli district is turning its athletics legacy into a year-round outdoor hub, with a focus it summarizes as “winter skiing, summer cycling”.

More than 200 kilometers of cycling routes have been built, covering tracks for road biking, mountain biking, downhill and more, according to local authorities.

Ski slopes in the district are transformed in summer into mountain biking magnets. This summer, more than 20 races will be held.?

Many see Chongli as a summer home. For example, Yao Jingjun, an 18-year-old from Beijing, said he used to ride a road bike, but then a friend took him to try mountain biking in Chongli.?

“It is so much more interesting,” he said. “You are not stuck on city streets or roads. You can ride freely in the mountains.”

His riding friend, 10-year-old Liu Haochen, who is also from Beijing, said Chongli’s downhill trails — particularly the A-line jump tracks - are what he loves most. “There are no stones or rocks, just pure dirt, so it’s super smooth and comfortable to ride on,” he said.

At Fulong Four Seasons Town International Resort, one of the major resorts in Chongli, 12 downhill trails totaling 27 km have been built, said Zou Zhongqiao, deputy general manager of the resort’s sports division.?

The resort is building a skills center with eight coaching zones.?

“Many riders want to improve step by step,” Zou said. “We are creating places where they can learn from beginner to advanced.”

What makes Fulong special is its chairlift system. The same lifts that carry skiers up in winter now carry riders and their bikes up the mountain. Eight ski rental shops have turned into bike shops for the summer.?

“You can buy parts, get repairs or rent a bike,” Zou said, adding that last summer Fulong welcomed about 70,000 to 80,000 riders. This year, the number is expected to top 100,000.

Pang Jingyi and Yue Zhijuelin contributed to this story.