The second stage of the Chinese stage race took the riders from Beihai to Qinzhou. As in the first stage, the traditional early break quickly formed. Four riders created a gap of over three minutes but were caught ten kilometres from the finish. Team Jumbo-Visma tried to put Kooij in a good position for the final. The 21-year-old Dutchman was alert but fell short of a podium finish.

"It was a hectic sprint", sports director Maarten Wynants said. "The last 3.5 kilometres were straightforward, which often makes racing complicated because timing is crucial. Our timing wasn't ideal this time, so we had to start a little too far back."

"Tomorrow, we have five one-kilometre climbs with ten percent gradients. Then, everything has to be in place for us to be able to sprint. Furthermore, we have plans with Milan (Vader) for the uphill finish after that", Wynants said of the upcoming stages. "Finally, we have two bunch sprints, which should give Olav a chance."

"Racing in China is special", the Belgian sports director continued. "People here are not used to dealing with cyclists, which makes it different. It's nice to race in a different culture for a change; that makes it unique and exciting."