HAIYAN, China, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Eritrea's Henok Mulueberhan of XDS Astana grabbed the Yellow Jersey from Uruguay's Guillermo Thomas Silva, who came across a mechanical breakdown in the 7th and penultimate stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai on Saturday.

Mulueberhan, 25, had won the general classification in the 2023 edition and dominated the ongoing race's longest segment (6th stage) from Gangcha to Gonghe on Friday.

Although Mulueberhan finished third in the 7th stage, he beat Silva by one second to top the general classification standings with only one stage to go. Silva, 23, had previously kept the Yellow Jersey since Stage 2.

Mulueberhan thanked his teammates for their support in the race, and expressed hopes of keeping the Yellow Jersey to the end.

The winner of Stage 7 was 28-year-old Petr Rikunov of Chengdu DYC Cycling, who completed the 137-km ride from Gonghe to Haiyan in 3 hours, 4 minutes and 46 seconds.

27-year-old Italian Enrico Zanoncello of VF Group Bardiani CSF - Faizane placed second in Stage 7.

Spain's 27-year-old Jon Agirre of Euskaltel-Euskadi beat Switzerland's Simon Pellaud of Li-Ning Star to take the Polka Dot Jersey as the event's top climber. Pellaud had maintained his grip on the jersey since Stage 2.

Iran's Saeid Safarzadeh of Tianyoude Hotel Cycling once again took the Blue Jersey for best Asian rider, a title he has held since Stage 2. Teammate Hasan Seyfollahifard had previously worn the jersey after Stage 1, continuing Tianyoude's dominance in the Asian classification.

Sunday's 8th and last stage is a circuit race around Tongbaoshan, a scenic area near Hanyan. It covers 121.3 kilometers without steep climbs.

Formerly known as the Tour of Qinghai Lake, the event was rebranded in 2025 as the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai. First held in 2002, the high-altitude race is recognized as one of Asia's premier road cycling events, known for its punishing terrain and average elevation of 3,000 meters.

The 2025 edition features eight stages totaling 1,400 kilometers and includes 154 professional riders from 11 countries and regions. ■