Its first edition took place in October 2011, as the penultimate event in the 2011 UCI World Tour. The tour was a partnership between the UCI and the Beijing City Government and covered a period of four years from 2011 to 2014. The event was a legacy of the 2008 Olympic Games and promoted Beijing as a global event city, whilst also promoting the environmental and healthy living outcomes cycling represent.[2]
In September 2014 the UCI announced that the 2014 edition of the race would be the last.[3]
