The Cross-Country Eliminator (XCE) mountain bike race takes place at Jiran Junior High School, where riders compete to show their true skills. (Photo by Chen Shu-e)
The Cross-Country Eliminator (XCE) mountain bike race held at Jiran Junior High School attracted nearly 100 riders to compete. (Photo by Chen Shu-e)

Mountain bike races can now take place on campus too. The Cross-Country Eliminator (XCE) mountain bike race recently kicked off at Jiran Junior High School in Taichung City, attracting nearly 100 riders from across Taiwan to compete in four categories. Jiran Junior High School Principal Shu Fu-nan stated that the race track was entirely built by students, allowing competitors to fully showcase their biking skills and strength.

Jiran Junior High School coach Jiang Sihan noted that this is the first time a cross-country elimination race has been introduced to a school campus in Taiwan. In addition to regular training, students also had the opportunity to participate in the race preparation process. The riders were very excited, and the hope is to help mountain biking take root in Taiwan’s youth and create more opportunities for cycling enthusiasts.

The TITANOS First Campus Mountain Bike Cross-Country Elimination Race XCE (Cross-country eliminator) took place on the 23rd, featuring four categories: junior high school boys, high school boys, girls, and open/elite. It attracted nearly 100 top riders from across Taiwan. Asian Games rider Chow Pei-ni claimed first place in the girls’ category; the first place in the junior high school boys’ category went to Jian You-an from Yuanshan Junior High School, while second and third places were taken by Chen Rui-fang and Huang Jing-lun, both from Jiran Junior High School.

Principal Shu Fu-nan said that the school established an outdoor education base in 2017, which is also the first junior high school campus cross-country training ground in Taiwan. Although the space is not large, it effectively provides students with a convenient training environment. The school’s freestyle cycling team has also performed quite well over the years.

Jiran Junior High School pointed out that to promote mountain biking and traffic safety concepts to the public, and with the goals of health, outdoor activity, and education, they organized this competitive riding event. They collaborated with AGOGO Company to hold Taiwan’s first campus XCE competition. The XCE combines elements of 4X and cross-country, making it a highly entertaining and visually engaging event.

(China Times)