Edwin Avila of the United States-based team Illinois today squeezed into the leading group thanks to his team's tactical efforts and strong support from his teammates, then relied on his superior sprinting skills to cross the finish line first, claiming the stage victory at the Nantou County leg of the Tour de Taiwan.
The 2017 International Cycling Tour de Taiwan – Nantou County Stage, started today from Nantou County Government and passed through Jiji Windmill Garden, Fudan Pond Stone Tablet, Nantou County Police Department, Xuanzang Temple, and finished at the Sun Moon Lake Shuishe Visitor Center, covering a total distance of 166.56 kilometers. Although the gradients were not particularly steep, the course featured constant undulations, posing a challenge to the riders' speed endurance.
As the race neared its end, the competition for various leader jerseys intensified. In the high-stakes scenario, teams pulled out all the stops, leading to the formation of a leading group of four riders just about one kilometer into the fourth stage.
After the first sprint points competition, the lead group was reduced to three riders until around the 135-kilometer mark when they were caught by the main peloton, resetting the dynamics. Before the final climb, another leading group formed, and after the climb, Edwin and three others joined, creating a leading group of seven.
When the seven-rider leading group approached the finish line, Edwin, with his better sprinting technique, claimed his second stage win following the first stage. He also took the lead in the sprint classification with 45 points. However, the yellow jersey, symbolizing the overall race leader, went to Benjamin Prades of the Japanese Team UKYO, who finished with a total time of 11 hours, 23 minutes, and 56 seconds. Prades also currently holds the red polka dot jersey for the King of the Mountains.
Edwin revealed that he had attacked too early in the third stage, so the team manager instructed him before the fourth stage not to attack. Instead, his teammates Connor McCutcheon, Griffin Easter, Simon Pellaud, and Cameron Piper would each play their roles to support him, and he just needed to position himself well near the finish to give it his all. "This glory belongs to the whole team," Edwin said. 1060329
(Central News Agency)