The 2015 Taiwan King of Climbers cycling challenge saw a strong field of competitors. With just 2 kilometers to go before the finish, France’s Damien Frederic Monier clashed fiercely with Denmark’s John Ebsen, who was aiming for his third consecutive title. In the end, Monier crossed the finish line first in 3 hours, 34 minutes, 19.86 seconds, shattering Ebsen’s bid for a three-peat. Representing Merida-Lampre, Taiwan’s Feng Chun-kai finished in 7th place with a time of 3 hours, 38 minutes, 19.24 seconds, securing the best result among Taiwanese riders.
The race started early this morning at 6:30 AM from Qixingtan Beach in Hualien at sea level, ascending via the Taroko Bridge toward Xinbaiyang and Bilu Sacred Tree areas. After passing Dayuling, the route featured another tough climb before reaching the finish line at Wuling on Hehuanshan at an altitude of 3,275 meters. The total distance of 105 kilometers has been dubbed the “Road to Heaven,” with participants required to complete the challenge within a 6.5-hour time limit.
Right from the start, some riders attempted breakaways, but it wasn’t until the 13-rider leading group passed the Jinma Tunnel that the real competition began. This group included two-time defending champion John Ebsen, Feng Chun-kai, and Fan Yongyi, among others. Upon entering Dayuling, the true strength of the riders was put to the test, with constant attempts to break away from the lead group. In the final 2 kilometers, Ebsen and Monier displayed remarkable endurance and climbing prowess, taking turns attacking. However, Monier proved superior, shaking off Ebsen and crossing the finish line first.
The winning Monier, who has previously claimed a stage victory in the Tour de France, said, “This was a very tough stage, especially the last 10 kilometers which were almost all uphill. I’m really happy to have won such a challenging section.” Ebsen, who missed out on defending his title, stated that he misjudged his attack timing and will try again next year.
Among the Taiwanese riders, Feng Chun-kai of the Merida-Lampre team achieved the best overall result with 7th place. His time improved by about 6 minutes compared to last year. He explained his strategy was to stay as close as possible during the steepest sections, though some miscalculations cost him energy—particularly when trying to keep up with Ebsen over one stretch. Regarding the Taiwan KOM, Feng said, “This is an internationally renowned race. Many European and American riders asked me about this challenge, saying they’d heard it’s extremely tough and were eager to take it on. As a local rider, I definitely wanted to support it.”
The women’s category was won by Japan’s Eri Yamane, the 2013 champion, with a time of 4 hours, 3 minutes, 29.12 seconds, placing 47th overall. Canada’s Marg Fedyna, the defending champion at age 51, finished second in 4 hours, 20 minutes, 31.88 seconds. Taiwan’s Zoe Tseng of the AXMAN Women’s Team took 3rd place in 4 hours, 21 minutes, 53.13 seconds, also securing the best Taiwanese female result.