The Chinese team aimed for both the stage win and the Asian Blue Jersey at the Taoyuan stage, the second leg of the Tour de Taiwan, but were ruthlessly thwarted by severe weather. Although Wu Bohong secured the only sprint point of the stage, he exhausted his energy on the mountainous sections, while Feng Junkai crashed due to a rear tire puncture in the hills, missing out on the mountain points and putting his bid for a fourth consecutive King of the Mountains title in danger.
The second stage of the Tour de Taiwan looped through various districts of Taoyuan City, which was officially upgraded at the end of last year. Torrential rain and coastal crosswinds became the biggest nightmares for the riders, with frequent reports of accidents and crashes along the route. Even Ben O’Connor of the Avanti Racing Team from New Zealand, who crossed the finish line first with a time of 2 hours, 50 minutes and 32 seconds, only managed to win after his teammates helped him recover from a crash. In addition, a total of 8 riders did not finish the stage, making the competition extremely fierce.
Wu Bohong, who failed to win the first stage, showed strong determination yesterday. Watching his teammate Feng Junkai break away after just 14 kilometers to form a leading group of four, he quickly gave chase and caught up at the 25-kilometer mark. The two then collaborated to win the sprint point located at the 43-kilometer mark. He said, “I originally thought I could follow the group to the finish, but my energy dropped too quickly due to the weather.” He ultimately finished 64th, but temporarily ranked second in the green jersey sprint standings.
Feng Junkai, who is aiming for a fourth consecutive King of the Mountains title in the Tour de Taiwan, successfully broke away early in the race. “I had planned to push all the way.” Unfazed by the poor weather, Ah Kai had his sights set not only on the two mountain points but also on the stage win. He stayed in the lead group for most of the race but unexpectedly crashed due to a rear tire puncture just 10 kilometers from the finish. He said, “Luckily it’s just a flesh wound and nothing’s broken, but it will inevitably affect the upcoming stages.”
This year’s Taoyuan stage route differed from previous years, catching Wu and Feng off guard in terms of energy management. Wu Bohong emphasized with regret that his chances of securing the Asian Blue Jersey were slim, but he would still give his all to compete for the stage win and support Ah Kai’s bid for a fourth consecutive King of the Mountains title.