Feng Jun-kai of the Giant-Advantech team is aiming for a third consecutive King of the Mountains title in this year’s Tour de Taiwan. Although he missed the chance to secure an early lead by failing to take the first-category climb at the Taoyuan stage, he didn’t give up. Yesterday at the Changhua stage, he actively broke away from the peloton and claimed a second-category climb, demonstrating his determination to defend the red jersey for the home team.
The 2014 International Tour de Taiwan cycling race arrived yesterday at the “City of Flowers” — Changhua. Right from the start, riders faced the challenge of the Fenyuan mountain area, then battled strong winds along Provincial Highway 17, before the final showdown on Bagua Mountain. Although several riders attempted attacks during the race, only a four-rider group including Liu Chin-yi of the Giant-Advantech team managed to open up a gap, but they were caught just before the finish line. Ultimately, Australia’s Drapac Professional Cycling’s Wes Poole crossed the line first in 3 hours, 15 minutes and 14 seconds.
Feng Jun-kai, who failed to score any King of the Mountains points in the first two stages, understands the importance of the Changhua stage. He targeted the second-category climb in the Fenyuan mountain area, staying close to the main group and breaking away 300 meters from the top to successfully claim 6 points. He currently sits third in the King of the Mountains standings, just 4 points behind Wu Nan of the Giant-Shimano-Colnago team, who leads the competition.
“Originally, I wanted to go for the third-category climb at the finish, but when our team entered the Bagua Mountain scenic area archway, I was worried about hitting the pillars, hesitated for a moment, and it was too late,” said Feng, who expressed some regret. However, he emphasized that he had achieved his pre-race goal. Next up is the decisive battle in Tainan, where he plans to go all out, but also needs support from his teammates to keep an eye on Wu Nan, the leading Chinese rider.
The Tainan stage features two climbs: a second-category climb at Guanziling and a third-category climb at the finish at the Zengwen Reservoir. To claim the King of the Mountains title, Feng Jun-kai will focus on Guanziling while also keeping tabs on other contenders to prevent them from scoring points at Zengwen Reservoir. Facing Feng’s strong challenge, the current leader Wu Nan remains relaxed. “I don’t feel threatened. I’m confident I’ll keep the red jersey. Easy!” His goal is to secure both climbs. “Every point counts.”
Wu Po-hung, who lost the Asian Best Rider’s blue jersey after crashing at the Taoyuan stage, continued to compete despite severe discomfort below the neck. “That crash was really disappointing. I even thought about quitting riding.” The expectations of his teammates and fans were the biggest motivation for him to keep going. The 28-year-old said, “I don’t know how many more years I’ll be able to ride. Since I’ve chosen to compete, and I’m also racing at home, I don’t want to give up easily unless I absolutely have to. I’ll keep pushing forward.”