The January issue of Le Cycle, France’s largest cycling magazine (Issue 443), has listed Taiwan’s KOM Challenge (Taiwan KOM Challenge) among the world’s 10 toughest cycling events, alongside legendary routes in the European Alps.

This follows last year’s in-depth report by Germany’s Die Zeit (The Times Weekly) on the unique challenges of Taiwan’s KOM Challenge. Now, France’s top cycling publication has also featured the Taiwan KOM race, ranking it among the 10 most thrilling and demanding routes globally — and asking, “Are you up for the challenge?”

In Europe, both cycling competitions and cycling tourism are considered the pinnacle experiences that enthusiasts long to take part in. Taiwan’s international mountain KOM Challenge has been singled out by Le Cycle as the only Asian cycling event on the list — and the only one not held in Europe — among the world’s 10 toughest challenge routes.

Le Cycle describes the route as starting from Hualien’s Qixingtan Beach at sea level, winding uphill for 87 kilometers along mountain roads, all the way to the finish line at Wuling on Hehuan Mountain — the highest point of the Central Cross-Island Highway — at an altitude of 3,275 meters. The full KOM Challenge route spans 105 kilometers.

The magazine cover also prominently features “Taiwan,” highlighting it as Asia’s only cycling challenge route that can rival classic paths like the Alps and the Pyrenees.

Wang Zongsheng, Director of the Tourism Bureau’s Frankfurt Office under Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications, expressed hope that the coverage will generate word-of-mouth among European cycling professionals and spark their interest in coming to Taiwan to take on the ride.

Wang added that the bureau specifically chose this route for its combination of physical endurance tests, long climbs, adaptations to varying terrain, altitudes, and temperatures, as well as its total distance, stunning mountain scenery, and countless winding turns — making it a must-do extreme sports challenge for cycling enthusiasts worldwide.

Le Cycle magazine, which has a 25-year history, provides cyclists with event and training references for the year ahead in its January issue, attracting a large number of buyers every year. 1030117

(Central News Agency)