Organized by the Tourism Bureau, the “2013 Taiwan Cycling Festival” will kick off this Saturday morning with the highly challenging “King of the Mountain Challenge.” This race requires cyclists to ascend from Qixingtan in Hualien all the way up to Wuling on Hehuanshan, which stands at an elevation of 3,275 meters. The demanding course has attracted 440 elite riders from 28 countries around the world to compete for the title of “King of the Mountain.”
The “2013 Taiwan Cycling Festival” has become a major international event on Taiwan’s tourism calendar. This year, the festival opens with the “King of the Mountain Challenge.” Riders will set off from Qixingtan in Hualien at 6:30 a.m. this Saturday, traveling via Provincial Highway 8 through Taroko, Dayuling, and Provincial Highway 14A, before finally reaching the finish line — Wuling on Hehuanshan, the highest point on Taiwan’s highways at 3,275 meters above sea level. The total race distance is 105 kilometers.
Wang Yin-zhi, who achieved the best domestic result last year, pointed out that the difficulty of this race surpasses many stages of the Tour de France. The 20-kilometer section from Dayuling to Wuling features many slopes as steep as 15%, making it the most challenging part of the race and also the decisive stretch.
In addition, this week also features the launch of “Ride Around Formosa 900,” the “Sun Moon Lake Loop” race, and next week’s “Dapu Bike Madness” event. Participants have the chance to win electric bicycles, tablets, and high-end bicycles valued at over NT$60,000.
(Broadcast by Radio Taiwan International)