The “Taiwan King of the Mountains Cycling Challenge,” held today at a pre-race press conference on the west plaza of the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, will see the race start on the morning of the 9th from Qixingtan in Hualien. The route will pass scenic spots such as Taroko and finish at Wuling on Hehuanshan, covering a total distance of 105 kilometers with an elevation gain of 3,275 meters.

At the press conference, Tsai Ming-ling, Secretary-General of the Tourism Bureau, stated that the Taiwan King of the Mountains Cycling Challenge features stunning scenery along the route, helping to make the Taiwan Cycling Festival a highlight on the international stage and attracting top cyclists from around the world. She expressed her hope that all participants would achieve great results this year.

Tsai Ming-ling, Secretary-General of the Tourism Bureau, noted at the press conference that the Taiwan King of the Mountains Cycling Challenge offers beautiful views along the course, positioning the Taiwan Cycling Festival as an international attraction and drawing elite cyclists from various countries. She hopes all competitors will deliver outstanding performances this time.

John Ebsen, the 2012 champion of the Taiwan King of the Mountains Cycling Challenge, said that although he is approaching this year’s race with a calm mindset after winning last year, he’s feeling slightly under the weather today but will still give it his all. If he doesn’t achieve a good result this year, he will definitely return to compete again next year.

Wang Yin-zhi, the domestic champion from last year, mentioned that the toughest part of the race is the climbs, requiring careful energy management and strategy to avoid running out of steam later on. He aims to give his best performance and compete with international riders.

Wang Yin-zhi finished last year’s race in 3 hours, 35 minutes, and 23 seconds, ranking 5th overall and 1st in Asia. This year, he aims to complete the course in under 3 hours and 30 minutes, hoping to keep the championship title in Taiwan. 1021107

(Central News Agency)