The speed during the Taiwan Cycling Tour stage in Changhua was intense, with Taiwanese riders also turning into “speed demons.” Feng Jun-kai surged to first at the climb point, Wang Yin-zhi was the first through the sprint point, and Hong Kun-hong and Zeng Yi-hao from Shen Teng Merida swapped wheels at lightning speed. Unfortunately, sharp-eyed officials spotted the move, ruling it a violation and fining them over 7,000 NT dollars.
Our rider Feng Jun-kai, who now races for the Hong Kong-based Champion System team, lost the King of the Mountains title at Guan-zi-ling the day before yesterday. But yesterday he came back strong, attacking on a climb just over 10 kilometers into the race. He led through the climb point and secured 6 points, tying him with Earl from Australia’s Team Chipotle-First Solar, the previous King of the Mountains, who also had 6 points.
However, because Ah Kai (Feng’s nickname) has a lower overall ranking, he couldn’t reclaim the “red jersey.” He said, “Being able to score King of the Mountains points is because I know this section well – I took the initiative when I found the right rhythm.” Feng Jun-kai experienced cramps in the final 5 kilometers, which made him hesitant to contest the second climb point near the finish line, ultimately losing his chance at the King of the Mountains title.
The most incredible performance came from Shen Teng Merida’s youngest rider, Zeng Yi-hao. Early in the race, he dropped back on an uphill due to heart strain, then rode solo for 20 kilometers without giving up. When he caught up with the main group, he immediately handed out water bottles to hydrate his teammates.
After distributing the water, he then encountered his senior teammate Hong Kun-hong suffering a flat tire. Without hesitation, he swapped his own wheel with Hong’s, waited at the side for assistance, and then caught back up to the group. This act demonstrated great teamwork – though it ended up resulting in a penalty fine for rule violation.