Feng Jun-kai, a top domestic cyclist specializing in track and road racing, only competes in mountain biking twice a year. Yesterday, he made a stunning debut at the mountain bike marathon event of the Merida Cup Cycling Race, overtaking a host of European and American riders. He finished as runner-up, only beaten by Hannes Genze, the European mountain bike marathon champion, earning valuable confidence ahead of his East Asian Games competition tomorrow.
The 2009 Merida Cup Cycling Race’s mountain bike marathon attracted international elite riders from Norway, the United States, Germany, Spain, and Japan, showcasing a high level of competition. At just 171 cm tall, Feng Jun-kai looked like a little brother among the towering foreign cyclists at the starting line and was quite unremarkable.
However, Feng Jun-kai closely chased Hannes Genze, ranked second in the world in mountain biking, and Hannes Genze, the top rider in Europe. Especially during the second lap, after Hannes Genze had a flat tire and spent 2 minutes and 30 seconds making repairs, he couldn’t catch up with Feng Jun-kai anymore. This allowed Feng to finish with a time of 59 minutes, 57 seconds, and 63 milliseconds, securing second place overall and first place nationally.
Coach Hsu Jui-te was surprised by Feng Jun-kai’s performance, and even Hannes Genze, the two-time defending Merida Cup champion, expressed admiration for him. Hannes Genze said, “The strength of Taiwanese cyclists is continuously improving. In 2005 when I first competed here, there were no chasers one kilometer after the start. Now, not only do the Taiwanese riders keep up, they also attack.”
Feng Jun-kai, who only competes in mountain biking at the Giant Cup and Merida Cup each year, said, “I crashed and didn’t finish the race at the Giant Cup last month. This result really surprised me—it might be because the course suited me well.” Feng attacked aggressively on uphill asphalt roads and rode cautiously on downhill rocky sections, completing the race with great care.
Hannes Genze, 28, won the race with a time of 57 minutes, 28 seconds, and 43 milliseconds. He stated, “My tactical coordination with Hannes was very successful, but unfortunately, he had a flat tire.” Feng Jun-kai, who is about to compete in the East Asian Games, said, “The mountain bike ride shakes your whole body constantly—it works out all muscle groups, even making my fingers cramp.” Coach Hsu Jui-te noted that road racing cyclists can sometimes use mountain biking for training adjustments, which yields good results.