One of the world’s toughest cycling races—The 2014 Taiwan Cycling Festival kicks off in November

▲The 2014 Taiwan Cycling Festival has officially launched (Photo provided by the Tourism Bureau).

By the Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The 2014 Taiwan Cycling Festival will take place from November 8 to November 16. Organized by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in collaboration with local governments, a series of cycling events will be held in Taipei, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Tainan, Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung, inviting everyone to join in creating Taiwan’s “cycling” legacy.

Since its inception in 2011, the Taiwan Cycling Festival has built an international reputation in recent years, receiving an enthusiastic response from both domestic and international cyclists. This year, it was honored with the prestigious “Golden Cup Award,” the highest accolade at the “2014 Taiwan Event Excellence Awards.” At the press conference held on the 7th, the three main events of this year—the “Taiwan King of the Mountain Cycling Challenge,” “Ride Formosa 900,” and “Sun Moon Lake Come Bikeday”—were unveiled. Among them, the “Taiwan King of the Mountain Cycling Challenge” has been ranked alongside legendary routes such as those in the European Alps, and was named one of the “10 toughest cycling races in the world” by France’s leading cycling magazine Le Cycle. It is also one of the most closely watched events by both domestic and international cyclists and media.

The “2014 Taiwan Cycling Festival” features a wide range of cycling activities across Taiwan, including leisurely rides along bike paths, family-friendly cycling tours, individual speed challenges, cycling carnivals, creative bike design competitions, and low-carbon travel options combining buses with bicycles. The organizers have also significantly increased the total prize pool to NT$2.41 million, with the top-ranked rider taking home a whopping NT$1 million. The goal is to attract both domestic and international tourists and cyclists to join in the celebration.

▲The 2013 Taiwan Cycling Festival. (Photo provided by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications).