International riders arrive in Taiwan as the Taiwan Cup International Road Invitational kicks off

By Liu Jiawen, compiled and reported

The first Taiwan Cup (Taiwan Cup) International Road Invitational officially kicked off today (the 4th), inviting riders from 11 countries to come to Taiwan to participate in this event. On the local side, 21 top-tier teams from Taiwan will compete alongside riders and teams from around the world.

The main highlight of this invitational is the long-distance road race on November 6th (200 kilometers). Among the international riders, teams from Europe have the highest level of competition. The Rabobank team, currently ranked 4th in the world’s top cycling teams and participating in this year’s Tour de France, is led by Carlos Barredo, who won a stage of the 2010 Vuelta a España and also claimed victory in the 2009 San Sebastián one-day race in Spain. In the Oceania region, Australia’s DRAPAC team is the strongest, with riders Adam Phelan and Adam Semple both having won stages in the Tour de Taiwan. Asia’s top contender is the Shanghai-based Team Wansheng, featuring Xu Gang, a national champion, and Jiao Pengda, who was awarded Best Greater China Rider in the Tour of China just last September. These experienced competitors will bring a lot of excitement to the race.

Among the Taiwanese teams competing are three UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) registered Continental Professional teams. The GIANT-KENDA team, currently ranked 3rd in the Asian Tour, will compete as a local team with full force. Through the exchange of races between domestic and international riders, the Taiwan Cup aims to become an internationally renowned classic event, while also allowing foreign visitors to experience Taiwan’s exceptional cycling conditions.