(Hualien, Taiwan)
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This is a bucket-list ride, and after four years of planning and six months of training, I finally get the chance to complete it. I highly recommend, after viewing my video, to go and ride it twice; once during the timed KOM Challenge, and once at a slower pace to really take in the views along the course. You really must see and experience it for yourself, as words and videos simply cannot compare to being there in person.
The 2023 summer edition of the Road to Taiwan KOM Challenge was, in a word, "tough". Temperatures were in the 80s and 90s (Fahrenheit) with humidity around 80%. It is very easy to underestimate hydration needs and difficult to catch up. Forecast was for rain by noon, but it didn't start until after 3pm. The course was shortened by about 12 miles, so the neutral warmup was around 2 miles. The spring and summer editions are for local riders, with a time limit of 9 hours, while the fall KOM Challenge is for international participants, with a 6-hour time limit. Many local riders are part of teams which brought their own support vans carrying replenishments. As a result, the organizers only provided water and bananas at the rest stops, with some having a few other snacks or a tub of salt. As a solo rider, it is important to be prepared to carry all your supplement needs, or join with a local team with a van.
According to Strava segments, the full course is 52.15 miles long with an elevation gain of 11,648 feet, and an average grade 3.8%. However, the average grade is quite deceptive as there are a few sections of flat or downhill to lower the average. In reality those sections were not enough to help with recovery before going up again. There are lots of long stretches in the 10%+ category, and most of the time you are "recovering" at 5 to 6% grades. Also keep in mind, the highest elevation is 10,743 feet, and most people will start feeling the effects of altitude around 6,000 feet. Please note that, through the years, the start and initial sections of the route varied somewhat, so there are several versions of it on Strava. The one in the link below is for the 2023 summer edition KOM.
The Taiwan KOM Challenge began in 2012 and in recent years added the spring and summer editions. If you are interested in participating, keep a close eye on the official website since the dates for the events are announced a few months ahead, and registration opens about two month ahead of the event date. Hopefully you've been training for some time and once registration opens it is best to move quickly to secure a spot for the event, air and ground transportation, and lodging reservations as they are likely to go fast. Good luck, and oh yeah, it is worth it!
Official website:
[ Ссылка ]
Strava segment of entire route:
[ Ссылка ]
Feel free to view the ride at faster speeds or use the list of sections below to skip around and recon.
Timestamps
0:00:00 Start of Ride
1:31:35 Xibao 西寶
2:59:46 Xinbaiyang 新白楊
4:10:21 Bilu Holy Tree 碧綠神木
5:01:09 Guanyuan 關原
5:30:04 Dayuling 大禹嶺
7:03:06 Finish
