Taiwan is to host a Tour de France challenger for the first time around Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County on Nov. 30, the Tourism Administration said yesterday.
L’Etape Sun Moon Lake is a race authorized by Amaury Sport Organization (ASO), the official organizer of the Tour de France.
The bike lane at Sun Moon Lake was rated by CNN as one of the world’s 10 most beautiful cycling lanes, it said.
Photo: CNA
Biking is a good way to travel, as it allows tourists to stop and appreciate natural scenery and experience local culture, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) told a news conference in Taipei.
The total length of bike lanes in Taiwan is about 3,500km, and their density is among the world’s highest, he said.
Cyclists from 25 nations have registered to participate in the event, Chen said.
“We are also committed to hosting the event next year and in 2026 on different routes as well. We hope that beauty in other places would be shown to the international community, too,” Chen said.
Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明) said that the race would contribute to the “net zero carbon emission” campaign by reducing the amount of waste created during the event.
Cyclists’ jerseys would be produced using discarded plastic bottles and tires, Peng said.
British road racing cyclist Mark Cavendish is also scheduled to compete at L’Etape Sun Moon Lake. Credited as the greatest sprinter in the history of the Tour de France and cycling, Cavendish holds the most stage wins — 35 in total at the Tour de France — a record that he achieved through 15 tours in 17 years.
The 39-year-old cyclist told L’Etape Sun Moon Lake’s organizer that it is a pleasure to cycle at Sun Moon Lake, which has beautiful scenery and is known for its black tea and indigenous peoples’ cultures.
The challenger race has two ASO-certified cycling routes — a 104km route for professional cyclists and a 29km route for non-professionals. Both would start from Sun Moon Lake and go through Nantou County’s Puli (埔里), Chengcheng (車程), Shuili (水里) and Yuchi (魚池) townships, the Tourism Administration said.
The winner of the 104km race would receive a yellow jersey and secure a spot at the Tour de France, it said.
Non-professionals can register to ride on the 29km route at: https://bao-ming.com/eb/content/6179#29049.
The registration deadline is Sept. 30.
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