The circuit race at Shetou in Changhua and Kaohsiung's Love River have been included to coincide with tourism promotions, and while this does not necessarily invalidate them as good cycle routes, it reveals a dangerous lack of focus on the requirements of the sport.
Even so, while Taiwan will still not be drawing major international names, the field will include riders such as Holland's Francis de Jager, Ivor Bruin and Rol Raymond, France's Denis Roudier and David Fouchet, and Germany's Juergen Kottula. Taiwan's own team is sadly getting rather less publicity than Hong Kong's Wong, whose success in last year's race has meant so much to people in the local cycling community.
Action Asia
While the Tour de Taiwan gears up, Action Asia Challenge, the multi-discipline sports event originally scheduled for this weekend, has been delayed until Dec. 7, purportedly on account of calls by local contestants for more time to train.
The race is now being slated as a two-day event with a mini skills workshop on Dec. 6, a further indication that initial confidence in the enthusiasm of Taiwan's sportsmen was misplaced.
At least this time moves are being made to remedy this problem.
A new category has been added to the race, which in its original format requires teams of three. A new category of doubles will now be included for the extended registration period, opening up the competition to the less well-organized sporting community in Taiwan but also fundamentally changing the nature of the race.
Action Asia was designed in the tradition of Eco-Challenge and other adventure races in which teamwork was one of the key factors -- with teams of two, this aspect of the race is reduced. Information about the race can be found at the Action Asia Challenge Web site www.aachallenge.com.
RSS