A big hole dug by a utility contractor on a section of road on the sixth leg of the Tour de Taiwan route could ruin tomorrow’s race, even if the hole were quickly filled, a cycling coach said yesterday.
Fang Yi-cheng of the Chinese Taipei Cycling Association said the 2m-by-2m hole on an uphill section of Provincial Highway 74-A made it treacherous as a competition road.
“Even if the contractor fills it up soon, the uneven road could cause injuries to cyclists,” Fang told the Central News Agency.
Police officers who inspected road conditions for the Tour de Taiwan said a Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) contractor had erected a 1km-long barricade along the road and dug a big hole in one lane, leaving only half the road for traffic.
Chang Chueh-fen, a Changua County government official, said local workers had been asked to quickly fill the hole and race organizers were at the scene trying to determine what should be done next.
“We hope the race won’t be affected,” she said.
Hsiao Feng-tien, manager of Taipower’s Changhua District Office, said the contractor had not been informed that the race would traverse that section of the road and Taipower had asked the contractor to fix the problem immediately.
Tomorrow’s race is scheduled to start from the Baguashan Buddha in Taichung County. Competitors will cycle around the county before returning to the starting point.
More than 100 cyclists from 22 countries began yesterday’s leg at the Hsinchu City Government’s office. The grueling 182.67km leg ended at scenic Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County.
Li Kai-chih, secretary-general of the Chinese Taipei Cycling Association, said the Hsinchu leg, covering 182.67km and rising to an elevation of 869m, was the longest of the nine sections in the Tour of Taiwan.
Riding at varying altitudes would be a big test of the competitors’ strength and perseverance as they race along beautiful coastal and mountain routes, he said.
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