A group of 10 visually impaired cyclists, each accompanied by a sighted coach, began an 11-day bike trip around the nation early yesterday.
Amid loud cheers from spectators, the cyclists, dubbed the “Knights in the Darkness,” departed from the plaza in front of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, to start the journey around the island on tandem bicycles.
“We would like to encourage everyone, especially those with disabilities, to push their limits and not hold back,” said David Chang (張文彥), a 48-year-old, blind athlete and chairman of Taiwan Ah Gan Spiritual Development Association, which organized the event.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
Although it is the seventh time that Chang has either run or ridden around the country, it is the first time for the other athletes, who are challenging themselves to accomplish a “seemingly impossible task,” Chang said.
After two months of training to develop mutual trust with his coach, Jack Lai (賴智傑), 45, said he was very confident of completing the challenge.
“I want to prove that even a visually impaired person can do this,” said Lai, who has participated in many sporting events, including marathons and swimming competitions.
Lai also asked his wife to bring their two-month-old on the journey, saying the trip would be full of memories he could cherish forever.
Meanwhile, Zano Huang, 31, one of the four female participants, expressed her excitement about the trip, saying she was looking forward to trying different local delicacies on her first trip around the island.
“I’m ready and I’m not nervous at all,” she said, adding that she would do her best to endure the physical discomfort of cycling for long periods of time.
A total of 48 staff members will accompany the riders during the journey, including a team that will document the whole experience via social networks and video posts.
Daily updates and scheduled itineraries will be posted online and members of the public are invited to cheer the riders on either online or in person, the organizers said.
The first leg of the journey will take the group to Hsinchu City, after which the riders will head to Greater Taichung today. They are scheduled to return to Taipei on Nov. 29, after completing the 1,050km trip.
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