BANGKOK, 25 June 2018: SpiceRoads, a cycle specific travel firm based in Bangkok, is organising a ride and climb package for the Tawain King of the Mountain challenge 26 October.
Guaranteed to run, as the trip has already attracted enough firm bookings, the seven-day, six-night package is fully inclusive of race entry and three warm-up ride days.
There are places available for the 21 to 27 October ride package at USD2,450 inclusive.
It gives riders the “perfect warm up for what Vincenzo Nibali described as the hardest climb in the world,” said SpiceRoads managing director Daniel Moylan, in a message to road racing enthusiasts who are members of Bangkok’s GOTP (Gentlemen of the Peloton).
For die-hard road cyclists there’s something alluring about conquering mountains under your own steam, he said.
In its publicity preamble, SpiceRoads says: “Most of the famous climbs are part of the ‘Grand Tours’ have popularised Europe’s highest alpine roads, but there is another iconic climb that is quickly becoming the must -o on riders bucket lists – the Taiwan KOM Challenge.”
This 105-km course from sea level up to 3,275 metre has all the elements needed to test rider and machine against the mountains – long, twisting ascents, thigh-numbing gradients and thinning air.
Vincenzo Nibali, the 2017 the winner of the Taiwan KOM Challenge, set a new record for the event with a time of 3:19:54. He was more than a minute ahead of Spain’s Oscar Pujol and 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans who finished 10th. Britain’s Emma Pooley won the women’s race in 4:08:40.
Nibali said he has “never ridden such a long and hard climb before in my entire life,” after posing on the winner’s podium.
You don’t have to be a pro rider to enjoy the pain and glory of an epic climb. For this year’s edition of the Taiwan KOM Challenge you can take a place in Team SpiceRoads to conquer this mountain.
The route starts from Hualien’s Qixingtan, passing through the spectacular Taroko Gorge, then climbs to Taiwan’s highest passable road atop Route 14A to Wuling Pass.
There are only 600 slots available for the 26 October race. As part of the Team SpiceRoads ride package participants are registered for the race plus the added benefits of some warm up rides to acclimatise to the time zone and temperatures.
There is also an introduction to the last kilometres two days ahead of the race. All registration and logistics carried out by Team SpiceRoads. Race registration for the Taiwan KOM must be finalised by 20 July.
