The prestigious Tour de Taiwan kicked off on Sunday, March 10th, with a thrilling race through the heart of Taipei City. The eight-lap course, covering 88.55 kilometers along Renai Road, offered a taste of professional cycling to Taiwanese residents and a chance to experience the excitement firsthand. While there were temporary traffic disruptions, the energy of the race seemed to win over Taipei locals who cheered on the riders to the finish line.

Each stage of the Tour de Taiwan presents unique challenges. The Taipei City stage focused on high-speed sprints, while upcoming stages will test the cyclists’ endurance with frigid climbs in Taoyuan and a demanding final leg in Kaohsiung.

This year’s Tour de Taiwan boasts an impressive field of 205 elite cyclists from 24 teams representing 38 countries. Race organizers claim it’s the strongest international contingent in a decade! Support vehicles accompany the cyclists throughout the race, including team support cars, race official vehicles, and a “broom wagon” for keeping the course clean. Camera crews on motorcycles also capture all the action.

Taiwanian hopefuls like Lu Shao-hsuan, Tu Chih-hao, Wu Chih-hao, and Chang Chih-sheng faced an early setback due to an accident, but Feng Chun-kai managed a respectable 25th-place finish.

The opening stage victory belonged to Israel’s young talent, 26-year-old Itamar Einhorn, who crossed the finish line in 1:39:03. Einhorn, riding for UCI ProTeam Israel-Premier Tech, credited his teammates for a well-executed lead-out and a bit of luck in the final stretch.

Einhorn, known for his stage wins on the 2021 UCI European Tour, received the prestigious “green jersey” for his triumph. The race now heads to Taoyuan City Hall for the start of a grueling 115 km mountain stage that will conclude at Jiaobanshan Park.

Catch all the action live on the event website!

Did you know?

  • The Tour de Taiwan, established in 1978 by Giant founder King Liu, is a UCI 2.1 category race similar to the Tour of Thailand and the Tour of Slovakia.
  • The race features various teams, including national, continental, and professional squads, competing across a scenic West Coast course.

The Tour De Taiwan runs from 10th – 14th of March.