This one is if you enjoy paying around 3000NT to torture yourself for two days.
Double entrance to Yu Shan National Park (TaTaKa)
Sign up deadline: March 20, 2017
Event date: April 29 and April 30, 2017
Day 1 Route: 81KM - Ji Ji Township to Ta Ta Ka parking lot
Day 2 Route: 76KM - Fan Lu Township to Ta Ta Ka parking lot
Registration Fee: 2600NT
Additional postage fee required for mailing bib numbers and material
This one is a fun and competitive race held by one of the best bike organizations in Taiwan, Neverstop. You are given a medal with a hole in the middle with your welcome package and when you finish the race, you receive the “token” that goes in the hole.
I did this race last year and it was loads of fun. Despite you having to ride straight through downtown Nantou (and through traffic lights), the org does a great job in stopping traffic for you. So, you can roll through red lights, but they have stated that if commisionaire sees you roll a red light more than twice, you can be disqualified.
It’s a nice rolling hills start to a 700m elevation climb to Sun Moon Lake and a long descent down into Shuili. The race ends with a 40km flat back to the Nantou Zhi Nan Gong.
Sign up deadline: April 9, 2017 (Max 3000 participants)
Event date: May 21, 2017
Distance: 102.9KM
Route : http://tour.xplova.com/routeDetail/iframe/customization.php?GUID=7A1DCCE2-25B0-3587-CA10-123DF9E2B9E8
Registration Fee: 1000NT
I highly suggest booking a BnB in Ji Ji. It’s roughly 8-10km to the start line from the Ji Ji train station.
Thanks for the info, I think I’m going to sign up for this one. I live close by and have already ridden certain sections of this route making this a great choice of a ride for me.
Anyone who plans on participating in this ride and wants to meet up let me know and we’ll coordinate.
Just a heads up here: Tour of Taiwan this Sunday, prologue at City Hall, 9.30 am. On Monday we’re going around the coast and looping up round Jinshan-YMS. A chance to see some second/third tier world pro teams in action.
coming anywhere near Tainan?
I am watching the IndiPac right now. We need a round Taiwan, unsupported race like that!
What do you folks think?
Geoff
A few years ago one of the organizations held a round Taiwan race and the first place finishing time of a 50-60 year old male was some ridiculous time of 40-50 hours.
I think they hold one from the bike show every year?
http://48h.innova-pro-tires.com/tw/index.html
The point of around the island is to take it slow and see the scenary, not to…die.
http://www.tourdetaiwan.org.tw/
I think so! Check stage 5!
Ta. Hmm. Taidong or Kaohsiung. Not coming into the 'nan this year. 
“The point of around the island is to take it slow and see the scenary, not to…die.” - ranlee
LOL!
Right!
As soon as the weather settles, that is what I am going to do.
To match IndiPac you’d have to go round the island about, what, seven times? Not quite the same though is it riding through heavily populated areas.
I see Durianrider lasted all of 100k, the plonker.
Just an additional heads up, weather looks very fine if cool on Monday. I think I’ll set up at the KOM point on the Bei-22 to get some photos, 11am to 12pm. Its a very steep pitch there so should be a good spot.
Share pics if you can! 
If you are in Taipei/New Taipei, this is the race to try if you’ve never participated.
North Coastal Road challenge race. Starts near Danshui Fisherman’s Wharf wraps over to Wanli and then you U-turn back.
Two routes to choose from. The short route is 99% flat whereas the long route has a short (but steep stinger) climb at the turn around point.
Sign up start: May 5, 2017
Event date: June 11, 2017
Route 1: 76km: http://tour.xplova.com/routeDetail/?GUID=EAC25CDD-5C74-43F9-15B8-9E1D5489897C
Route 2 100km: http://tour.xplova.com/routeDetail/?GUID=C7462DF8-7D4F-281E-B0BF-EDD28B8612E4
Registration Fee: 800NT for the 100K and 700NT for the 76K
Additional postage fee required for mailing bib numbers and material
Thanks for thinking about me ranlee. I most likely won’t be able to do it. I’ve been signing up for so many tri races this year and the wife is starting to get annoyed (even though I think I talked her into doing a relay in September). I keep telling her that I’ll be taking a break in the summer between races. This cycling race here is kind of on the borderline (not quite summer vacation), but still. But it is perfect for me! Flat, flat! If I register, it’ll be at the last minute. I’ll let you know.
Another classic challenge race is coming up in August.
Sign up start/end: June 15 - July 08
Event date: August 6, 2017
Route 1: 78km (1641m elevation gain): http://tour.xplova.com/routeDetail/?GUID=A229DAC5-D6C7-31C7-A22A-C0965B7BF079
Route 2 58km (1111m elevation gain): http://tour.xplova.com/routeDetail/?GUID=E7114676-A5BD-A4EF-B6F1-E2373F746F37
Registration Fee: 880NT for the 78K and 750NT for the 58K
I did this route about this time last year and it’s a very nice route with minimal traffic after you’ve turned off to Ping Lin and the final 15-20km back to the finish on the 106 is a very nice downhill rush.
Additional postage fee required for mailing bib numbers and material
http://bao-ming.com/eb/www/activity_content.php?activitysn=2392
I signed up for this race a few days ago. Do you recommend it for a first time rider in any cycling event?
If so, any other recommendations? I’ll def stay in the back of the pack
It’s not an easy route for a first timer, but I can’t say it’s not possible.
For these kinds of events, if you’re fit and you’ve been doing a fair amount of training, you’re racing against yourself and trying to do your best. Overall placement and by age group in these kinds of events are just bragging rights and mean absolutely nothing beyond that.
Whereas if you signed up and haven’t ridden more than 10-15km a week, then you’re racing against the clock, to finish within the given time. Take note, you are not rewarded a finishing medal if you don’t finish within the time limit!
You got plenty of time to get ready, so don’t worry. You also did that imperial century not too long ago, so if you can finish that, you should be ok!
For race day…
Arrive early (30-40 minutes before start). Two bottles, one of them with supplements or sports drink, it’ll be hot hot hot and water stations will be spread out. Bring some supplements with you in forms of gels or bars. Anything to keep you going and the stomach from not going empty.
The fast guys will all be bunched up in the front at the start line, so if you have confidence to keep up with them, no one is stopping you and no one will laugh if you get passed. Since…you’ll most likely get passed.
I wouldn’t suggest staying in the back back of the pack since you’ll just get stuck with people thinking they can do long distance with lots of elevation gain in the heat from doing leisure riverside rides every evening. Trust me, there’s always people like that at these kinds of events.
What’s fun about these kinds of events is riding with a bunch of people. You may rely on people of similar pace as you to get you to the finish! So you definitely don’t want to start too far back. You’ll end up spending too much energy trying to catch up to those with similar ability as you.
Only time I vomited on a bike was in that race. The temptation is to push on that first climb (to Huafan Uni) and put yourself in the red (but then again if the legs feel good its not a tough climb). The descent from that is tricky so you don’t really get a rest and then you’re into the steeper climbs and in the hurt house. But maybe I was just having a bad day. But yeah, if its a hot day be careful. They’ve shortened the course a bit which might help.
There should be lots of aiyu jelly at the main feeding station, that goes down a treat.
Yah, it’s not easy and don’t do what I did and go all out on race day. Some of the locals aren’t too great at descending so don’t latch on too close on descents.
Here’s a video I made of the downhill…
West Coast Cycling Challenge
Sign up start/end: June 09, 2017 to August 04, 2017
Event date: September 3, 2017
Route: http://tour.xplova.com/routeDetail/?GUID=42373645-7097-361E-E998-E5243993805F
Registration Fee: 800NT/person
Additional postage fee required for mailing bib numbers and material
The route is very straight forward, starting in Bali down to Hukou all along the west coast (road number 61). This is a great route for beginners since it’s around 100km on the flats, but do be careful because the road conditions on the 61 are not the greatest and the route sometimes takes you up the on ramp to the highway only to go straight back down onto the road.