The Taiwan KOM Thread

Taroko Gorge is not for the faint of heart, people die there all the time. But this was just a random incident, doubt it’d put cyclists off.

I highly doubt that if this happens during the race, it will be the last.

You’re probably more likely to win the top lottery amount in the bi-monthly receipt drawings than being fatally hit by a falling rock in the gorge.

The incident happened just as there was a race going on from Puli to Wuling on the other side of the mountain. There was actually a challenge race scheduled for the next day that followed the KOM route…and they cancelled it (for the second time).

Condolences to the cyclist and his family.

I think I did mention rockslides among other reasons that make Taiwan mountain roads “bad” for races.

Poor guy.

I hope that’s just not as it sounds… However I’m sure riders die in that road and would like to know some statistics, if there’s any.

Hard for me to get excited about racing anymore, but I appreciate that Crank Punk promotes riding clean.

Hope the event goes well & you get good weather.

I mean all kinds of people. Tourists, hikers, road workers. Hell, a few hundred died just blasting those roads through years ago.

Yes he’s not the first tourist to die there
I hadn’t realized it was that bad
Have there been more incidents than in prior decades or better news coverage ?

If a whole group got hit it will be international news in a bad way

Yes I think it was something like 450 workers died making the whole east west highway and I recall one huge boulder slide killed some 50 in one go

I think that eternal shrine was built to honor the dead building the road ?

Taiwan won’t reopen all of that road anymore because such high death numbers are not acceptable anymore

Wasn’t there a bus load of Chinese tourists crushed? After which they made them wear crash helmets whilst driving through the gorge?

Yeah recall something like that. Heck I never knew the Gorge was that dangerous. So many times I’ve hiked through and driven through.

The first 18km is a neutral start and feels like just another race. That mundane feeling is still present. However, as the race peloton turns left off Hualien County’s Taroko Gorge Bridge, a warm fuzzy feeling fills me from my head down to my cleats. It dawns on me that this race is going to be the most epic experience of my life. It was not until we enter the actual gorge, cycling under the overhangs, taking in the amazing scenery, crossing bridges, looking down at the river below, listening to the sounds of nature, viewing the signs that mark the changes in elevation that it suddenly hits me — we are all going to ride to an elevation of 3,270m above ground level, into and above the clouds.

Scott (co-author of the article), skipped the part where it’s quite possibly the hardest climb in the world. going from sea level to 3270m above sea level.

He makes it sound so easy :laughing:

@LeeRodgers

Any chance any of the special guests will have events for fan meet ups in Taipei?

I am hearing from a reputable source that Nibali will land in Taipei and transfer straight to Hualien. =(

No “dynamic feeding” from team cars.

Oh dear. A certain fan of the [very] sticky bottle may have to have a rethink. :wink:

Also, no sign of Stephens or Richardson (GCN) on the start list…

Yes, I was there last year to drive support. We were not allowed! Despite the riders I was supporting were not really overall podium contenders, we still followed the rules.

Hm, they are here though. Recent GCN FB post was saying that Matt was going to ride a 6.2kg Factor bike with Lightweight wheels. The backlash from their fans were hilarious, saying the price of the components should have the bike a full 1kg lighter.

Because of the nature of the road and the fact that they don’t truly close it, the dynamic feeding rule is a good one. You are allowed to provide feed support at two of the upper stops before the finish. After Tianxiang though, the field stretches out big time and the front group really starts to thin out…not sure they’d ever know if you gave support outside of two designated areas and I don’t know why they don’t allow support at each of the 5 stops. Guess they figure two is enough?

If they get a buttload of goodies in their…care package, sorry the cycling term eludes me right now, in the feed zones, do they need more than two feed zones?

I’m not a huge follower of UCI races, but there’s not too many feed zones in a 150-200km stage race, right?

Usually 1-2 depending on what the stage holds. BUT, they have dynamic feeding.

Anyway, for a bunch of mostly amateurs, with weather a constant variable on any part of that route, it would be nice if they opened them all up. Also, where you want to take the stuff (remember you have to carry it) could be better spaced out that way. It’s not to say that everyone would take advantage of every stop.

You guys think Feng Chun-kai will be made to ride for Nibbles?

Hope not…kinda doubt it