Sun Shines for Stage 2: Tour de Taiwan

[Cover Picture: Chinese Taipei Cycling Association]

The sun shone for the second day of the 5 stage Tour de Taiwan after a wet and slippery start to the 5 day event in Taipei yesterday.

British team JLT Condor saw James Gullen come first to take the yellow jersey with a time of 2 hours 41 minutes 50 seconds, and team member Edmund Bradbury second. Yesterday’s stage 1 winner, Columbian Edwin Avila of team Illuminate came third.

JLT Condor’s Edmund Bradbury and team member Brenton Jones both went down in slippery conditions on the final corners of yesterday’s race in Taipei City.

Half-way through today’s 114 kilometer race the main pack split on a climb. Thirty riders took the lead and worked well to maintain it.

JLT Condor had planned to support Russel Downing for the yellow jersey after he came second in stage 1. After it was clear he and team member Brenton Jones couldn’t catch up to the leading pack, team management adapted the game plan and told Gullen and Bradbury to “ride for themselves.”

James Gullen said:

I put in a big attack at 5km to go and got my head down, into time trial mode and went for the line.

Stage 3 tomorrow will be a 118 kilometer race in Taoyuan County.

Tour de Taiwan is a 5 stage competition over 5 days from March 26 to March 30. The complete tour covers 682.11 kilometers. Stage 3 will take place in Taoyuan County, stage 4 in Nantou County, and stage 5 in Pingtung County.

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