Taipei: Belgian road racing cyclist Jasper Philipsen will take part in the second edition of the Tour de France-certified L'‚¬Å¡¬°tape Sun Moon Lake cycling event in October, the Tourism Administration announced Wednesday. Philipsen, who won three stages in the 2024 Tour de France when riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck, will travel to Taiwan for the L'‚¬Å¡¬°tape series event held at Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan on Oct. 18, the top tourism promotion agency in Taiwan's government said during a press event.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Belgian cyclist is recognized as one of the fastest sprinters on the circuit after winning the green jersey in the overall points competition at the Tour de France in 2023 and finishing second last year. Tourism Administration Director General Chou Yung-hui stated at the press event in Taipei that Taiwan has constructed approximately 5,000 kilometers of cycle paths nationwide as part of post-COVID-19 initiatives to promote low-carbon tourism. These efforts also include hiking trails and railway tours.
First held in the Pyrenees between France and Spain in 1993, the L'‚¬Å¡¬°tape series' website describes the Tour de France-certified event as "a sporting challenge" and "a tourist adventure." The Sun Moon Lake stop of the L'‚¬Å¡¬°tape series in October features two race divisions based on length for each gender - 104 km and 29 km - with registration open until June 27, according to the event website.
The 104-km group is further split into a "Race" group and a challenge group, with the winner in the "Race" group receiving a Tour de France yellow jersey, a trophy, and qualification to participate in the 2026 L'‚¬Å¡¬°tape France Championship in France. Additionally, if a Taiwanese cyclist wins the men's or women's race, they will be awarded NT$100,000 (US$3,335), as stated by the Tourism Administration in a press statement.
The individual with the fastest combined time for the two King of the Mountain (KOM) climbing sections in the men's and women's groups in the 104-km race will also qualify for the 2026 championships and receive a Tour de France KOM polka dot jersey. In the inaugural Sun Moon Lake event in November 2024, four-time Tour de France champion and two-time Olympic medalist Chris Froome of Britain won the race, while his fellow British cyclist Mark Cavendish participated as a guest of the event. Last year's event at Sun Moon Lake was part of the 33rd edition of the L'‚¬Å¡¬°tape series, with the championships scheduled for July 20.