A monkey. He runs from right to left across the road, punching his way between his legs with his fists, pushing himself forward from the asphalt. After a few seconds, he's past me, disappeared from sight, back into the densely growing green forest. I doubt my cognitive abilities. I have to laugh, even though I have no breath to waste. I'm somewhere between sea level and 3,275 meters. I'm in the middle of the most impressive climb I've ever ridden. It's one of the longest any road cyclist can ride: the Wuling Pass in Taiwan. The facts: 3,410 meters of elevation, from zero to 3,275 meters without any significant interruptions. 85 kilometers, from the east coast of Taiwan on the North Pacific through Taroko National Park, through the jungle to the verdant heights of the pass. It's a pass that can't be grasped in the dimensions in which cyclists usually describe their mountain tours.
Because what I'm telling you about the Wuling Pass is this: The last 15 kilometers were very tough. That means: 15 kilometers of uphill are just the – hard, hard, hard – finale of the climb. That means: Before that, there were already 70 kilometers of uphill. 85 kilometers alone make the journey worthwhile. Source: Radsport-Rennrad.de