Bike-ademia

The Mingdao Private High School and Mingao University have signed an agreement with Giant Manufacturing to establish a scholarship and program to promote cycling. The project is aimed at providing training and financial assistance to young, talented riders who seek to compete at the professional level.

It is really a shame that Taiwan, one of the world's centers for bicycle production and an enthusiastic base of talent does not have a support system to put Taiwanese into the professional peloton.

As Taiwanese tennis player Lu Yen-hsun was quick to point out in the midst of local adulation and government suits hailing him as 台灣之光, or Pride of Taiwan, the government has actually cut expenditures to support advanced athletic programs and therefore Taiwan does not deserve taking any credit for these accomplishments.

It is nice to see the private sector stepping up to promote cycling in Taiwan and I would like to see a Taiwanese (not a Chinese-Taipei..er) rock the pelotons of the future. With such a healthy cycling culture emerging it would be a shame to waste Taiwanese talent.