[Adventurous Music]

最長的500公尺

- [Simon] I swear that's further.

(倒帶聲)

It's like the longest half K ever.

我們第一次聽到台灣KOM Challenge這賽事

(dramatic music)

是在2015年的時候

- [] We first heard about the

這個超過100公里的賽事

Taiwan KOM Challenge in 2015.

幾乎全都是 上坡...

It's a 100 kilometre long race almost entirely uphill.

當時我們在GCN Show裡介紹它時.

At the time, in fact, we wondered in the GCN show

就決定它是屬於最高等史詩級的爬坡賽

if it was actually the most epic climb in the world.

兩年內我去了台灣兩次

Two years on and two trips to Taiwan later,

但卻都沒能在台灣好好的騎一次車

agonisingly still having yet to ride a bike there,

終於,有人找上門,與我們接冾了

we finally got the call.

KOM Challenge邀請我們參加這屆的比賽

The KOM Challenge had invited us to race.

當然不能錯過這機會

We were on our way.

Matth與我分別前往台灣

Matt and I flew out separately.

我先前往台中的自行車廠

I was due to spend a fascinating few days

在那邊待了幾天,代表GCN進行了幾個參訪

filming some factory tours for GCN down in Taichung.

同時間, Matt搖身成為一位明星

Matt meanwhile was being a celebrity.

最後我們終於在台北碰頭

Having finally met up in Taipei,

我們出發前往東部海岸城市 花蓮

we drove down the east coast to Hualien,

也就是此次賽事的起點

the start town of the race.

台灣位處於太平洋,緊鄰中國

Taiwan is an island in the Pacific Ocean,

而東北方則有日本

off the coast of China, and southwest of Japan.

居民有2300萬

23 million people live there,

雖然南北距離只有約400公里長

and although it's only 400 kilometres long,

台灣卻擁有超過250座

it boasts over 250 mountains higher

海拔3000公尺以上的高山

than three thousand metres.

其中一座山,就是我們此次的終點

One of which has our names on it.

那就是 武嶺

The Hualien Pass.

不浪費時間, 講重點

- [Phil] Let's talk real quick.

我們這次來的目的是什麼?

What are we doing here?

Sia,你來參加KOM的目標是什麼?!

What are you here for?

我想試試我的能耐

- I'm gonna ride the KOM as fast as I can.

能多快有多快是嗎?

- You're gonna ride, okay, as fast, try again.

我會全力以付!

- I'm gonna race it, I'm gonna race the KOM.

你確定?

- Try one more time.

全速力,一拜到終點!!

- I'm gonna race!

再給你一次機會

- No.

我一路噴到山頂!!

Maybe you could help him out.

錯 !

- Um.

或許Matt可以告訴我們答案

- You're here to win.

嗯..ㄛ...

- That's what, Phil, that's what I was gonna say.

你們是來贏的好嗎!!

- Okay, you flew all the way here.

丟..對齁!

Did you come to race to get second?

你們是為了贏得比賽而來的

No, one mission.

你們辛辛苦苦飛了大老遠的來到這裡

- Okay.

你以為只是來約騎的嗎?

- The course, it goes uphill.

沒有別的選項,你們只能贏

- It's a very uphill course.

當然

- It's probably why they call it the KOM Challenge.

這比賽顯然是要爬坡

- Yeah.

Matt: 對,很"抖"的坡

- So, the first 20K is up, and the second 20K is up.

當然,不然也不會叫KOM Challenge

- Okay.

其實就一路朝上嘛

- The third 20K is up.

頭先的20公里是上坡

- Really?

然後第二段的20公里,是上坡

- And the last 20K, you wanna guess?

第三段的20公里路段, 也是上坡

- Is up?

Sia: 是嗎?

- Its also up.

Matt: (抖..)

- Okay.

然後最後的20公里,你們猜猜看

- So you're quite good at going uphill fast.

也是上坡

Can you give us some tips on how to go uphill fast

好.......

for a long time?

Phil,你爬坡賽都表現的很不錯

(sigh)

方便給我們些指點嗎?

- I wish I could help you.

(嘆...)我也希望能幫你......

- Looks like the time has finally come.

出發的前一個小時...

We have one hour now 'til the Taiwan KOM Challenge.

00:02:49,740 --> 00:02:53,080 終於要開始了,我們還有一個小時的時間

Two years in the making, and I must admit,

等等台灣KOM Challenge就要正式開始了

it's the first time I felt like, in a long, long time,

等了兩年,終於要上了

I can do the race.

我得承認,我很久沒有在比賽前有這種緊張的感覺了

I actually have done a proper toilet in the morning.

已經好久沒有緊張到..

The nervousness is there, but its really here,

有辦法一早在房間能徹底的"輕量化"...

I can't believe it.

你看我有多緊張.....

- Yeah, I mean, to be fair, it does feel slightly surreal,

不敢相信,但我們真的在這裡了

because we got up at, I got up at a quarter past four,

嘿呀,真的是點不真實的感覺

and then now its five o'clock and so I don't really feel

可能是因為我4點15就被叫起床...

like I'm particularly present.

現在是早上5點

Breakfast though has just been had.

已經漸漸的有清醒的感覺了

I had a nice Science In Sport Go Energy bar.

早餐也下肚了,吃了SIS的能量棒

- And a gel.

我吃了果膠

We had a little packed lunch, didn't we?

我們還有早餐盒

- We did, yeah, which we were eating.

對的,我們也都有吃了

- We've already eaten.

現在就是休息,然後等比賽開始

And we're just stuck biding our time, resting our legs

00:03:38,015 --> 00:03:39,355 只剩五分鐘就要開始了

ahead of what's to come.

00:03:46,380 --> 00:03:48,540 在前排的都是些高手

Here we have about a minute to go,

然後我們要應付的風速長這樣...

a couple of minutes to go.

這看起來很硬

(crowd talking)

那我們就等等見了

That was all the hitters on the front row.

加油!

That's the wind we are facing.

加油!

And this is the nervousness we have here.

由於起點就在海邊的關係,

Anyway, we'll catch you later.

所以一開始的20公里都是令人欣慰的平緩路段

- Matt, quick, cheers.

直到一個明顯的左彎, 開始爬坡的標語便出現眼前

- Yeah, fist bump.

緊接而來的,就是美到不像話的太魯閣峽谷

(upbeat music)

大約到了賽程的50公里處,強度開始明顯增加

- As we start out next to the beach, the route is

平均坡度來到6%

mercifully flat for the first 20 kilometres.

幾乎我們遇到所有的人

A left turn inland, though, signals the start of

都告誡我們

the climbing up through the incredible Taroko Gorge.

一定要保留足夠的體力給最後的10公里

After about 50 kilometres the gradient starts to bite,

20%的坡度及氧氣減少的高海拔,都在那邊等著

up to about six percent or so.

更別說你已經爬了70公里的山路

Seemingly, everyone we met though, had a stark warning.

感覺..好令人期待....

Save something for the final 10 kilometres.

在那之前,我們還好好長一段路要走

Gradients of up to 20 percent, dizzying altitude and with

我們

70 kilometres of climbing already in the legs.

現在

Something to look forward to then.

大概在45公里處

For now though, we had some racing to do.

內心想著是

- We are, where are we?

00:05:12,220 --> 00:05:14,960 我有沒有衝過頭?等等會不會爆掉之類的...

About 45K in.

當然,現在沒人知道答案

The kind of internal dialogue I'm in is

所以我只能盡力的踩踏

am I going to hard and am I going to pay for this?

我試著待在領先集團

And the answer is always I don't know.

時間越長越好

So I'm just hanging in there.

我其實還可以再待久一點

(upbeat music)

但我知道要是我這樣騎,等等一定會爆掉

- Well I hung on for as long as I could

所以我改照著自己的配速來前進

in the front group.

比賽還很長呢

I could have stayed with them for a lot longer,

風景如此的美

but I know if I did it I would pay later,

但這些坡卻又如此無情

so I'm just riding at my own speed now.

而且越往後的坡, 越殘酷

Still a very long way to go,

目前為止

but it's amazing,

騎了45公里

but its absolutely relentless and only gets worse.

我承認我很享受眼前的風景

(upbeat music)

但很不享受爬坡帶來的痛苦

One is done.

好的

45K in.

我現在得試著實際點

Must admit I'm enjoying the scenery.

我不再跟著集團走

I'm not enjoying the constant pain.

美利達車隊在集團前領騎

(upbeat music)

我看到他們開始拉強度

- Right, this, this is me trying to be sensible.

所以我想

I've just let the group go.

離開前導集團的時間點

I saw Bahrain-Merida down the front

應該到了

and start to drive the tempo.

但討厭的是

So, I thought if there was ever a cue to leave,

現在剛好進入比較直線的路段

that is it, but now irritatingly we're actually on

所以

quite a flat stretch of road,

他們就一直在我眼前

and so they're all set in a group and I'm on my tod.

然後我在這邊自己一人獨推的感覺...

Oh well, it's pretty nice though, isn't it?

感覺好像也不錯啦

Have a look at that.

尼看看那邊的景色!

There's Caley Fretz from Velonews.

那邊是每日新聞的朋友

I can see his altitude gills working from here.

我看到他們的高海拔魚鰓己經開始作動了

- Not bad, thought I'd wait for ya.

騎的很快嘛,不過我還是慢下來等你好了

- Thanks, man, I appreciate that.

好的

- I do what I can.

剛剛停下來上了個廁所

(upbeat music)

然後差點被狗追

- Okay.

還有很長一段路要爬

I just stopped for a toilet.

但這幾乎是我目前為止騎過最棒的山路

And we got attacked by some dogs.

風景真的是

Still a long way to go.

美到下巴要掉下來

But its one of the most amazing rides I've done in my life.

剛剛經過一個標示,

I'm pretty pumped, honestly.

寫著爬坡路段已過一半

Actually, it's jaw-droppingly beautiful.

凱力很好心的提醒

(upbeat music)

我們也不過是騎了

- We've just gone past a sign saying half way

幾十公里的一半罷了

in terms of altitude, but as Caley kindly pointed out,

不用太聰明也知道

we've done quite a significant margin over half way

真的抖的在後面

in terms of kilometres ridden.

謝你喔...

So it doesn't take a genius to work out things are

啊..被你拍到了

about to get pretty steep.

強度高的比賽

Thanks for that Caley.

往往在補給區脫卡落地時,可以更明顯感受到

- Your welcome.

你會很掙扎

(upbeat music)

因為你知道後面還有

- Aw, you got it as well.

好長一段山路要爬

You know its a hard race when you have to

(喘)

put your foot down or your feet down.

我邊喘邊呼吸

I'm struggling now, like, in my head I know I still got

騎在凱力的旁邊,對我一點幫助都沒有

well over 1,000 metres of altitude.

因為高海拔山路是他的主場

I'm breathing pretty heavily.

好硬,真的好硬....

It's not helping being sat next to Caley who's just about

好了...

reached his home altitude.

來了

It's gonna bite, it's gonna really bite.

這就是每個人在講的

(upbeat music)

最後十公里

Okay.

平均坡度

This is it.

十趴

This is what everyone talks about.

我只剩最後一包能量膠

10 kilometres, an average of 10 percent.

準備要來好好感受這苦痛了

I just necked my last energy gel.

這些坡真的是太噁心了...

I'm gonna have to suffer this one out.

但你們看看這風景....

(intense music)

還有

- This is absolutely brutal.

900公尺要爬

(heavy breathing)

跟你們說

A bit of a view.

先不管這些

There you go.

爬坡所帶來的痛苦

We've still got 900 metres to go and climbing.

但我實在

(dramatic music)

不能自主的

- I tell you what, despite all this world of pain

邊騎邊看著這些

I've just put myself in, I can't help but look around

美不勝收的景色

and see how flippin' amazin' it is.

當然,我也很幸運的

And also, how incredibly fortunate

可以騎到這台

I am to be ridin' this bike.

很棒的公路車

6.1 kilos certainly not holding me back.

6.1公斤

There's only one thing holding me back,

紮紮實實的擔當

if I'm being completely honest.

這次爬坡的好助手

(dramatic music)

我們主持人間其實不太會比誰快誰慢

Now there's not much competition between the presenters

但

believe it or not, but there is a small part of me that

我可以感覺到

knows that Matt is not far behind and I know he's like

Matt應該就在後面不遠處

the terminator and he's gonna be pushing so hard.

我知道,他就像魔鬼終結者一樣

I can see it in my mind, he's hunting me down.

油門一拜

That's a welcome sight, five K to go, you can actually

我仿佛可以看到他就在後面,緊咬著

see the top now.

剩下5公里了

It still feels out of reach at the minute.

我其實已經可以看到山頂了

This is absolutely brutal.

但

Never anything like it.

我還是有種騎不到終點的感覺...

(dramatic music)

真的是太噁了...

I swear that's further.

沒騎過這樣的...

It's like the longest half K ever.

我發誓

(cheering)

這是我騎過最長的半公里

(dramatic music)

我不確定我之前有沒有為了獎牌

I'm not entirely sure I ever worked harder

這麼努力騎過

for a medal before

但可以完賽 感覺真的很棒

just for finishing, but that feels good.

這裡是Taiwan KOM Challenge的終點

This is the top of the Taiwan KOM Challenge

這真是一個非常棒的經驗

and that was an amazing experience.

很有挑戰性的比賽

A true challenge, despite trying to pace myself early on,

雖然我一開始有想騎快一點

just the last 15K has just been insane.

但最後的15公里真的是太硬了

So steep in parts were high we were like 3,000 metres plus.

又陡又高海拔

So I still gotta get my breath back and soak it all up.

我現在還在喘咧...

I actually chuffed a bit to go up.

00:12:43,220 --> 00:12:46,620

So the dust is settling around us.

00:12:46,680 --> 00:12:49,260 比賽總算告一段落

Matt, what did you make of that mate?

Matt,有什麼感想嗎?

- You know what, I don't think words can convey it.

你知道嗎?文字可能沒辦法表達我的心情

I think you need to come here to experience it for yourself.

我覺得只有真的來騎過的人,才會知道那感覺

But what I can say is that it was epic in every sense of the

但我能說的只有

word, including the effort that I put in.

整個比賽從頭到尾都是經典

I don't think I've ever gone quite as hard for so long in my

包括我從沒想過,

entire career, and just look at the scenery, it's,

我居然能夠以這樣的強度,不間斷的這麼長的山路上爬坡

actually what I'm talking about, the hairs are standing

然後你看看這風景美到

up on the back of my neck, it's absolutely amazing.

你看我都起雞皮疙瘩了

A day to remember.

太驚人了

And weirdly, although I suffered like a dog,

這絕對是人生中值得紀念的一天

I wanna come back, yeah.

雖然我們都累的跟狗一樣

- Oh God, from the first section through the Taroko Gorge

我會想再來一次

which is just the magnitude is just incredible isn't it?

從第一段爬坡,進入太魯閣

And then you start riding through that rain forest

整個美叮美噹

and twisting up, and then it goes a little bit dark

然後沿著山路往上騎

when you run out of oxygen and things get a bit steep,

彎彎沿沿,又時有樹蔭

but like you said, it's what cycling is all about.

喘不過氣來時 偶爾眼前一黑

Which is doing something where you wonder whether or not

回過神 又是另一個坡

you're actually capable of finishing.

但 騎車不就是這樣嗎

And then you do, and then it just feels great, don't it?

我們騎車去挑戰一個

- Yep.

自己也不確定是否有辦法攻頂的山

- We got certificates and everything.

我們挑戰 然後完成了

- We have, yeah and our medallions, as you can see,

那種感覺很棒 對吧

that really was quite something.

我們有完賽證書

So, you asked me if I wanna come back, you wanna come back?

嘿呀!!

- Oh yeah, I actually love Taiwan, mate, I'm definitely

還有美美的獎牌

gonna be coming back, yeah right, I suppose we just

Sia 你問我之後會不會再來參加

leave it there mate.

你會嗎?

All there is left to do is to say

那當然 我愛台灣 一定會再來挑戰的

make sure you subscribe to GCN.

好的,這就是我們這次的影片

To do so, just click on the globe.

最後我們想說的是

- Now, for another one of our challenges,