y of Pingtung Saturday in the spirit of challenging their own physical limits and trying to go farther and farther on a single ride. The non-competitive event is being held by Randonneurs Taiwan and the Taiwan Super Triathlon Association.
Cyclists will set off at 6 a.m. from the visitors' center of the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area and ride along a scenic route all the way to Eluanbi, the southernmost tip of Taiwan, before returning via a much different route to finish at the visitors' center.
Riders who complete the course within 13 hours 30 minutes will receive a Randonneurs pin and will qualify to participate in the next level of the event.
Randonneur cycling originated in France in the 1890s. The sport has become popular in other parts of the world, including Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Asian countries.
There are two kinds of rides in a randonneurs event: brevets and populaires. A populaire is intended to introduce new riders to the club. In a brevet, a French word meaning suffering, cyclists follow a set route in their desired distance, moving up to longer rides.
A rider must complete the four races in the basic series -- 200 km, 300 km, 400 km, and 600 km -- in order to qualify for the 1,200-km Paris-Brest-Paris race, which takes place every four years. The 1,200-km Paris event, a grueling test of human endurance and cycling ability, begins on the southern side of the French capital, travels 600 kilometers west to the port city of Brest on the Atlantic Ocean and returns along the same route.
Randonneurs gain international recognition from Audax Club Parisien, creator of the sport, by riding 5,000 km in official randonneur events within four years. The 1,200 km Paris-Brest-Paris is one of the most prestigious rides that must be completed to fulfill the requirements for the 5,000 km award.
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