Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) celebrates his win at the Taiwan KOM Challenge (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Vincenzo Nibali took home a big cheque from Taiwan KOM Challenge(Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
The 600 riders await the start of the Taiwan KOM Challenge (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
The riders roll out at the 2017 Taiwan KOM Challenge (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Taiwan KOM Challenge goes clear alone in theTaiwan KOM Challenge (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Nibali begins to celebrate at the Taiwan KOM Challenge(Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Chun Kai Feng (Bahrain-Merida) (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Bahrain-Merida team manager BrentCopeland in action at the Taiwan KOM Challenge (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Chun Kai Feng helps a rider at the Taiwan KOM Challenge (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Here comes Vincenzo Nibali (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Vincenzo Nibali on the top step of the Taiwan KOM Challenge(Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
The podium of the Taiwan KOM Challenge(Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Vincenzo Nibali flies the Italian flag at the Taiwan KOM Challenge(Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
The final men's podium of the Taiwan KOM Challenge (Image credit: Taiwan Cyclist Federation)
Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) ended his 2017 season with victory at the Taiwan KOM Challenge, finishing more than a minute ahead of Spain's Oscar Pujol and John Ebsen. Nibali reportedly set a new record for the event with a time of 3:19:54. The 106km event starts at sea level and finishes at an altitude of 3,275 metres atop the Wuling Pass, Taiwan's highest road.
Former Cannondale rider Phil Gaimon finished sixth, 10 minutes back, with 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans 10th. Britain's Emma Pooley won the women's race.
The Taiwan KOM Challenge brought down the curtain on Nibali's 2017 season. He raced for a total of 81 days, finishing third at Giro d'Italia, second to Chris Froome at the Vuelta a Espana and winning Il Lombardia for a second time.
"It was a hard race because we went from sea level up to 3,275 metres. I've never ridden such a long and hard climb before in my entire life," Nibali said after posing on the winner's podium.
"I waited until the final 10 kilometres to attack when I saw the other riders tired and suffering. It was my last race of the season and so now its finally time for some holidays."
A total of 600 riders took part in the event. Nibali and Pooley each collect a prize of 500,000 Taiwan dollars – close to 14,000 Euro - for victory. Nibali took part with his brother Antonio and Bahrain-Merida teammate Chun Kai Feng and team manager Brent Copeland.
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