KOM Challenge Record by Benjamin Dyball
Australian veteran (Victoire Hiroshima) put on an incredible performance to win the Taiwan KOM Challenge 2023, beating the record held by Vincenzo Nibali since 2017 by more than three minutes!
The 34-year-old completed the 105km climbing event, with its unique 87km ascent to Mount Hehuan, in just 3:16:09. Dyball’s incredible time was over 3 minutes faster than Nibali’s previous record of 3:19:54.
This year’s race was one of the toughest in recent memory, with a mass peloton of over 950 elite and non-elite runners starting in darkness at sea level and following a route up to the top of the mountain at WuLing at 3,275 meters, the highest altitude paved road in Taiwan.
Dyball had finished second in this race twice before, in 2018 and 2019, but this year he was simply unstoppable. He attacked early and never looked back, maintaining a blistering pace throughout the entire climb.
In the end, Dyball crossed the finish line with over 4 minutes in hand over his nearest competitor, WorldTour pro Jesús David Peña (Team Jayco AlUla). Sohei Kaneko of Japan was third, over 2 minutes behind Peña.
Dyball’s victory is a testament to his incredible fitness and determination. He is a true champion, and his performance at the Taiwan KOM Challenge 2023 will go down in history as one of the greatest climbing performances ever seen. Congratulations, Benjamin Dyball!
