Jet Fuel Coffee at Tour de Taiwan 2008 - Part II

Dr. Octto traveled to Kaoshiung City to meet the Jet Fuel Coffee Cycling team at the Tour de Taiwan (TdT) welcoming party, held by the host Chinese Taipei Cycling Association (CTCA).

Despite the riders being extremely jet-lagged (no irony intended) after 4 legs of travel traversing 12 time-zones (that's halfway around the world if you didn't notice), they were in good spirits and excited to be on the ground in Taiwan as the first Canadian team to participate in this UCI Asia Tour 2.2 event.

In keeping with Jet Fuel's mission as a development, the team sent promising Under-23 level riders Bryson Bowers (Kingston, ON) and Shane Braley (FLA, USA) for some of their first taste of intercontinental competition. Steadying veteran Senior level mentors Peter Morse (Toronto, ON), Enrico Traini (Toronto, ON) and Daniele DeFrancheschi (Windsor, ON) completed the roster. Development at Jet Fuel is not only for riders as Brian Bowers was ready to make TdT his managerial debut.

The Jet Fuel team for TdT 2008 at back from L. to R. (Brian Bowers (manager), Enrico Traini, Daniele Defrancheschi, Bryson Bowers, Shane Braley and Peter Morse.
In the left image with Mr. Lee Kai-Chih (yellow-jacket) the Secretary-General of the host CTCA and other important Taiwanese dignitaries.
In the right image with Ms. Margaret Tzai (center), the liaison to the team from the host CTCA.

Post-party, the team settled in for the night to rest up for Stage 1 the next day, but not before a team meeting to review the race-regulations and hash out some race-tactics.

High above the boulevards of downtown Kaoshiung City, the team preps for the Stage 1.