In 2026, the 6th 96 Freestyle League will resume. The second stop will be in Wuling, Taiwan’s classic freestyle mecca. A total of about 1,200 riders will participate in this year’s competition. The participating age spans from 12 to 76 years old. It has also attracted about 30 foreign players from more than 10 countries including the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Germany, and Singapore to participate in the event. From national elites, new generation players to citizen riders, they will jointly challenge Wuling at an altitude of 3,275 meters and write the most representative mountain battle in this year's league.
This year's Wuling Station is divided into three major categories based on participation, including "Competition Group - 96 League Wuling Station and National Player Selection Points Competition", "Citizen Competition Group", and "Challenge Group - 96Heroes Chinese Mercedes-Benz Wuling Station". Not only are the top drivers vying for league glory, but it also covers everything from competition, public participation to self-challenge, so that riders of different levels and ages can find their own stage in Wuling.
The most eye-catching one is undoubtedly the "96 League Wuling Station and National Player Selection Points Tournament". In this competition group, nearly a hundred UCI athletes competed for national player selection points, accounting for half of the entire competition group, making Wuling Station not only a private event, but also an important competitive stage for top domestic players to compete for national player qualifications. Another highlight is that the men's competition group may face the most unpredictable battle in recent years. As the Asian Games are approaching, some of Taiwan's top players have devoted themselves to the Asian Games tasks, reshuffling the original competitive landscape. The absence of some familiar and strong captains has given each team a chance to break through for the new generation. From competing for a single station championship, national player points to four honorary jerseys, everything may be rewritten because of this long climb in Wuling.
As the new generation prepares for success, veteran Lu Shaoxuan, who once represented Taiwan in the Taiwan Tour and was the first champion of the 1996 League, has become another focus of this site. As a player and coach, he admitted that he no longer focuses on his own ranking at this stage, but hopes to use the experience accumulated over the years to pass on. "Now the students' results are better, so I try to bring them to a better position and help them." As for his personal goals, he said with a smile that he "doesn't want to win the championship in Wuling now", but will look for opportunities to challenge the sprint point.
From being a champion in the past to helping the new generation now, Lu Shaoxuan's understanding of Wuling has also become an important weapon for young drivers. He believes that the most important thing when facing a long climb is to be "calm and stable". If the opponent's attack in the early stage leads to excessive consumption, the second half of the race may be unsustainable. Especially this year, when the battle situation is open, each team needs to control the speed of the group through the team, instead of blindly pursuing someone when they see someone breaking through. As for the attack area that may really trigger the championship battle, Lu Shaoxuan specifically named "After the Clearing". He analyzed that after passing Qingjing, there are about 15 kilometers left to the finish line, which is about the last hour of the race. By then, the physical condition of the players and the strength of each team will gradually become clearer, and it will be easier to control the energy distribution. Therefore, it will be an important stage for each team to control the group and even launch key attacks. For young riders who are trying to seize the class this year, whether they can keep their composure and save their energy until the last 15 kilometers is likely to directly determine the final ranking.
Even though the amount of training is no longer as good as when he was a full-time player, Lu Shaoxuan still chooses to stay in the competition. He revealed that his current training time has been reduced by more than one-third compared with the past, and his career has gradually shifted to "half player and half coach". In addition to continuing to compete, he also runs his personal brand "King Cycling Club" to help riders of different levels achieve competitive or self-challenge goals through indoor training, outdoor riding and skill guidance. For him, the 96 League not only provided a stage where he once won the championship, but also gave Taiwanese players a platform to continue to hone and grow.
In addition to the competition group, this year the 96 League continues to expand the "citizen competition group". The main group has full traffic control and is equipped with professional referees. It is hoped that ordinary clubs and citizen riders will not only "ride Wuling", but also challenge their personal best results in a safety standard and atmosphere that is closer to a formal competition. At the same time, through the participation of community sports clubs, the participating groups are further extended from elite athletes to the general public, allowing different generations from 12 to 76 years old to stand on the same event.
