Epic Cami de Cavalls 360
Surprise and Emotion On The First Stage
Press Release / 03.03.2018
The team race kicked off this morning in the South west of Menorca with a journey to the island interior and an unexpected end. Ventura-Avilés (MTB) and locals Urbiña-Pons (TrailRun) won the stage and the small gap with their immediate rivals promises a tough and interesting second stage.
Menorca (02/03/2018) - The fourth edition of the CamelBak Camí de Cavalls Epic 360º in Menorca is well under way. Riders and mountain bikers departed this morning from the Castell de Sant Nicolau, built in the seventeenth century for coastal surveillance purposes, to set off for their destination at Es Migjorn Gran.
The wind was an unwelcome guest in this opening stage, in which the start arch and participants danced trying to ward off a cold that was dissipating throughout the day. At 8:30 a.m., the 70 participants of the MountainBike category opened the competition with a stage of 64.3 km and 936 m of ascent, while 15 minutes later was the time for the 40 trail runners with 45 km and an elevation of 549 m ahead of them.
The pack stretched out right from the start, and the participants plowed their way through the Menorcan west coast next to a furious sea. This first section towards the CP in Far d'Artrutx, where the Experience category had its start (with a stage of 33 km and 526 m), was not easy. A garden of limestone rocks provided rough terrain to negotiate across the stones with each stride and each pedal push.
Mountainbike: Ventura-Avilés Got Lost And Locals Mogollon-Pascual Take Advantge Of It
In this first technical section it was the Spanish champion, Ismael Ventura, and his partner Oliver Avilés the first to take the lead. Behind them, locals Oscar Mogollon and Antoni Pascual clenched their teeth trying not to let the gap get too big through the beaches of Talaier, Cala Turqueta, Macarella or Cala Galdana. They achieved their goal with a touch of fortune, better said, the misfortune of the leaders getting lost, placed them in the first position with one last section to go.
Mogollon-Pascual, surprised by their leadership, devoured the ups and downs of the Barranco de Binigaus. They were the first to get to the finish line with a time of 3 hours and 12 minutes, although they ended up in second place after docking the time from the neutralized sections.
In fact, their lost rivals arrived only 40 seconds later. "It’s part of the game," laughed Ventura at the same time praising the natural charm of the tour. The third place was occupied by Albert Roca and Francesc Caves, who arrived almost 9 minutes later. Among other important participants, it was Monica Aguilera, champion of the Marathon des Sables and Transvulcania, who become the first woman to finish the stage accompanied by Jordi Jimenez.
Trailrun: When Best News Await At The Finish Line
If the MountainBike test was exciting in the sports side of things, thesister TrailRun race came out with one of the most emotional moments that the CamelBak Camí de Cavalls Epic 360º has experienced.
The Basque Roberto Garay, last year's winner and second in today´s stage, together with his inseparable companion Isusko Barrenetxea, crossed the finish line without knowing what was happening. A gift had arrived for Roberto from Sopelana (Vizcaya) in the last hours and when unwrapping it he found a miniature of a firefighter, his profession, with a child in his arms. Garay broke into tears sharing the joy of his fatherhood with those present. "It has been the toughest ultra of my life," explained Garay, without hiding the enthusiasm of Roberto and his partner expecting such news for a long time.
With regards to the race, locals Alexandre Urbiña and Javier Pons were the winners of the day, stopping the clock at 3 hours and 34 minutes and taking a solid advantage of 10 minutes on their pursuers. Completing the podium 30 minutes later came Jesus Sanchez and Ramon Garcia arrival.
On the other hand, Thomas Janichon and Benjamin Moleins won the stage in the Experience category, a shorter and explosive distance, with a final sprint with Fran Romero and Cosme Pon, stopping the clock in 2 hours and 45 minutes. Third place went to Toni Torres and Kote Marqués, 16 minutes behind the leaders.
A More Demanding Second Stage
After this tight and amazing opening, tomorrow the CamelBak Camí de Cavalls Epic 360º moves to the north coast of Menorca, where participants will find the toughest stage of the race. Beginning in the Calespiques for mountain biking and the TrailRun categories, and in El Pilarfor the 90 participants of the Experience category, they will face a stage of important contrasts, with landscapes of great character and a wild coastline guarded only by the lonely lighthouses of Punta Nati and Cavalleria.
It will be the longest stage of the race, but probably also the most decisive and captivating, that runs the entire length of the calcareous platform of the Northwest of Menorca, covering places with so much charm like Cala Morell, Alocs or Binimel·là.
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