Portugal XPD Race
Will a Missed CP Win Stage One?
Rob Howard / 07.10.2004
With the first stage of the race underway 12 hours the international teams are making a strong showing and strategy is already playing a key role.At the front of the field are the Finns in Team Gatorade who were the first to pass through CP10 and begin the 82km Mtb stage through the night. However, they chose to miss CP7 on the previous trekking stage, and the teams just behind them have completed all the CP’s to date. This group is led by TietoEnator Adventure of Sweden and includes Fusion.dk of Denmark, eVENT ENDURE of the U.K. and Nuevomar Fongas of Spain
On the whole of the first 169km stage there are only 4 mandatory CP’s and 12 which are optional. The rules simply say the team which collects the most CP’s wins, but teams have to reach the transition to stage two before a cut-off, and make the Tyrolean Traverse across an ancient altar site for another cut-off by midnight.
So Gatorade’s missed CP may be smart thinking rather than a disadvantage. Race Director Alexandre Guedes da Silva commented; “I think it was a clever decision. CP7 was the farthest out on the trekking stage and not to go might be the best choice. The teams that did go to it are likely to miss two or three biking checkpoints in the night, but the Finns have a chance to get them all.� When the leaders arrive at the transition in the early hours of the morning on day 2 we’ll know who made the best choices.
The day began well for the young Portuguese team – Megamedia Juniors, who are all orienteers and blitzed the 6km prologue, which as a fast run to 12 CP’s on a local 1:20,000 orienteering map. But the Megamedia (senior) team, one of the leading local teams, had to pull out early due to one member having breathing problems. So far they are the only team to pull out, but it’s possible they may resume on later stages.See All Event Posts
