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Quasar Lontra Make Their Move
Rob Howard & EcoMotion Reporters / 21.10.2004
The Brazilian Team Mitsubishi Salomon Quasar Lontra have pressed home the advantage they won mid-race from good navigation and a strategy of minimum sleep, and are moving rapidly towards victory.They took the lead for the first time in the race on the 57km mountain bike ride to PC8 on day 2 after choosing a shorter route and passing the Czech team Salomon/Opavanet Ad. Captain and navigator Rafael Reyes de Campos explained, “We gained 50 minutes by opting to a shorter and more complicated route.�
It was a smart move which helped them complete the next paddling section in daylight, and those who arrived behind them found it difficult and slower in the dark. They completed the paddle and passed through the following transition in just 12 minutes, to press home their advantage. As the team set off on the 19 kilometers of trekking at dusk on day two Vinicius Mori da Cruz said, "Now I feel that we are really at the most testing part of the race, and that the team is focused and together.� He had cramps in his foot and blisters on his hands from the paddling but moved on after quickly giving them attention.
The team slept for only one hour that night and arrived at the spectacular waterfall rappel at PC13 soon after dawn. They dropped over a 61 metre high fall on a 100m guided descent, at a spot where spectators and media could look down on them from viewing platforms. In the early morning sun the falls looked at their best and the team was encouraged by the support, while the adrenalin rush of the descent gave them fresh energy at the end of a long night.
Once again, they took a quicker direct route by leaving the road on the next mountain biking stage. Those behind them still believed positions could change in the latter part of the race however. Frederico Gall, of Brazil Telecom said, "We race is still on and we can take advantage of our tactical approach. It seems they are sleeping very little, but we stop two hours to stock on sleep each night and can still win.�
At the time the closest teams to the leaders were Financial Paranaventura Renault and the Czechs, but as teams chose to sleep the positions altered frequently. The Czechs have had some difficulty with the maps and the heat. "We are used to temperatures of around 15 degrees in the day and maybe 5 degrees at night at this time of year", said team captain Tomas Vanek. The race medics have warned of the dangers of dehydration, especially on the paddling sections, and are watching the teams closely.
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