X-adventure Raid World Cup 2005

---

In the Saddle - A Course for Mountain Bikers

Rob Howard / 22.07.2005

Teams picked up the full details of the course after being introduced at the race briefing. Fortunately, they knew some of the detail, as they’d already been told about the 10,000m of ascent and seen the route profile – so it didn’t come as too much of a shock!

As promised it’s a course with some long, long mountain biking stages, and that’s how the teams will set off tomorrow, uphill on a 650m climb, over the Pic de Maia. This is followed by a mountain run into the town of Canillo, which is where the race will also finish Sunday afternoon. Close to the town is a well known Via Ferrata route, so teams will follow this before getting back on their bikes for a huge 66km stage, taking them to the river activities on the course. These are all in one place on the Noguera Pallersa river, which is renowned for it’s rafting and white water.

The teams can expect to experience plenty of white water, starting with a hydrospeed section, which is immediately followed by a canoe stage. They may be grateful to get in the water and cool down when they arrive at the river as the daytime temperature is expected to be over 30C and teams which don’t manage the heat well, and hydrate properly will have problems.

Before the end of the long, long first day there is still another run/trek to complete, and then a third bike stage to reach the campsite at La Farga de Moles. The leaders are not expected to arrive at camp until nearly midnight ... and the slower teams until the early morning, by which time it will be time to start out on Sunday’s course.

The saddle sore teams will set off on their bikes again, complete a final mountain run … and then it’s one last ride into the finish at Canillo, where the leaders are expected around 15.00.

Course Details

Mountain Biking – 15kms
Running – 19kms
Via Ferrata
Mountain Biking – 66kms
HydroSpeed – 9kms
Canoe – 11kms
Run – 26 kms
Mountain Biking – 48kms
Camp
Mountain Biking – 18kms
Run – 25kms
Mountain Biking – 20kms

Total Distance – 259kms
Altitude Gain – 9940m.
See All Event Posts