X-adventure Raid World Cup 2005
An Uphill Start to Day 2
Rob Howard / 24.07.2005
At the campsite used for the overnight stop teams prepared themselves this morning for another dawn start, another bike ride, and another huge to climb.The first stage of day 2 was a long, zig-zag climb up a dusty forest road through the pine forest to La Rabasa. Teams had a half hour time slot in which they could start, then came a relentless 1264m climb over 18 kms. As they set off the sun came up and once again the thermometer shot up. Today there was no early cloud to soften the harsh temperature, and with many of the final qualification places still in the balance teams all the way down the ranking list were pushing hard to gain places.
It does not look like the result is in the balance at this stage however, as Les Arcs Quechua maintained their pace and their lead. When the lead teams arrived they were 17 minutes up on Ertips, who are racing hard for the podium positions against Saab Salomon. The British team are less than a minute behind them. In 4th, and moving rapidly up the rankings are Mont Blanc International, listed as a US team, though they have a French and a German athlete racing. (Dave Mackey and Danelle Ballangee are the US residents.) They have about 12 minutes to make up on Saab Salomon if they are to get 3rd place.
Montrail are the other US team in the top 10 and they checked the rankings before leaving transition to start the final trekking stage, which includes an abseil. “We’re 6 minutes up on Crested Butte, who are 4 places behind us,� said Rebecca Rusch as her team mates prepared to set off. “We’re OK for qualification, but just so you know. You’ll do well on this section, you go strongly in the heat.� Patrick Harper hadn’t enjoyed the ride that morning, dismissing it as “boring�, nor was he looking forward to the ascent on the next mountain run.See All Event Posts
