Bimbache Extrem
The Leaders Withdraw
Rob Howard / 23.03.2006
With such a difficult trekking stage on the first night of the race it was always likely one or two teams would experience difficulties, and so it proved. Just before 8.00am in the morning the race leaders, Abarth/Teva phoned Race Director Antonio de la Rosa to say they were pulling out of the race. “The girl on the team (Yolanda Magallon) has a lot of problems with her foot and she can’t go on,� he said, “it’s a great pity. But it’s her first long adventure race and it’s often the way. She is a top duathlete and very fit but these races are so long, they are at a different level of endurance. So we are sending a car out and they are descending to the road to be collected.�
The team had been sharing the lead with Lundhags adventure, both of them reaching the high point on the trek on the Sierra de la Honconera together at 3.40am. Behind them Halti and Fjallraven are also moving together, after Halti caught up 35 minutes on their Danish rivals during the early part of the trek. The two teams arrived at the summit at 5.05am.
Behind them are the Tenerfie Raid Team and Team Finland and all the teams are facing difficult conditions, with dense cloud and fog slowing them down. They are taking longer over the stage than expected and will not be back to TA5 at Lunheros until the afternoon. This is despite the fact the organisers have had to call off the canyon and via ferrata section. “There is too much water and it’s not safe,� said De la Rosa.
The teams at the back of the race will have to keep up their pace to avoid finishing the trek in the dark, and all with be very glad of the mandatory 4 hour rest at the end of the stage, where they can sleep for a few hours.See All Event Posts
