Raid in France - Alps to Sea 2009
Quechua are the Winners
Rob Howard (Translated from Raid in France website) / 06.06.2009
Friday, 19h11: Team Quechua crossed the finish line as winners in the heart of the port of Fréjus, after 130 hours and 10 minutes of racing. The quartet completed a canoeing journey along the Argens river before joining the waves of the Mediterranean and finishing in the port city of Var. Quechua finished as comprehensive winners, more than 5 hours ahead of their nearest rivals."The arrival in the port of Fréjus was ... magic," said Laurent Fabre. “Raid in France, as a whole, is a magical race with breathtaking and incredible sights.�
Yves Bilodeau, the Canadian, was more prosaic: "It was everything; good, not good, exciting, depressing, disheartening and ultimately committed. Raid in France is a real raid. Compared to the Pyrenees, it was completely different ... but always engaging�!
For Rudy Gouy it was all about the course and he claimed to have been served like a king. "For one week we have experienced incredible moments: great rivers, canyons, real mountains and ultra hard mountain bike sections ...."
Sandrine Mounier, recently incorporated into the team, praised the qualities of his team mates: "We won with morale, mutual support and cohesion" she said.
Cateye Outdoor Experiences arrived in Fréjus after 135 hours of racing in second place and were welcomed by Quechua. They expressed their joy and heartfelt emotion. "For one week, we were totally immersed in nature with a strong commitment at the technical level to manage such a raid ... it is unique in France and rare in Europe," said Markus Fisher.
For Emmanuelle Zanders the mountain trek in the early days set the tone: "It was hard, very aggressive ... but we loved it." Emmanuelle, who lives near the Gorges du Verdon, appreciated landscapes about which she previously had no inkling, and praised the work of the Race Director.
Another team also arrived last night in Fréjus: Pedini Ireta Endurance Adventure, who will be ranked when the jury has delivered its penalty verdict. The team were a little disappointed they were forced to slow down after the mountain biking and make a choice of routes due to the fatigue of one of them but still enthusiastic about the course.See All Event Posts
