Corsica Raid

Day 2: High mountain stage

Anne-Marie Dunhill / 19.05.2013

An off-hand comment by the press driver Louis “Loulou”, that Corsica hasn’t had this much rain in forty-four years is being confirmed once again on day two. After several thunder storms during the night that partially flooded the camp grounds, the rain has continued sporadically throughout the day. Once again the organization has had to adapt the race route.

Teams left the camp ground at 04:00 in their support vehicles and headed to the tiny village of Carbuccia. Sleepy teams unloaded their bikes and sorted out their gear for the mountain biking and mountain trail and trek. The Danish team said that they hadn’t slept because of a barking dog. As todays’ stage has headed inland from the coast and into the mountains, the temperatures have dropped and kitted out teams huddled in the hallway of a municipal building trying to keep warm before the race start at 06:00.

The first section was a short one of mountain biking on the road, 10.5 kilometers and 400 meters positive ascent, ending in Tavera after going through the village of Ucciani. The first two teams barreled down the hairpin curves so fast that the lead vehicle thought they would end up in the boot of their car. Technical problems plagued team number 7, A.S.C u Viscuvatu and one of their members arrived in Tavera so enraged that he hoisted his bike above his head as if to throw it down the ravine and was calmed by his assistant.

Teams were then transferred by their support crews to the next section starting in Bocca Scaledda that was supposed to be a high mountain trek. Bad weather conditions forced the organizers to cancel the high mountain section. Heavy fog, low visibility and freezing temperatures meant that the race re-routed to an itinerary at a lower altitude. Teams that were already engaged on the section were stopped at check points and re-routed to the GR 20.

Intermittent thunder storms have continued throughout the day and there is low fog.

The overall ranking on the second stage: LSN won todays stage, followed by Neuchaventure. Quechua comes in third. A navigational error cost Quechua a considerable amount of time today.

Hats off the the organizers who were able to quickly react to the difficult weather conditions.