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On The Border

Rob Howard / 12.09.2005

The race resumed on Monday morning, starting at 03.00 when the leading teams set off. They had camped the night at Arnuva in a dismal transition area, which was all but flooded after many hours of rain. When they set off again conditions had eased a little, but it was still dark and wet as they crawled from their sleeping bags and slowly coaxed aching limbs into action once again. Ahead of them lay a trek of over 50km along a variation of the Tour de Mont Blanc. Further back on the course at the previous transition area the remaining teams still had to ride up to Arnuva, before undertaking the trek, but they started later in the daylight.

The trek began in Italy, crossed into Switzerland and then passed over the Col de Balms back into France. Here the post marking the boundary was also, for today only, CP28 on the bad weather course of the Raid World Championship. Les Arcs Quechua and Salomon Suisse arrived at the col together just before 13.00, as thick cloud swirled around the pass, hiding the surrounding mountains. They were later arriving than expected, but both teams were moving well and quickly passed the checkpoint.

They had left together in the morning, promptly at 03.00, but Nike ACG/Balance Bar left 7 minutes later. Up to this point the US team had been the most efficient in transition, but not this morning. Even so they were expected to arrive 3rd at the Col de Balme, so it was a surprise when Mont Blanc International came in next, from a different direction to the two leading teams. They had traversed across the hillside to the col, but Mont Blanc International climbed slowly up from the valley below.

When Tony Sbalbi checked the marshal’s timesheet he was happy with the result. “We’ve made 10 minutes up on the leaders since the last checkpoint,� he shouted to Danelle Ballangee, “good choice on the route.� Ballangee was on tow during the climb and had dispensed with the stiff ankle strapping she has been using as a precaution against the recurrence of a recent ankle injury. She wasn’t looking forward to the descent and as the team set off down she said to herself, “This is gonna hurt.�

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