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A Long Night in the High Mountains

Rob Howard / 10.11.2009

As teams made their way towards and over the highest mountains in Portugal during the night, the weather remained variable, the course became increasingly challenging, and teams adapted their strategy accordingly.

The long mountain biking stage included a difficult bonus CP, a short stop for a Tyrolean traverse, a lot of ascent and some long, long descents, then at the end of it came the trek over Serra da Estrela range, which includes Portugal's highest peak. During the early evening of Monday the earlier teams to arrive at the checkpoint at Farjao were lucky enough to see their support crews, who were gathered there waiting to convoy to Assistance Point 2. (Over 50 vans driving in convoy on winding mountain roads in the fog and darkness was an adventure in itself!) Even better the teams found the CP outside the office of the Schist Villages development company where a table full of food and drink and a tureen of hot cabbage soup was put out ready for them. Most quickly made an adventure racers sandwich, two half loaves with as much ham and cheese as would fit in the middle, and headed out again.

Nike/Beaver Creek and Orion Health, who are leading the pack who have so far attempted the whole course, came in close together and the team captains gave flash interviews for the press. Mike Kloser said; "We are going hard and fast, and impressed at the pace and the competition so far." Wayne Oxenham took a more light hearted approach when asked if he thought the cold and foggy conditions would favour them and said, "We're OK we've all got hairy backs to keep us warm!" Then he added, "We don't really think about it, it's the same for everyone."

The weather conditions in the early part of the night were harsh, with the dense fog lingering over the hills and the wind increasing in strength to gale force. With the wind chill temperatures were around freezing and there was little shelter. Later in the night there was the option to get another bonus (bonus D) at the town of Piodao but it was a huge descent to get it, 600m down a switchback road and then back up again to regain the ridge. Here OrionHealth.com made a potentially significant decision to miss the bonus, so they have no longer completed the full course to date. Nike, Lundhags, Explore, Buff and Helly Hansen Prunesco all went down to collect it. Helly Hansen had set themselves a time cut-off. If they arrived above it by 01.00am they would go down to get it, if not they'd continue without it.

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