---

Day 3; A Sandstorm to Start

Official Report / 05.08.2011

Athletes faced a tough morning leaving the dunes of the Gobi. At the start this morning, a dark sky and strong lateral winds were waiting for the riders. The atmosphere of the start was like a western film.

The first part of the stage had very low visibility caused by the wind. The head group was composed of 9 riders, including current overall leader, Cory Wallace. The group rode together without any surprises until the second refuelling point, which announced the start of the climbing.

At the start of a long, steep climbing section, the group thinned out revealing the real climbers. Deho tried to break away but was quickly reeled back in by Cory Wallace and fellow Canadian, Craig Richey. This was also the order the trio finished for the hill climb award.

After the climb, all riders enjoyed a fast downhill into a majestic canyon. Just after the canyon, fate struck as the three leading riders made a wrong turn and lost their way. By the time they realized their mistake, the race was lost. They were beaten to the finish line by the chase pack, with Gerber Sven of Germany winning Stage 3 of the 2011 MBC. He was followed by Rohin Adams of Australia and Daniele Sassaroli of Italy.

In the overall classification Cory Wallace now leads by just 32 seconds.

<b>Stage Stats</b>
Departure: Gobi Discovery Ger Camp
Arrival: Yangirt Pass
Distance: 133 km
Daily climb: 1100 metros

See All Stories On This Race