Mongolia Bike Challenge
Stage 6: Battle Royale on the Queen Stage
12.08.2011
After the first feed station the pace started to pick up as we headed towards 3 big climbs, all topping out at around 2900 meters above sea level. These climbs were spaced out over the last 60 km of the stage and it was pretty clear that the race could be decided on this day. Marzio Deho (Olympia bikes) was on a mission as we hit the first climb and our pack of 15 riders was soon down to just myself (Kona) and the determined Italian. We would go over the top of the first pass together and then Deho opted that we should blow the feed station and go without water for the next 1.5 hrs. Everything in my mind said “Stop�, but I knew if I lost Deho’s wheel that he may never be seen again.
Over the next 60 km, Deho and myself were blowing feed zones and attacking each other over the Mongolian mountain tops as we tried to hurt each other with neither of us able to gain anything on the other. This was until the last climb of the day with just 5 km to go I noticed my riding partner was laboring a little so I punched it and quickly gained a small gap.
Going over the top I had a 1.5 minute lead with just a 3 km decent to the finish line. All day Deho had been attacking the descents like a Kamikaze and was putting his bike and body on the line with myself holding back a bit and then catching him on the flat valley bottoms. Heading down to the finish I made sure to stay in control and soon crossed the finish line alone, with Deho coming in just over a minute behind, riding a flat tire which he got a couple hundred meters from the finish. This was no surprise as I had been watching him take huge risks on the descents all day and it apparently finally caught up to him.
Behind us the other rides were making stories of there own as they rode their bikes anywhere between 6-12 hrs through some of the best landscapes Mongolia had to offer. Riding through this hidden Mongolia countryside was spectacular and in some parts all we were riding through were grassy fields as there were no roads, let alone any settlements of any kind.
The Mongolians themselves who are in the race were also impressed with the beauty of there country as we were in a land which only a handful of people ever wander through. One Mongolian came across the finish line in bare feet, with his shoes wrapped around his handlebar. I’m not too sure what happened during his race but I’m sure he has a crazy story to share with anyone who speaks his language.
SleepMonsters
