AlpacAttack
Saving the Toughest Till Last
News Release / 21.04.2015
The riders soon warmed from a cold and frosty start on the final stage of AlpacAttack with a 40km climb over the flanks the of Sollipulli volcano.
This was to be the most technical riding of the race with 25% climbs, river crossings and some serious rocky sections to negotiate, followed by a 60km descent, the latter half with a howling tail wind.
Unfortunately the lead motorbike took the front riders along the wrong trail for around 5km. At this point Yuki Ikeda and Pablo Rodriguez were leading by around 3 minutes but by the time they had been diverted back to the correct route they were behind a large majority of the remaining competitors.
Eduardo Bispo of Brasil crossed the finish line in first position, with Guillermo Torres Alvares of Argentina second and Nuno Miguel Mano Jorge third, but when the time differences were applied, the order changed to Yuki and Eduardo in equal first and Nuno in third.
As the first riders started to arrive, the skies clouded over and the heavens opened, leaving some of the later riders very wet and cold, but with hot springs awaiting at the finish line most were soon able to warm up.
Unfortunately Tania Tryhorn was out in the rain for too long and was starting to suffer from hypothermia and had to withdraw 3kms from the finish line. Paul Cooper, who had taken a wrong turn early on in the stage was the last rider home in just over 7 hours, bringing to a close the AlpacAttack 2015.
After a soak in the hot springs the riders were then transferred to the Gran Hotel in Pucon for the final prize giving ceremony.
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