Raid in France
Raid in France. Day One in The Ardeche
Press Release / 06.06.2017
From Devesset lake in Ardèche at 0:00 am in a dark and fresh night, the 128 racers entered in this 9th édition of Raid in France beginning with a swimrun prologue, a mountain biking leg of 58 km (with 1550 m of positive height), a trek of 19 km and a kayak session of 37 km.
Some stages are shorter than usual on Raid in France this year, but they require the same strong engagement. The heat in Ardèche has boosted the racers’ moral but it also has some physical impacts.
Gaps are already very important. On the one hand, there are the racers who come for their World Championship ARWC ticket in August. On the other hand, the ones who have for their principal goal to lead this adventure until the end. The first racers have more than 2 hours ahead on the minimum forecasts. Three teams are fighting for the lead: 400 Team Naturex, Lozère Sport Nature and Gravelines Tri DSN – Scott Hoka.
The last teams are 2 hours late on the predictions. At 6:00 pm on day one ten teams didn’t start the first kayak stage yet.
The Discovery Of Territories
From Devesset Lake, situated at more than 1100 m, racers crossed the Vivarais on mountain biked to join the Col de Lierne, and crossed by foot on wonderful ridges before getting down to the Dunière river. This river winds its way in wild and deep gorges before flowing into the Eyrieux and offering to teams a beautiful aquatic step.
The Eyrieux took racers until the first stage of kayak of this Raid in France between Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux and Baix, on the Rhône river.
Sentence of the Day
“The first teams have passed the Pigeonnier site in Saint-Fortunat around 12:30 pm which is near a half day after the start. They still have nearly 80 hours of effort for the first finishers and 135 for others ... They are amazing athletes who come for a performance or simply to challenge themselves sportively and mentally. For sure, Ardèche is a pure sportive land... A pure leg, hard and wild as we like in this department”. Christian Feroussier, Vice-President of Sport of the Ardèche Department.
Where To See The Racers Tomorrow
Tuesday will allowed racers to enter into the gorges of Ardèche. Quite unprecedented is the fac they will go against the current on the Ardèche River in kayaks until Sauze village, from where they will start a trek during which they will cross the Saint-Marcel Caves of Ardèche and climb on Audridge rock.
You can follow the race live site at https://live.raidinfrance.com/livetracking
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