On today’s biking stage, when many teams anticipated a strong challenge from their nearest rivals, the violent wind that arose during the night proved to be their most persistent adversary.
A vicious wind made going particularly tough this morning, when the teams left the desert camp at 07:00 on their bikes for an initial 33.7km confrontation with sand and potholes. Richard USSHER and frontrunners QASR AL SARAB (NZ), out to maintain their 30-minute lead, broke away early from the peloton while second place ADCO struggled to hold off the challenge from VIBRAM SPORT 2000, finishing 2 minutes behind the French who had fitted special, faster tires for the occasion. With only 7 minutes separating 5th placed ADSC/WILSA (FRA) and SALOMON CRESTED BUTTE (USA) in 6th place, and with LUNDHAGS ADVENTURE (SWE) looking to move up from 4th to a podium position, the pace was as furious as it was wearing.
After a pause of around 2-hours for the fastest, the teams lined up for another group start from the grounds of the majestic Qasr Al Sarab Resort, the aesthetic serenity of which was in complete contrast to what they would confront on the 53km leg to Umm Zamul track. Within minutes of leaving, the wind picked up again and the teams slowed to a crawl, disappearing into the clouds of dust. When QASR AL SARAB (NZ) had to stop to repair a puncture, the peloton pushed on but the Kiwis surged back to the head of the race soon after and held on until Marc PSCHEBIZIN and team DOMA (GER) took the lead and the section. The Germans had lowered the pressure in their tires giving them an advantage on the large swathes of deep sand covering the route. SALOMON CRESTED BUTTE (USA), with a supreme effort over the final 20km, finally managed to outdistance ADSC/WILSA (FRA) by 8 minutes, edging themselves into that much-coveted 5th spot. VIBRAM SPORT 2000 (FRA), in their gamble to take 2nd place by using thinner tires than the other teams, paid the price as the sand slowed their progress and ADCO (NZ) consolidated their position behind the race leaders.
With still so much to race for, tomorrow the teams will undertake 20km of trek and rope works, 37km of fast MTB and a final 3,2km on foot to the finish line in Al Ain.
Live race coverage and information at www.abudhabi-adventure.com
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