Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race 2010
Helly Hansen Prunesco Power Ahead
News Release / 12.02.2010
The lead three teams had been separated by just eight minutes at the end of the first trekking section but in an echo of the powerful mountain bike run that helped them win the 2009 event, the four British racers were determined to push hard on the bikes again in what could be a crucial part of the race.
The team arrived into the forested campsite at 12:45am, three hours ahead of their closest rivals after 13.5hrs of non-stop biking and Bruce Duncan said: “That was a monstrous bike. Oh man, the mountain pass was absolutely brutal, it just did not stop, and on the way down, oh god, it was freezing, absolutely freezing, so wet and cold.
“The plan was just to get that done, we knew we had to get it done so we had to get our head down and get on with it. We had a good run and we’ve now had three hours sleep, so that makes four hours in total so far. Now we want to get out for first light for this first trek and just keep going.�
The 178km ride, which took competitors through the beautiful forested hills of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Karukinka reserve, proved a gruelling test of endurance with a seemingly endless climb over a mountain pass – but most of the lead teams missed the beautiful views as they completed it entirely in the dark.
All teams had to stop at the Karukinka Reserve headquarters, the seventh checkpoint in the race, during the ride between PC6 and PC8 but Switzerland were unable to find the building and decided to continue without stopping. They arrived at PC8 in third, four hours behind the leaders and an hour behind second-placed Untamed New England.
The teams were now spreading out, with some electing to sleep beside the road en-route to PC8 and others pushing through to rest at the checkpoint. Helly Hansen-Prunesco chose to do the latter and, after three hours of rest they set off along a small rushing river at first light, with Untamed New England second out, almost four and a half hours later as the race moved through the forest and into the Darwin foothills.
PC8 (Latest Feb 11, 7:30pm)
1. 1 Helly Hansen-Prunesco UK Arr 12:45am Dep 5:22am (1)
2. 5 Untamed New England CDN Arr 3:41am Dep 9:49am (2)
3. 4 Switzerland SWI Arr 4:40am Dep 10:00am (3)
4. 16 Air Europa Bimont ESP Arr 5:55am Dep 10:33am (5)
5. 9 Herbertz DE Arr 9:00am Dep 10:29am (4)
6. 7 GearJunkie.com USA Arr 2:37pm Dep 3:53pm (6)
7. 11 Nord Water FIN/SWE Arr 3:30pm Dep 5:45pm
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