Published: 13th September, 2016
We did not spot any riders on rollers at the start warming up today but every rider was offered a Perskindol crackling spray and leg rub from the attendant marshals on the start line. Starting so high the stage itself clearly started with a descent. Initially on a wide open loose surface strewn with rocks and drainage ditches. As the trail narrowed the ditches gave way to rocky rain bars which needed careful navigation to avoid puncturing.
On to a steeper section of single track with tight switchback corners, large rocks and a deep loose dusty surface, at this point we started to pass some of the other teams. This continued to a short section with a compulsory walk then a fire road climb leading into more switchback single track. We were making good progress and could see three teams ahead of us and were slowly reeling them in on a single track climb.
At the top it flattened out for a bit before some more single track, a couple of wooden bridges and a really fun single track with more switchbacks, then some more climbing - all the time we had the teams ahead spurring us on as the gap gradually narrowed.
We dropped into a bike parky descent with berms and table tops then up a final very short climb before one last single track descents and one Km through the town of Zermatt to the finish.
We finished fourth in the mixed after riding a fairly steady pace, looking out for the sharp rocks so were happy with that. The top 3 mixed teams finished 3 and a half minutes up on us and all within 9 seconds of each other. Unfortunately fellow Brits Mat Page and Sophie Hemming suffered 3 punctures otherwise they could have been up there as well.
The women's and men's field both have really impressive teams lined up. In the women's (Stöckli Pro Team) Jolanda Neff and Alessander Keller took the win in 1:00:57, (Team Spur Ötztal) Ariane Kleinhans and Corina Gantenbein were second 1:04:09 and (Wheeler / Rocky Mountain) Esther Suss and Hielke Elferink in 3rd in 1:06:10. In the men's (BMC)Lukas Fuckiger and reto Indergane had a storming pace of 51:38. (CENTURION VAUDE)Daniel Geismayr and Jocken Kass were second in 53:01 and (Wheeler Pro Team) Fabian Paumann and Martin Guyan were third in 53:04. It is going to to be an exciting week of riding in these two strong categories Where riders can gain UCI points.
Tomorrows stage is 95km to Leukerbad.
Elite XC and endurance racer. Riding for Cyclopaedia, Fit in No Time, OTE Sport, Mojo, WTB, Le Col
Read More By MelanieThis blog post was written by a third party and their views do not necessarily reflect the views of XCRacer.com
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