The final part of the 2011 Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race began this morning when leaders adidasTERREX/Prunesco set off from PC13, heading through the woods on a 188km bike towards the finish line at Pali Aike looking set for a hat-trick of victories in the ‘last wild race’.
The trek section was shortened yesterday afternoon due to heavy rains on the course and the four teams that had reached PC11 were transported by boat and bus to the sheep sheering estancia in PC13, where they arrived with the media group at around 3am. The remaining teams, RoadRunners (Denmark), East Wind (Japan) and Perdido en el Turbal (US, UK) will aim to make the same journey today.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed this morning that Gearjunkie.com failed to sign in at PC10 and have been awarded a time penalty of 10 hours, which now puts them around 16 hours behind adidasTERREX/Prunesco and into the clutches of French team Vaucluse Adventure Evasions, who are now just over two and three quarters of an hour behind.
The British team left PC13 on a track across the rolling hills under a rainbow at 7:30am and Gearjunkie.com was released at 8am. Based on the race times collated by Race Director Stjepan Pavicic, the teams will then be set off at times based on their actual race time deficit, with third-placed Vaucluse leaving at 10:39 and Croatia setting off a further three and a half hours after that.
Conditions are currently calm, with overcast clouds and showers, but the weather can change quickly in Patagonia.
Adidas suffered two breakages on their bikes in the first biking stage on the opening day of the race and will have to contend with those issues for the long ride to the finish. But their time advantage means they are almost certain to hold on to the coveted Wenger trophy.
Gearjunkie.com, meanwhile, could be caught by French team Vaucluse Adventure Evasions, but they are confident their bikes are in good condition and they are looking forward to confirming their second place, after finishing fifth last year. Croatia, meanwhile, will be hoping the French slip up and allow them to steal a late podium finish.
