MAVIC® TRANS-PROVENCE 2014 /// DAY 2 1

Day 2 of the 2014 Trans-Provence is over and the riders are going to sleep well. Through out the day, race director Ash Smith kept himself out of the way until the final timing station where he appeared to welcomes in the competitors. He feared that after the first carry of the day, he may be lynched by competitors who have portaged themselves to the edge of insanity.


2014 Mavic Trans-Provence Day 1 Results (full results)



DAY 2 /// PRADS - VILLARS-COLMARS
Distance: 38.49 km
D+ : 1710m
D- : 2026m



At least for this day, Ash is still alive and so are all the competitors, but after the climb to the first special stage of the day, it was probably wise of him to keep a low profile. From the beautiful campsite in Prads, to the highest point of the day at nearly 2400 meters, it was for all intents and purposes a straight 1400 meter climb mostly with the bike on your back.



If that wasn't enough to test the riders' metal, from the Col to the special stage involved partly descending on foot as the trail became too technical for most riders.



A tough, tough morning for some. Depending on your point of view, it was either a walk in a very vertical park or the ascent to Mordor.



Despite this or perhaps because of it, as riders dropped off their timing tags, most seemed to have forgotten their screaming and cramping legs of the long morning and were mostly whooping about the other three stages of the day.



For the racers, there have been some very close times. Even for those at the head of the leader board, someone in 21st just half a second away can grab a leading spot tomorrow. Amongst the camaraderie and laughs, there's still a race to be won.



Stay tuned...