Stage 4

Nipika to Whiteswan Lake

110 kilometers (longest stage)

8,500 feet of climbing.

8,300 feet of descent.



In prep for a long brutal stage. 6am breakfast of 3 pancakes, eggs, ham slices, fruit, coffee, oj and coffee.



Race starts at 8am with an expected 8 hour day on the bike. Sammy dialed in the bikes last night and says I need a new headset.



The profile shows two mtn ranges we need to fly over with 3 checkpoints - the rules state that u have to checkin as a team at each checkpoint or get penalized. The weather is ideal today at 30 degrees celcius..



At the first descent a pro crashed head first and received 10 stitches. The start was fast on dirt roads - we rode well and finished in 8 hours -- the descents and scenery was amazing - with lots of rivers, 8,000 feet of descent. Today water bars in the trails were dangerous and one guy hit one at full speed and launched while breaking his clavical. We passed him and he was laying on the ground with an emergency blanket waiting to get air lifted out via helicopter while his teammate finished the day with a broken crankset. We hit major water crossings and a fast finish into Whiteswan Lake.



Finished in 7 hours 55 minutes exhausted. Very tough day.