The queen stage
17 August, stage 7. The queen stage of the race.
Today we’re up earlier than usual and the start is brought forward to 7 in the morning to take on the queen stage. The occasion deserves it. 132km with 2620m of total climbing and 3 KOM climbs, after the beating of the day before, can wreak havoc. And tomorrow another long day… well, let’s not think about it.
The day dawns cold, very cold. We have breakfast at 5 in the morning, put on our winter kit and stay inside the marquee until the last moment: it’s too cold to be out in the open. One minute to the start! We leave the marquee and line up under the start arch at the very last moment, blimey it’s cold…
7 in the morning, the show begins. After a short climb we hurl ourselves down a wide, steep track. The first part looks fast, good.
The track turns into a rolling, rocky section. I join Dani, an Austrian and an Australian, and we take turns at the front while we go slower and slower. As we get closer to wetter ground, next to a riverbed, patches of sand start to appear that are very hard to get through, some so soft they left no option but to put a foot down. At kilometre 40 we reach the first feed station, where I take the chance to shed the winter clothes I no longer need. From here on, everyone at their own pace. We reach the first KOM, very tough. In Mongolia they haven’t invented hairpins for climbing passes yet, so we go straight up, head on. And the descents the same, of course. The speeds are dizzying and, although they’re not technical at all, they are pretty dangerous because of the high speeds you can reach. Shortly afterwards we climb the second pass, very tough as well, with a very rocky descent. The landscape has changed completely, it’s fantastic. At last we see trees; it had been a long time since we’d seen one.
Kilometre 100, second feed station. The friendly Italian masseur travelling with us fills my CamelBak with water and urges me to push, there are two riders close by. I thank him for the gesture, although I don’t care who’s ahead or behind: all that matters to me is reaching the finish without using up all my strength, there are still three stages to go.
From here on we enter grassy areas that are quite sticky, and we spend most of our time fording rivers. Needless to say, the water is freezing…
At kilometre 120, just before the last pass, we have the last feed station, drinks only, where I wasn’t planning to stop. But when I get there I find Massimo with a can of Coca-Cola and change my mind. I take a swig and set off for the last pass. From the top to the finish, it’s all downhill. The climb is very hard and rocky, so I get off and start walking. Shortly before the top the slope eases and I get back on the bike. 5 to go, the descent is lightning fast (once again) and in no time we’re at the finish. Right in front of the arch we come across one last river, so we cross the line with wet shoes. Just my luck…
Crossing the finish line feels sensational. After 7 hours and 50 minutes I finish the queen stage and feel closer to my dream of finishing this tough race. 26th on the stage and 28th overall.
The procession of people coming in behind is quite a sight; many come dangerously close to the 12-hour limit for finishing the stage. The temperature drops sharply and some arrive in pretty bad shape, and the number of riders pulling out is high… that’s the price you pay to finish the Mongolia Bike Challenge.