OFFROAD DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY 20TH JULY

Feeling pretty good for the start today but oh did they make us work very hard to get to the finish!

The race back to the finish in Piata Mica within the medieval centre of Sibiu (Hermannstadt).

Steve and I had a late start and then were pulled over for 30mins with 10 other riders by the police, going through the village as someone had complained, probably because all the pro riders were running late and had gone through the village at top speed as they had their start times changed.

Once we got to the start we climbed a steep forest hill, (getting warmed up) which then went down to a river for a cool down.

All day was full of fantastic riding and sections as the "Pope track" , "slime stone" and "Long walk Junior" keeping us hot and busy.

At the "hiking trails" section all of our skills were used, sometimes not even on the bikes.

The last day for was not the easiest of days, and had a lot of difficult technical single tracks that kept us very hot all day in fact several of the pro said it was the hardest day and I agree it probably was.

Just befor the service poin we had a very steep downhill which is where I mad the biggest mistake of the race and ended up drop my bike about 20m down the hill lucky for me I wasn't on it. It was jus a small switch back but at extremely steep angle and the front roll over the edge at that was that.  After the service point where Pasty and Darren did some quick repairs to my bars as I had bent and broken the triple clamp bolt onto the bars.  We had a small chance to stretch our legs and take in the scenery on a fast rallye style track all the way to the finish at Piata Mica in Sibiu. Just before the end, after we started to think it was all over they threw in a really steep up hill section. I ended up carrying five bikes up after getting mine 90% up the with a little help of the last section from Jago. Then we pulled Ross Noble, Zippy's, Steve's and Jago's bikes up, I was absolutely knackered after doing that.

Then After more steep climbs we went down into Sibiu following and crossing the river right in the centre of town. Finally getting to the famous steps of the finishing line in front of a very large crowd. Not the place to blow it but both Steve and I finished in style on the top and had made up 3 hours on Ross and Zippy and 2 hours on Jajo. Wow what elation that was after a very hard 5 days riding both of us sore and knackered but very please to be at the end.

TANKPOINT & START INFORMATION

first competitor leaves "Arsenal park start" 08:20
Arsenal Park start to “offroad start” 21 km´s, (40 minutes allowed for Liaison)
Offroad start to 4TP1 = 9 km´s
4TP1 to 4TP 2 = 33 km´s
4TP2 to 4TP3 = 37 km´s
4TP3 to finish at Piata Mica = 43 km´s

Total distance offroad is 122 km´s, including Liaisons 143 km´s
Maximum riding time: 9:30 hrs, mins

Estimated time of arrival of first rider at (SP) service point 11:09
Service vehicle travel time from riders paddock = 1 hr