Stage one LIMBC 2013. Photo by Andrew Davison
Stage one LIMBC 2013: a 65km XCM around the island, a description that conjures up scenic ideals and one would expect a scenic tour of the island….Ha!… Todays stage was far from a scenic tour and displayed all the attributes of ‘classic Malaysian racing’: mud, paddocks and water crossings separated by much appreciated sections of tar plus a confirmed cobra sighting. The weather was favourable with some cloud cover and a little less humidity making for great racing conditions. Racing in Malaysia is so far from what we are used to in Australia that is it hard to pain a picture of the terrain. The vegetation is tropical but the ground never dries out so the trails are always broken by water crossings and the most amazing MUD. If you reach a water crossing and there is a crowd with cameras do not attempt to ride that crossing despite what the Malaysian race ‘crew’ members may say. The riding is more akin to skiing down a muddy single trail and when you crash (which I did on several occasions) you hit the mud and slide for metres. It is actually quite a ‘fun’ way of riding if you take out the relentless climbing that always seems to proceed the slalom mud trail on the other side.
The start of the mens elite race. Photo by Andrew Davison
The stage started with a ceremonial neutralised 3.3km start from Eagle Park (the location of yesterdays Prologue), on arrival at the start location we were corralled and started at 10 minute intervals: Elite men, masters men, elite women and senior masters men. The warm up on the road ended abruptly as we were directed into the jungle and the womens race began. Last years winner Lea Davison (Specialized factory Racing) set a hot pace over the first 30km through what can only be described as a mud slide of trails interspersed with refreshing tar. Lea and Maja Wloszczowska (Giant PRO XC Team) formed a break away with a estimated seven minute lead over the rest of the women before taking a wrong turn in the closing 5km leaving the stage win to Aldeheid Morath (Sabine Spitz Haibike Pro team) and Eva Lechner (Colnago Suditrol) in second maintaining the womens leader jersey. Lea and Maja will be given the same finish time as Aldeheid as their wrong turn took place in the final 5km so their error will do little to upset their overall standing. Todays race was an indication of the strength of these two women over the rest of the field but in a stage race anything can happen.
The womens break away with Lea Davison and Maja Wloszczowska. Photo by Andrew Davison
Results
Senior Masters Men: 1. Mads Bodker (DEN), 2. Derek David Milne (NZ), 3. Craig Peacock (AUS)
Masters Men: 1. Mazio Deho (ITA), 2. Nicholas Craig (GBR), Patrick Jansen (NED)
Mens Open: 1. Emil Lindgren (SWE), 2. Maxime Marotte (FRA), 3. Kohei Yamamoto (JPN)
Womens Open: 1. Adelheid Morath (GER), Eva lechner (ITA), Blaza Klemencic (SLO)
Tomorrow is another 1000 start with a 45km point to point event starting in Kuah and finishing at the Oriental Village on the other side of the island.