Pioneer Stage Three

Fairlie to Lake Tekapo

Distance: 71km

Elevation: 1200m

Sometimes, race directors give you a gift. Here at The Pioneer, riders returning from last year already received a gift – a sweet wooden handled folding knife. Perfect for skinning possums we were told. You have to remember that possums are a pest on this side of the ditch.

But with overnight rain that settled onto our camp site in Fairlie, the cool (under 10 degree) temperatures at breakfast meant that The Pioneer event team elected to not subject us to the climb up and along the Albury Range, which would of had us in temperatures around 1 degree for over an hour, plus in rain.

Instead, we stayed on dirt roads around the base of the range, joining the route at the 27km point, but having done about 20km instead. No one complained. No one grumbled.

Why is that important? Given the physical effort required to get over the range, riders would end up very sweaty, wet with rain, and tired. Then they would be in the cold temperatures while in wet clothing, for about an hour, before a long descent. Your body starts to shut down. Your hands and feet go cold and blood returns to your core. You shiver in an effort to create body heat. Your hands don't work well, for braking, shifting, steering – or putting on more clothes. Your decision making also suffers, and you might not even think about what your options are for warming up. Thankfully, The Pioneer made the decision for all of us.

On the trail

The start was relatively sedate, save for Alex Malone and Mike Cameron deciding today was the day for a breakaway. Which isn't a bad move, considering most bunches of mountain bikers on wet roads and wet gravel roads are a hazard unto themselves.

before we hit the farm roads and quad bike trails, the race leaders, and Spanish Imparables lit it up, all the while with one of the Alps2Ocean team members a few minutes up the road – and the other in the front group.

The constant pinch climbs meant the front group splintered, with just the leading riders of Scott and James riding with leading 4 Day Traverse rider Manolo Zanella, who said he couldn't even help in the wind, Scott and James were too strong!

The trail along Deadman's Creek was met with a strong cross/head wind, which was a grateful tail wind on the final steep climb – although the wind speed at the top meant almost every rider had to get off their bike, in an effort to stay on the ridgeline!

The final 15km took riders up the rocky glacial wash of Edwards Stream, a challenge for tired riders. And that's what we are starting to see. We are all fatiguing, less people are jumping around with enthusiasm, and the 1000 yard stares are becoming common place!

Full results from today can be found online.

All is forgotten

And now, looking around, there are riders in the lake, tunes in the big tent, and blasting from the mechanics tent (those are some busy people here!). I've eaten a miso marinated chicken burger and half a fresh pizza, plus had a cider. The sun is out. The cold and wet is forgotten, as The Pioneer have once again turned on a great event village.

This scene could have been far worse, as if we had ascended the Albury Range no doubt riders would only be starting to come in.

Tomorrow, riders have another long stage to Lake Ohau, quite flat, save for the twin heads of Ben Ohau, which mean the 104km day has 1915m of climbing – most of it in 20km!