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| 3rd STAGE - LA CONDAMINE - BARGE - JULY 24th, | III tappa - 24/07/ 2007 – La Condamine (F) > Barge (CN) Iron Bike is back in Italy, passing by the Col Longet (2670m). Barge is waiting the arrival of the riders with a big party and the fireworks. Radoslav Sibl wins again.
THE TRIAL
1 SPECIAL from la Condamine to Grande Serenne – transferring track to Barge (CN) climbing the Col Longet and the Colle del Prete
118 km total length
9 ore imposed time
13 ore maximum time
Wake up at 5,30 under a black sky. The weather is so bad (7°c) that 20 riders decide not to leave. So, the starting lines sees 120 riders leaving (range upside down) 4 each minute and the last 5, 1 each minute.
This is another very long stage: 1 special trial that should have terminated to Chianale (I) but, because of the bad weather, has been anticipated to Grande Serenne, still in France. The bikers climb up to the fortress of Roche la Croix (we are on the Maginot line) and follow the path to Vyraisse up to the Col Vallonet (2500 m), than down to Fouillouse and Grande Serenne where the end of the Special has been moved.
From Grande Serenne there’s the transfering path to Barge, passing by the Col Longet, 2670 m and the Colle del Prete (Italy) 1715 m. Today, riders will sustain a change of denivel of about 2000 mt in one shot: from the top of the very cold Col Longet to the hot weather of Barge (32°C) 400 m.
The Col Longet is a wonderful mountain: the top is a mix of beautiful lakes, field of grass and single tracks passing through. The downhill to Chianale (I) is a very tough and technical one, than from Chianale to Barge is part on asphalt and part on single tracks in the woods.
Sandra Klomp has no rivals this year. American rider Louise Kobin, that in 2006 tried to get the head of the range causing a lot of troubles to this strong dutch rider, decided not to come. The meeting is fixed for next year!
The duel between the Czeck rider Sibl and brasilian Prado Nieto kept on today as well. Hugo trained very hard in Brasil: he slept for two months in a tent to accustom his body to the hard conditions of Iron Bike. They leave at 1 minute from each other and are together for the first portion of the PS, up to Roche la Croix. From Vyraisse, Sibl starts his inesorabile strong climb to Col du Vallonet. For the brasilian there’s not much left.
At the end of the PS Sibl is ahead of 7 minutes. He’ll be first again today, followed by Prado Nieto and Czeck rider Janotav Miroslav.
The duel for the thrid place however, kept the eyes of the many fans that awaited the riders on the track. A new entry came to challenge Mauro Pellegrino and Janotav: it is the spanish rider Josep Alzamora that’s the only one able to pursuit Janotav today. Mauro will finish 5th but he admitted that his pace, today, was made in order to save energies for the next 4 stages.
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