{"id":2717,"date":"2013-09-11T03:25:32","date_gmt":"2013-09-11T03:25:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/crankpunk.com\/?p=2717"},"modified":"2013-09-11T03:25:32","modified_gmt":"2013-09-11T03:25:32","slug":"mongolia-bike-challenge-tales-from-the-knobbly-side-pt-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/09\/11\/mongolia-bike-challenge-tales-from-the-knobbly-side-pt-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Mongolia Bike Challenge – Tales from the Knobbly Side pt 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

this race report was supposed to be on VeloNews.com but they seem to have forgotten about it, so here it is for your reading pleasure, or not, as the case may be.<\/em><\/p>\n

this is not the 2nd part of ‘the skinny’ – this is just the racing part stuff. cheers!<\/em><\/p>\n

_________________________________<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Day 1: 120km, 2,300m elevation<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\"maskara_imatges_encarrera-1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

No point talking about the exhaustion because I do not have the vocab to even get close to describe what is going on in my body right now. Suffice to say that I feel like I\u2019ve been hit by a Hummer.<\/p>\n

Repeatedly.<\/p>\n

The day began well enough, holding my own for 27km with the big guys, including the 2012 MBC winner Cory Wallace, but then the diarrhea tablets wore off and the Mongolian countryside became far too familiar with the sight of my backside.<\/p>\n

Seeing as there is barely a bush in this sparse landscape, never mind a tree, several of my fellow participants now recognize me more easily with my shorts round my ankles than they do when I\u2019m properly attired.<\/p>\n

\"maskara_imatges_encarrera-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

But talk about a loo with a view!<\/p>\n

The food poisoning compounded the after-effects of the influenza I picked up on my first day in Ulan Baatar \u2013 that\u2019s what you get I guess if you go from 40 degree heat in Singapore, where I\u2019d been racing in the Singapore National ITT and road race on the weekend before the MBC started, to a 2-hour ride the following Monday in 15 degree cold on the Mongolian steppe.<\/p>\n

I surprise myself sometimes with what a delicate creature I am.<\/p>\n

Anyway, I was battered. The legs had never been so bad on the bike, and this was, without a doubt, the hardest route I\u2019d ever ridden.<\/p>\n

\"maskara_imatges_encarrera-3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In fact, it was only the second MTB race I\u2019d ever taken part in \u2013 the last being 24 years ago, when I was 17.<\/p>\n

And I go from years on the road to this. A 7-stage epic of a race over mountains and through rivers and literally into swamps, in conditions that range can range from dry heat to snow to blinding dust storms.<\/p>\n

Talk about a baptism of fire.<\/p>\n

In the end Corey showed his immense power and stamina by finishing some 8 minutes ahead of the second and third placed riders.<\/p>\n

\"maskara_imatges_encarrera-5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Catherine Williamson of Yorkshire, England, smashed the women\u2019s competition wide open by coming in almost 30 minutes up on the second placed rider \u2013 awesome ride.<\/p>\n

Me? 36th<\/sup> place, over 2 hours back. Spanked!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Day 2 \u2013 128km, 1850 m elevation<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Two things I haven\u2019t mentioned yet. First is the country. Without doubt Mongolia possesses the most stunningly beautiful landscape I have ever seen.<\/p>\n

In fact, to call this a \u2018landscape\u2019 doesn\u2019t do it justice. It\u2019s more of an \u2018envelopment\u2019. Surrounded on all sides by lush, rolling green hills with tracks leading off in all directions, there are no barriers here, save for the odd coral here and there. You can literally wander off into any direction you like and no one will ever stop you.<\/p>\n

The people are immensely tough \u2013 they have to be to survive minus 50 degree winters, even in the city, where sometimes those who have no central heating gather in the sewers under the street for warmth, in their thousands at times, I\u2019ve been told \u2013 but also very welcoming.<\/p>\n

\"maskara_imatges_encarrera-4\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I was told that if you are in the hills and in need of rest or food, you can enter an empty ger, help yourself to food and take a nap, and when the owners return they will not wake you, but wait for you to wake up. Anything else is considered to be ill-mannered.<\/p>\n

And their MTBers aren\u2019t bad either \u2013 on both Day 1 and Day 2 the Mongolian-staffed GENCO MTB team has taken the team prize.<\/p>\n

Second thing is the organization here that put together the 2013 MBC \u2013 headed by Italians generally and also heavily assisted by Mongolians, it is a work of industrial art. The instigator of it all, Willy Mulonia, came here years ago to ride and just wanted to share the magnificent sensation of riding through this land with others – so he started the MBC, a dream that took years to come to fruition.<\/p>\n

It was one man\u2019s dream that became one shared by many, and that, I have to say, is bellisimo<\/i>.<\/p>\n

\"maskara_imatges_encarrera-6\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So, the race. Started off good again, 35km this time with the leading pack of 12, my gut stuffed with more anti-diarrhea medicine than your regular drugstore carries, I was feeling good when, suddenly about 38km in, pop went my weasel.<\/p>\n

It went better than yesterday but as a roadie I have to learn how to sustain my energy output. Road racing is all about conserving power then letting it out in limited bursts, whereas MTB racing is just a hardcore sustaining of strength that sits just at the rider\u2019s threshold. I am in awe of these guys, and not just the front men and women, but the lot of them.<\/p>\n

As I lag I get passed by rider after rider, as they stomp on the pedals and churn out the speed. On the downhills \u2013 where as a road racer you can relax and recuperate \u2013 the concentration levels needed to stay on the track are huge. There is no down-time, no dawdling at the back of the peloton, no taking a breather mid-pack.<\/p>\n

\"maskara_imatges_encarrera-8\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s just full-on, all the time. Quite incredible. And in no short measure, very humbling. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d come here and win but I did think a top 10 might be possible, but no chance! Sick or not, I am getting properly schooled here, make no bones about it.<\/p>\n

After 12 river crossings and two very steep and grassy climbs, finally I got onto the last 15km stretch, a slightly downhill hardtrack with a tailwind \u2013 and finally I could release the roadie in me.<\/p>\n

My form before coming here was decent \u2013 I won the Singapore National Champs ITT and put in a big effort to help my teammate Tjarco Cuppens win the 140km road race. Maybe it\u2019s coming back?<\/p>\n

With a 148km day coming tomorrow with another 2000m plus of climbing, and a 20km climb to end the day, I doubt it\u2019d make much difference to be honest. Looks like another grueling day.<\/p>\n

The day today was won by Pau Zamora with Corey Wallace losing very little of his huge lead in the GC.<\/p>\n

On the women\u2019s side of things, Katherine Williamson domination continued as she again smashed the field.<\/p>\n

My Forza-CrankPunk teammate Kyosuke Takei of Japan sits very handily in 5th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

BIO: Englishman Lee Rodgers is a freelance journalist and sometime cycling pro who rides on the Asian road circuit with the Lapierre Asia Cycling Team, and is the writer of <\/i>www.crankpunk.com<\/i><\/a>, a site that chronicles his adventures and thoughts. <\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

He also runs Crank Punk Coaching Services. He can be contacted via <\/i>www.crankpunk.com<\/i><\/a>. \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

this race report was supposed to be on VeloNews.com but they seem to have forgotten about it, so here it is for your reading pleasure, or not, as the case may be. this is not the 2nd part of ‘the skinny’ – this is just the racing part stuff. cheers! _________________________________   Day 1: 120km, 2,300m elevation No point talking about the exhaustion because I do not have the vocab to even get close to describe what is going on in my body right now. Suffice to say that I feel like I\u2019ve been hit by a Hummer. Repeatedly. The day began well enough, holding my own for 27km with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40955418,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","wpupg_custom_link":[],"wpupg_custom_link_behaviour":[],"wpupg_custom_link_nofollow":[],"wpupg_custom_image":[],"wpupg_custom_image_id":[],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[125964055,106781],"tags":[755991,5891185,95390,9543826,767233574,99461,323515],"class_list":["post-2717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-crankpunk-racing","category-mongolia","tag-755991","tag-da2","tag-day-1","tag-lee-rodgers","tag-mongolia-bike-challenge","tag-stage-1","tag-stage-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2OfoS-HP","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15940,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2023\/08\/25\/black-white-images-of-the-2023-mongolia-bike-challenge-by-selle-smp\/","url_meta":{"origin":2717,"position":0},"title":"BLACK & WHITE IMAGES OF THE 2023 MONGOLIA BIKE CHALLENGE by SELLE SMP","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"8\u6708 25, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Incredible images here by Paolo Penni Martelli.","rel":"","context":"mongolia bike challenge","block_context":{"text":"mongolia bike challenge","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/mongolia-bike-challenge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/a7ab7-penni-397.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/a7ab7-penni-397.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/a7ab7-penni-397.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/a7ab7-penni-397.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15867,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2023\/08\/21\/the-mongolia-bike-challenge-2023-images-video\/","url_meta":{"origin":2717,"position":1},"title":"THE MONGOLIA BIKE CHALLENGE 2023 \/ IMAGES & VIDEO","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"8\u6708 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"It's the greatest race on earth - don't take my word for it - do it and find out for yourself...","rel":"","context":"mongolia bike challenge","block_context":{"text":"mongolia bike challenge","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/mongolia-bike-challenge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/62433-screenshot-2023-08-21-at-1.18.07-pm.png?fit=1200%2C880&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/62433-screenshot-2023-08-21-at-1.18.07-pm.png?fit=1200%2C880&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/62433-screenshot-2023-08-21-at-1.18.07-pm.png?fit=1200%2C880&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/62433-screenshot-2023-08-21-at-1.18.07-pm.png?fit=1200%2C880&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/62433-screenshot-2023-08-21-at-1.18.07-pm.png?fit=1200%2C880&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5461,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2015\/01\/05\/crankpunk-on-the-mongolia-bike-challenge-featured-in-action-asia-magazine\/","url_meta":{"origin":2717,"position":2},"title":"crankpunk on the Mongolia Bike Challenge, featured in Action Asia magazine","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"1\u6708 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Have I told you just how amazing the Mongolia Bike Challenge is? If it's not on your New Year Resolution list to get entered then I might have to disown you. And if you are interested you can contact me, I have a special offer whereby you can get some\u2026","rel":"","context":"GENCO Mongolia Bike Challenge","block_context":{"text":"GENCO Mongolia Bike Challenge","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/genco-mongolia-bike-challenge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/10665148_10152722861419161_954468456421457543_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/10665148_10152722861419161_954468456421457543_n.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/10665148_10152722861419161_954468456421457543_n.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5309,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2014\/12\/19\/crankpunk-becomes-communications-manager-for-the-mongolia-bike-challenge-the-launch-of-the-new-mbc-website\/","url_meta":{"origin":2717,"position":3},"title":"crankpunk becomes Communications Manager for the Mongolia Bike Challenge & the launch of the new MBC website","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"12\u6708 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"when i went to the Mongolia Bike Challenge for the first time back in 2013, i remember sitting there in the hotel dining room at the hotel we were starting from in Ulan Bataar, as the staff got on stage and introduced themselves, and thinking 'this would really be something,\u2026","rel":"","context":"mongolia bike challenge","block_context":{"text":"mongolia bike challenge","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/mongolia-bike-challenge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/day-5-48231.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/day-5-48231.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/day-5-48231.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/day-5-48231.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/day-5-48231.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2258,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2013\/06\/04\/mongolia-bike-challenge-2013-press-release\/","url_meta":{"origin":2717,"position":4},"title":"Mongolia Bike Challenge 2013 press release","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"6\u6708 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"as some of you may know and as some of you don't, i'll be taking part in my first MTB race in over 22 years in August. the last one was a 32km loop around a park in Accrington, northern England - this one will be an 8-day race over\u2026","rel":"","context":"crankpunk racing","block_context":{"text":"crankpunk racing","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/crankpunk-racing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/screen-shot-2013-06-04-at-e4b88ae58d8811-07-24.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/screen-shot-2013-06-04-at-e4b88ae58d8811-07-24.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/screen-shot-2013-06-04-at-e4b88ae58d8811-07-24.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/screen-shot-2013-06-04-at-e4b88ae58d8811-07-24.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15918,"url":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/2023\/08\/24\/bikes-of-the-mongolia-bike-challenge-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":2717,"position":5},"title":"BIKES OF THE MONGOLIA BIKE CHALLENGE 2023","author":"Lee Rodgers","date":"8\u6708 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Some beautiful rigs here from the most beautiful race on earth! Sign up for 2024 - registration OPEN very soon. All images by Paolo Penni Martelli. Click on image to enlarge.","rel":"","context":"mongolia bike challenge","block_context":{"text":"mongolia bike challenge","link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/category\/mongolia-bike-challenge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/990d5-penni-21.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/990d5-penni-21.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/990d5-penni-21.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/990d5-penni-21.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/crankpunk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/990d5-penni-21.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Lee Rodgers","author_link":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/author\/crankpunk\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"crankpunk racing<\/a> Mongolia<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"this race report was supposed to be on VeloNews.com but they seem to have forgotten about it, so here it is for your reading pleasure, or not, as the case may be. this is not the 2nd part of ‘the skinny’ – this is just the racing part stuff. cheers! _________________________________   Day 1: 120km,…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40955418"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2717"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2717\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2727,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2717\/revisions\/2727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crankpunk.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}