EMOTIONAL LAST STAGE FOR MONGOLIA BIKE CHALLENGE

The final stage of the 2011 MBC started at 7:30am with emotions running high. 59 riders took the start line and headed toward Karakorum, home to the most important Buddhist Monastery in Mongolia. 104 fast but difficult kilometres lay ahead of racers with a tough hill climb bonus at 9.5 km. Canadian Tom Skinner (NOP System/BC Bike Race) made it to the top first, with nice gap on the lead group. The pack reeled him in though and shrunk in size after another tough climb. They flew threw the Mongolian countryside on a fast and flowy track for the middle part of the race. At the second refill station at 80km, Dutch rider, Roel Van Shalen (Orbea) attacked and gained more than a minute on the field. The chase pack consisting of Marzio Deho (Olympia), and the Canadians, Cory Wallace (Kona) and Craig Richey (NOP System/BC Bike Race) pursued and passed him on the last climb. At the finish it Marzio Deho winning stage 9, with Richey second and Wallace third. Deho claimed the overall win for the second year in a row. In the women´s race, Melinda Jackson won stage 9, followed by fellow Australian, Turi Berg, with Rafaella Canonico taking third. Spaniard Albert Casadevall won in the Sportman category.