February 1--Leading teams struggle as they begin mountain-bike section
By James Bowyer

Team Ertips has kept its precarious lead on what is expected to be the second-to-last day of the longest Raid Gauloises in its eight-year history. Less than two-and-a-half hours separate the top three teams, and with 120 miles to go, there's plenty of room for maneuvering.

Only seven teams have started the mountain-bike ride that will take Raiders through the night and into the hot Zulu land. A broken chain or a flat tire are both realities on the 100-mile dirt track. The first 4.5 miles welcomes teams with a thigh-burning 1,970-foot climb. The rest of the course offers much of the same.

More than ever, leading teams will have to expect the unexpected. The South African team's heroic efforts were mocked today when the team lost two places after they arrived at the beginning of the mountain-bike section three-and-a-half hours before its support team. The waylaid support team got lost in the labyrinth of unmarked dirt roads leading to the fourth headquarters. The frustrated South Africans spent hours in misery waiting for their bikes.

Ertips, last year's winners, may find a lesson in this. The pressure is on members to maintain their constantly challenged one-and-a-half-hour lead. Team Endeavor has shrugged off the numbing one-hour penalty that snatched away its lead by fighting back to second place.

Less than 10 minutes separate the mainly Kiwi team from the determined efforts of Infopoint/Hewlett-Packard. Roads whipped by recent rains and low-lying mists may prove to be the great equalizer in the second-to-last section of the race.

Lack of sleep will make the road to victory even more difficult, with leading teams averaging less than three hours of sleep per night over the last three days. Further complicating matters is the high level of the Umtambuna River. The 22-mile canoe section may be canceled if the river does not subside. If organizers allow teams to take to the water, the Umtambuna, known locally as "the strong one," awaits them.

Quotes for the day

"If the decision was made now, the teams would not go on the canoe section." ---media organizer Didier Aloos, talking about the high dangers of the Umtambuna River.

"Two weeks ago we cut down $4.5 million dollars worth of dagga (marijuana)." --a policeman assigned to guard the Raid camp.

James Bowyer is a freelance journalist living in Cape Town, South Africa.