With three special stages down and one remaining, things are really hotting up in the quest for glory in the Merida TransWales, reports Matt Skinner in the fifth of his daily reports…

Day Five (Thursday 17th August) included Special Stage 3, 15km Cli-Machx trail team relay time trial plus Linking stage 5 from Cli-Machx trail to Llanafan climbing 1,900m with a total distance 65km.

The fifth day of the Merida TransWales began wet after a heavy downpour early in the wee hours but the extra moisture on the trails didn’t succeed in slowing down the third relay stage. Riders blasted the 15km Clim-Machx trail with its 9km of sinlgetrack in relay: the strongest climbing amassing the majority of the 340m vertical gain in the first leg before handing over to their team mate for the downhill second leg, finishing on the smoothly flat out 4km final descent with its whoops, drops and compressions.

With the fastest riders going out first, based on their previous times and results, it was Phil Spencer of Bikin Cyprus International who got the lead slot and went off like a bat out of hell. As a Mud Dock Solo Category rider he would ride the entire of the course non-stop, unlike the teams who ride it as a relay. Two days ago at Coed y Brenin he succeeded in putting in the fastest overall time and he again repeated this feat, completing the entire course in just 39mins 13secs.

Behind him, the other category riders did their best to beat the clock, and for some their efforts meant a change in the overall standings: in the Hayes Disc Brake Men’s Category, Fabio and Grooverider – aka Josh Morgan and Mansour Youssef – put in a Herculean effort to finish the stage just 3secs behind the Mojo Suspension boys Ryan Bevis and Jonathan Pugh in a time of 41mins 21secs; a result that saw them move back up into third in the overall classification after their second special stage at Coed y Brenin was scuppered by a broken light. Third place in today’s stage was claimed by Team Trigon/American Classic, consisting of Christopher Purt and Garath Jones, in 41mins 59secs and earned them their first visit to the podium.

But it was in the High5 Mixed Category where the biggest change occurred: MTB Marathon had been leading this for the past two special stages but a quick time of 46mins 32secs by the Pembroke Pedallers – Maggie Bichard & Max Jeffries – claimed both the day’s stage and the overall lead. MTB Marathon – Renell & Steven Brennan – held on to second place in the day’s stage in a time of 48mins 38 secs, which was enough to ensure they only slipped as far as second in the overall with just 22secs separating them from the Pembroke Pedallers.

After the speed of the special stage the riders clicked down a few gears and got into the fifth linking stage that would take them from the Cli-Machx trail to Llanafan, 65km and 1,900m climbing away. A fairly sizeable chunk of terrain to cover but with the heaven’s opening once more for the duration of the day, things weren’t as smooth sailing as they would have been. The water and the grit made some descents particularly greasy, prompting endless fishtailing and sketchy bike control, but despite the weather and the conditions under tyre riders were making it back and smiling through the suffering.

Friday sees an 80km linking stage from Llanfan to Rhandirnwyn with 2,800m of climbing: it will also include a loop of the final special stage at Cwm-y-Rhayader – a 7km loop with 220m of climbing which is one of the newest trails in Wales, built as part of a community project – upon which the final classification of the inaugural Merida TransWales will be decided. The Mojo Suspension boys seem unstoppable barring any major catastrophes but the battle for second and third is still running hot: with just 19secs in it, either Fabio & Grooverider or Hoop Troop could leave with the silver – rather than bronze – medals. Likewise, in the High5 Mixed Category there is only 22secs between the Pembroke Pedallers and the MTB Marathon teams. With the special stage able to be decided on the team’s fastest rider’s time it could truly be a blood, tooth and nail fight to the line.

RESULTS & STANDINGS AFTER SPECIAL STAGE 3

Special Stage 3 Results

• 1 – Mojo Suspension: Ryan Bevis & Jonathan Pugh
• 2 – Fabio & Grooverider: Josh Morgan & Mansour Youssef
• 3 – Team Trigon/American Classic: Christopher Purt & Garath JonesBuff Women’s Category
• 1 – SheCycles: Kim Hurst & Heather DaweHigh5 Mixed Category
• 1 – Pembroke Pedallers: Maggie Bichard & Max Jeffries
• 2 – MTB Marathon: Renell & Steven Brennan
• 3 – Epic Adventure/What Mountain Bike: Fiona Spotswood & Gary BridgemanSaris Veterans Category
• 1 – Velo 95: Ian Muir & Bob Moore
• 2 – X-Cumbria Cyclists: Tony Gray & Mike Hayward
• 3 – Wragge-Morley/Percival: Bernard Wragge-Morley & Nick Percival
   

• 1 – Bikin Cyprus International: Phil Spencer
• 2 – Extreme Endurance: Rob Lee
• 3 – Anthony AllanWomens:
• 1 – Joanne Carritt
• 2 – Extreme Endurance: Sally Lee
• 3 – Tatjana Troll
  

  Overall Standings After Special Stage 2

  Hayes Disc Brake Men’s Category

• 1 – Mojo Suspension: Ryan Bevis & Jonathan Pugh
• 2 – Hoop Troop: David Preston & Chris Herraghty (+7:10)
• 3 – Fabio & Grooverider: Josh Morgan & Manssour Youssef (+7:29)
   

  Buff Women’s Category

• 1 – SheCycles: Kim Hurst & Heather Dawe
• 2 – Pedal Pusher: Jane Hurley & Helen Coakley (+1:59:32)High5 Mixed Category
• 1 – Pembroke Pedallers: Maggie Bichard & Max Jeffries
• 2 – MTB Marathon: Renell & Steven Brennan (+0:22)
• 3 – Epic Adventure/What Mountain Bike: Fiona Spotswood & Gary Bridgeman (+28:20)Saris Veterans Category
• 1 – Wragge-Morley/Percival: Bernard Wragge-Morley & Nick Percival
• 2 – X-Cumbria Cyclists: Tony Gray & Mike Hayward (+24.38)
• 3 – Velo 95: Ian Muir & Bob Moore (+30:00)Mud Dock Cycleworks Solo Category

  Mens:

• 1 – Bikin Cyprus International: Phil Spencer
• 2 – Extreme Endurance: Rob Lee (+10:20)
• 3 – South Downs Way Champion: Charlie Eustace (+24:13)Womens:
• 1 – Extreme Endurance: Sally Lee
• 2 – Tatjana Troll (+13:13)
• 3 – Joanne Carritt (+31:43)Photos and words thanks to Matt Skinner