BMW Motorrad GS Trophy 2010, day 4. The longest day?

Ponta do Ouro, Mozambiqe. The GS Trophy headed east today, all the way over the Mozambique border to the Indian Ocean, making for a gruelling 300 kilometre ride over nine hours in temperatures as high as 34ºC. With the final 30km of the course comprising a very technical deep sand track special test, it was a day that tested the rider’s endurance, as well as riding skills. At the end of it all the Nordic team stood supreme to take the day win. Team UK played consistent to extend their lead in the overall standings, but behind them the competition has closed up significantly with second to fourth place separated by just two points.

The day started with a wake up call to the camped riders at 5.30am – although most were already awake and making their preparations. It was short ride from the Mlilwane Game Reserve to the first special test, where the riders were challenged to tow a dead-engine bike up a meadow, then over a river crossing and up a hill, a total distance of about three kilometres. Here the Nordic team were incredibly dynamic, if not to say rapid, beating off their nearest competitor by half a minute.

The long ride to the finish through beautiful countryside saw the competitors riding increasingly tough tracks until they reached the second special test, the 30km deep sand stage that led to the day’s destination, a small ocean front village known as Ponta do Ouro. The teams entered the test in pairs (eight riders) and it was a requirement of the test that each team helped the other where needed, for if any member of either team failed to complete the stage then that would compromise the points for both teams. All teams completed the test successfully. 

1st today: Team Nordic

Jussi Ali-Lekkala: In the towing the guys were really flying, I had a hard time to keep up with them (the third rider followed the towing pair), the start was slow but they kept going up the gears, it was quite crazy to see what was happening, they were sliding everywhere but they just went all out, they did a great job.

The riding today was really nice and in the sand I think I learnt something. I had three fall-downs and after that I learned it. To arrive here at the ocean was amazing, something we enjoyed together as a team.

ST 6: Towing a bike:  1, Team Nordic; 2, Team Alps; 3, Team UK

ST7:  Sand: 15 points per team (all finished)

1st overall: Team UK

Kevin Hammond: We had a good test in the towing. We went first and put the line in that the others followed, we hit a big rock on the hill and this bent the brake lever on the towed bike, jamming the rear brake on so we were skidding up the hill. We were using our trials skills again, feeling for the grip. We absolutely loved the sand special test, we could have gone back and done that all over again.

Seeing the Indian Ocean when we arrived was fantastic, that incredible blue water together with the first cold beer of the day, it was fantastic. And to top it all today was my 50th birthday. It doesn’t get any better – easily the best day yet.

Other highlights:

Team South Africa: true gentlemen

The South African team were paired with the Japanese for the sand test. With the Japanese having no experience of riding deep sand it was then a tough job of chaperoning their fellow competitors to the end of the day. Even by the Japanese riders’ own estimation they crashed a lot.

Shigechika Aikawa: The deep sand was very hard, I have to say many times a heartfelt thank you to the South African riders, we could not have arrived here without their help. They were true gentlemen.

Team Alps: on the up at last

Team Alps have struggled to make an impression on the competition until today, in the towing test they took second fastest time. Bernhard Schmidtmayr: It was a nice surprise for us to get second in the special test, we knew we were fast but this still a nice result for us. I drove with Christophe (Muri) behind. I rode with safety in mind but he still said I towed him like a ski-lift! Now we are in eighth place in the rankings, but I think we need more riding challenges – that’s my speciality.

We’re struggling to be a team, admit Italy

Team Italy is languishing in ninth place in the standings despite some incredible displays of riding skill. Every team that has shared a day’s ride with the Italian squad have come away impressed, admiring their speed and skill. But why hasn’t this translated into special stage success?

Marco Selvetti (Team Italy’s journalist): It is true, we are super fast  – when we are not in the special tests! Unfortunately we are having problems as a team. Today in the towing Marco (De Muri) didn’t have a good feeling, he wasn’t happy about being towed and in the river crossing he crashed hard. He hit his helmet and he said he didn’t want to go again. We had a very difficult ten minutes talking together, but at the end we understood we are a group, not several single persons, and we understood the importance of that. We understood that we can still have nice event, we can have fun, look at the landscapes and enjoy the tests – we are still in the competition to the end of the event. So our afternoon today was beautiful, we had a lot of fun in the sand, every rider stays safe and when we arrive at the finish they have a big smile. This, I think, is the most important thing.

GS Trophy 2010

Overall standings after day four:

1. UK                                                                                     73pts

2=. Germany                                                                         61

2=. Nordic                                                                             61

4. South Africa                                                                      60

5. Canada                                                                             59

6. Spain                                                                                 53

7. USA                                                                                  46

8. Alps                                                                                   44

9. Italy                                                                                    39

10. Japan                                                                              27