Day 5 Friday the 11th of February:

So the team board the boat around 8.30am to reach Santiago Island. Nice weather, quiet sea, everyone makes the most of it to recover from Thursday run.

good luck: When arrived at Praia, Hans Rey got at last his GT back that arrived from the US! The riders then board two small planes which will take them to Mindelo, on the Sao Vicente Island, by going through the Sal Island. During this time, the bikes finally all there will have to be boarded in a special plane that will leave them at Mindelo airport.

Check out the photos from Sven Martin:

There, the riders will be able to get them back and to have them for the cargo that will take them to the Santa Antao Island on Saturday morning… bad luck: when arrived at Mindelo, the team got news that the cargo plane couldn’t take off… So the bikes are stuck on an another isle and riders… on foot!

A B plan needs to be found… good luck: in spite of these setbacks, there’s still time to join at her home the singer Cesaria Evora, “godmother” of the Urge FOR Cabo Verde program. The riders are very warmly welcomed and the meeting is a really rich exchange. Anka Martin and René Wildhaber, both big fans of the famous Cape Verde voice, are delighted.

Bad luck: during this time, the organization can’t find a satisfying solution to get the bikes back on time. Too much delay would compromise the already really tight schedule of the week-end. > good luck: during the night, some of the bikes could be taken in a another flight… > bad luck: only 5 out of 15 arrived…good luck: another plane can board the remaining 10 bikes on Saturday morning… Summary of the day: the 3 runs scheduled this week-end will be difficult to do if the time lost on Saturday is too much. The organization will take a decision Saturday, depending on how things work,, even if it means to cancel a run…

Saturday the 12th of February: the riders will board towards Santa Antao with the 5 bikes already there, while the Pep’s team stays in Mindelo to wait for the other 10 bikes… As soon as they’re unloaded out of the plane, the bikes will be loaded in a pickup truck and driven full speed ahead to the port to meet the team on a fishing boat that the people of Mindelo made available to us… At 10am the chances to be able to run the afternoon run at Cova de Paul are estimated at 5%. Around midday, the horizon got a little bit brighter, chances to follow the program are up to 40%… The adventure continues….

Day 6 Urge’Run#2 will finally take place…

Saturday the 12th of February: After a fair amount of troubles, the riders got their bikes back around midday, the run number 2 that nearly got cancelled will finally take place!

Complete change of scenery, to reach the peaks of “Cova de Paul” in the middle of the Santo Antao mountain range.

The Santa Antao Island is the most mountainous of the Cape Verde islands with impressive cliffs, that is where the run 2, 3 and 4 will take place…

So for this run 2, we are on the site of “Cova de Paul” with a cobbled track that meanders down the slope. Details of this run: hairpin turns and drop…
At the top on the start line, weather is damp and riders were in the fog that gave even more drama and doubt.

So it is Nico Vouilloz, historically the hairpin turn king who won this run 2 in 5’49 with a breathe-taking speed. Just behind we find Barel, Wildhaber and Peridy, who gets a nice revenge after a difficult run 1.

Sabrina Jonnier also takes her revenge by flying over this run in 7’06, just 30sec less than an impressive Tracey Moseley.

Overall ranking after Runs 1 & 2 :
1 – Nicolas Vouilloz (Lapierre) – France : 39’29
2 – Jérôme Clementz (Cannondale – Mavic) – France : 39’59
3 – René Wildhaber (Trek – Dakine) – Switzerland : 41’31
4 – Fabien Barel (Mondraker) – France : 42’13
5 – Mark Weir (WTB – Fox Racing Shox) – USA : 45’36
6 – Greg Doucende (Performance Parts – Trek) – France : 46’38
7 – Rowan Sorrell (Orange – Mojo) – Wales/UK : 53’03
8 – Hans Rey (GT Bicycles – Adidas) – USA : 54’44
9 – Marco Nicoletti (Niner) – Italy : 59’24
10 – Sam Peridy (Scott) – France : 1h00’41
11 – Samuel Normand (Lol Racing – Yeti) – France (non-pro) : 1h01’38