The second day of the 4 Stage MTB Race Lanzarote ran along the same lines as the first, in almost every way. On the weather front, our bikers were blessed with another beautiful day of sunshine and temperatures over 20°C, with very little wind. And it was another extremely fast race, right from the start gun all way to the finish line. Our bikers climbed for the first half of this 60 km route, then raced downhill back towards Club La Santa for the rest of the race.
 
Today’s fast route led competitors through some of Lanzarote’s spectacular volcanic scenery and breath-taking surroundings that are perfect for mountain biking. Our bikers the faced a day of contrasts, from wide tracks to fast volcanic stone trails, as well as demanding sandy tracks that pushed our competitors to the max.
 
The bar was set high right from the start, with the lead group gradually diminishing from more than 20 during the early stages to around only five bikers in the final stretch. Event leader, Poland’s Bartlomeij Wawak, dominated today's race once again, but couldn’t stop Italian Luca Braidot who gave a final push at the end to claim his first victory, beating the Pole by just a few metres. Wawak retains the leader’s jersey as we move into tomorrow’s third stage. Spain’s Sergio Mantecón made the top three for the second day running and still has a chance in the general ranking, with little difference between the leaders. The first Canary Island rider to cross the line was Daniela de la Fé, in 24th place. Exactly who will stand on the final podium of the 4 Stage MTB Lanzarote should start to become clearer after tomorrow’ time trial.
 
The women's race was equally as tight but Denmark’s Caroline Bohé defended her lead in style, winning today’s race and taking the lead in the general ranking. But it wasn't an easy victory. Blaza Pintaric broke away about halfway through the race, blatantly challenging Bohé’s lead. Even so, Bohé managed to catch up and overtake Pintaric on the final stretch and with that, claimed the leader’s jersey heading into the third day.
 
Italian Gretha Seiwald made it to the podium for the first time today, finishing in 3rd place. But her compatriot and yesterday’s winner, Italy’s Chiara Teocchi, and Canadian Emily Batty both crashed on the trails and fell behind as a result. The best Spanish woman of the day was Natalia Fisher who came in 12th position. Despite being one of the youngest girls in the line-up, Caroline Bohé is perhaps one of the most experienced in this particular event, having competed in Lanzarote on numerous occasions and with inside knowledge of these trails. This could just make all the difference in this strong women’s field.
 
Tomorrow will be crucial in deciding the outcome of the 4 Stage MTB Lanzarote. The start line moves to Famara Beach, with spectacular surroundings for the intense individual time trials that await our bikers. They will tackle 21 km of virtually continuous climbing until they reach the Ermita de las Nieves (a small chapel at the top of the cliffs), where they will be rewarded with some of the most stunning views Lanzarote has to offer. There will be no room for error for those with their sights on the final victory. All will be revealed after our 09:00 am start.
 

View full results here | Pictures of today's stage here