Australia 12th after BMW GS Trophy Central Asia Day 4

BMW Motorrad’s International GS Trophy Central Asia has reached Day 4, with Australia 12th in the standings while South Africa holds a strong lead from Korea, and the Latin America team.

Here’s a day by day wrap with some amazing imagery of the journey so far.

International GS Trophy Central Asia Day 1

The BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Central Asia 2018 sprung into vibrant life as the competitors charged south from Ulaanbaatar on the first of eight days that will see them circle around southern Mongolia, including a foray into the Gobi Desert, in all a journey of over 2500km.

After rains and high winds overnight the day started cool, barely 10ºC for the 7.00 am start. So it was on with rain jackets and set the heated grips to ‘2’ for the GS riders. But by the end of the first 100km, on the highway, the temperature had risen past 20º, on its way to a high of 26ºC.

The GS riders were at this point subjected to something of a baptism of fire as they took to the trails for the first time. These proved highly technical as the gravel trails frequently, and often suddenly, degraded to deep, loose sand. For some competitors this was a first experience of sand riding – which demands a committed riding technique. Consequently there were many ‘offs’ as the competitors came to terms with the terrain.

While the trail was demanding – portent of a tough week ahead – the scenery was truly breathtaking, ‘like the surface of the moon’ was a common observation, as the barren nature of this vast arid landscape made itself felt. For much of the day there was no sign of civilization save for the odd goat herder. In fact the fauna was surprisingly plentiful, eagles were common, probably feeding on the abundance of mice that run riot of the semi-desert floor, as well the riders encountered camels (the two-hump ‘dromedaries’), wild horses, goats and the odd antelope.

Along the way – as if the trail wasn’t test enough – the teams faced two special tests today. SP1, the Trial Challenge saw the competitors tested on their machine handling skills as they rode a tough loop through a rocky outcrop while being hampered by deep sand. The object for each rider being to complete the course as quick as possible with fewest mistakes, time penalties accruing for putting feet down and crashing or running outside the course.

Near the end of the day SP2, ‘Magic Cliffs’, was a navigation exercise, completed on foot, where using a GPS device the teams needed to navigate to four waypoints. At each point, if successfully found, the teams would collect letters to make a complete word for bonus points. Sounds straightforward, only the cliffs were 300 feet (100m) tall and the whole exercise had a time limit of just 20 minutes.

The finish at Camp Tsagaan Survaga came 11 hours after the start, and consequently was much welcomed. The GS Trophy the competitors, exhausted or not, still had to erect their tents, check their bikes and make preparations for Day 2. Without question it had been a tough day – yet this was, in the words of the course director, merely a warm up.

Day 1 Overall Standings:

1 USA 33 points
2 Argentina 32
2 Korea 32
4 China 26
4 Latin America 26
4 South Africa 26
4 Germany 26
8 Russia 24
9 France 21
10 Japan 20
11 UK 17
12 India 16
13 Australia 13
13 Canada 13
13 Mexico 13
16 Ausamerica (female team) 12 17 Southeast Asia 11
18 Euafrica (female team) 3

International GS Trophy Central Asia Day 2

While the distance was ‘just’ 234km for stage 2 of the 2018 BMW Motorrad GS Trophy in Mongolia, the fact 190 of those kilometres were off-road meant the intensity for the riders was high.

That said, the day started gently with a scenic ride over rocky outcrops as the course weaved its way out from Camp Tsagaan Survaga toward a huge sand and grass plain, 30km across – an experience that was akin to surfing as the GSs floated over the terrain.

Typically, the semi-desert then changed in nature at the 100km mark, becoming a gravel plain that led to a rock formation in the shape of a camel head, where a special test called “Camel Head” required the teams to ride a sand and rock trials course, this time simultaneously as a team.

Immediately after the test the terrain changed in nature again, this time to deep sand, which required fine balance and throttle control at slow speeds. By now noon had come and gone, and the air temperature was 32o – with no cooling breeze. As the course wound its way up a narrow valley the sand remained deep, deeper still in the dried up river beds, and many a GS rider came to a halt. Teamwork comes to the fore at times like this, as the team members pushed, pulled and helped guide each other through the sand-maze.

The valley led to a high plateau with several rocky outcrops to navigate around before reaching a dry lake (a clay pan) where the riders found special test 5 that required them to ride a tight snaking course against the clock, with a defined stop box at the finish. While again slow speed, this test required fine balance and throttle and clutch control as the fastest riders drifted in and out of the tight turns.

With the afternoon heat staying at the 32o mark the teams were thankful to find a shortish final 50km section along gravel tracks to the finish. Unfortunately a few riders have fallen today. Each received immediate attention from the professional medical team at the event. They have been transferred to hospital.

Day 2 Overall Standings:

1. Korea 77 points
2. South Africa 68
3. Germany 56
4. France 54
5. Latin America 53
6. USA 48
7. UK 44
7. Argentina 44
9. Japan 38
9. Russia 38
11. Canada 35
11. China 35
13. Australia 33
14. Mexico 31
15. Southeast Asia 29
16. India 24
17. Ausamerica (female team) 15
18. Euafrica (female team) 5

International GS Trophy Central Asia Day 3

 

Stage 3 was effectively a liaison, with no special tests. With a generous time allowance the competitors were instructed to make the most of the scenery as they rode. By the end of the day all were voicing complete satisfaction as Mongolia turned magnificent.

Most notably the GS riders appreciated the breathtaking Dungeene Canyon where the riders rode along the gravel river bed for 20km between rock cliffs 100m high and sometimes only 5m apart! And then the biggest surprise – finding the river frozen for one section (making for a tricky crossing!).

After this the course took a short climb up onto the Yucca Plateau, again a surprise, for within minutes the riders had transitioned from a deep gorge to a high plain. A refuel in the village of Bayandalai again reminded the riders that this was Mongolia, a sparsely populated remote country, as they queued for the one pump operated by the one elderly Mongolian lady outside the one rendered building on the edge of the village, most of the other buildings being yurts (also known as gers), save for a school building. All roads here being unpaved.

The 100 km from here to the finish at Camp Gobi Erdene was – as ever – entire different. Instead of a high plateau the riders found themselves weaving along a vast flood plain between two mountain ridges – and such geology meant rock was mixed with the sand, adding yet more technicality to the ride. And finally to the west of the trail rose sand dunes – beautifully lit, too, in the late afternoon sun. And what a stunning end to the day, the GS riders pitching their Marmot tents at the gateway to the sands of the Gobi Desert.

So far from being ‘boring’, day three proved to be the most enjoyable yet. While the terrain continues to be difficult the GS riders are adapting, learning. The Mongolian terrain deserves respect, but for all that it demands it is repaying with an experience so rich, so unique that the riders are having the rides of their lives.

International GS Trophy Central Asia Day 4

The morning of Day 4 brought the calm after the storm, for the previous night at Camp Gobi Erdene the 2018 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy was battered by high winds. This tested the tent erecting expertise of the GS riders and a few found they needed urgent help to save their camping equipment! The wind blew hard all night, but fortunately – and no doubt through great design from Marmot – all the tents survived.

All of which was tough preparation for a long day ahead, as the GS Trophy was back to its best with a 283km course to negotiate, all off road and much of it in sand – this being part of the Gobi Desert region. So again the scenery thrilled the riders as they were treated to truly vast landscapes as they passed through a canyon, crossed sand hills, then took off across seemingly never ending plains.

The riding remained testing as regularly sand overcame the gravel, frequently to such a depth so the GS riders had to work hard to maintain momentum and balance in the sand washes. Just as well the temperature was cooler today.

At the halfway point they encountered their first special test of the day, ‘Lava Canyon’ – a bike towing exercise that’s something of a tradition in the International GS Trophy. Only this time they needed to tow in deep sand, up and down a hilly trail. After this came more plains to cross, so vast the riders could ride line abreast (nine bikes) if they pleased, so no one had to ride in the dust clouds. The last kilometres were reminiscent of a mogul run in skiing as the trail weaved enticingly through rocky outcrops before descending onto the impressive Camp Ongiin Nuuts for the finish.

But before the riders could rest – the second special test of the day – came the ‘Marmot Challenge’. Here the teams needed to erect one of their Marmot Vapour two-person tents, two people had to climb in, then climb out again and speedily pack it away – against the clock of course. Given the extreme camping of the night before, this was a simple task. But as always with the GS Trophy, some are better than others…

So we can’t forget the competition itself, and now with three days of special test results accumulated its reigning champions South Africa who have again taken a commanding lead, as ever they’re a well-practiced squad. Korea had led after two days but still remain within striking distance of the leaders. Latin America make up the top three as the competition reaches its halfway point.

Day 4 Overall Standings:

1. South Africa 108 points
2. Korea 92 points
3. Latin America 82
4. France 72
5. UK 65
5. Argentina 65
7. USA 61
7. Germany 61
9. Mexico 59
10. Russia 56
11. Japan 47
12. Australia 47
13. Canada 46
14. Southeast Asia 37
14. China 37
16. Eurafrica (female team) 31
17. India 27
18. Ausamerica (female team) 21