Sneddon wins stage 6 in Mongolia

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Kona dominated the podium today, with Kris Sneddon winning stage 6 of the 2012 Mongolia Bike Challenge. Current overall leader Cory Wallace came second, followed immediately by teammate Barry Wicks.

Carter Hovey of Team MBC Racing was fourth, dropping Pau Zamora of Buff on the massive finishing climb. Sneddon became the sixth winner in six stages that have been completed so far.

Behind the front of the men's pack, a dramatic women's race has been unfolding. Current leader Elisabeth Adamson of Australia is being challenged in the overall standing by Leisbeth Hessens of Belgium as well as the Mongolian rider Solongo Tserenlham. Tserenlham won today's women's stage and is looking very strong moving into the second half of the race.

Race leader Adamson came to racing from a bike touring background. Speaking of the hardest part of the Mongolia Bike Challenge, she said, "Because I am in the lead, I can't back off. Day after day of this is hard, especially feeling tired. Losing sensation in my hands from the washboard in the desert is difficult too, and then when the alarm goes off in the morning I just want to stay in bed!"

She said she often thinks, "How long can I hang on like this? Other times I distract myself by looking at the scenery, the camels and yaks, it's amazing. So when uncomfortable, instead of chewing my handlebars (desperately hanging on) I remind myself how amazing this place is."

Tomorrow the MBC moves into the mountains for the Queen stage, 132km with 2620 meters of climbing. It is by far the most difficult as well as the most spectacular stage of the race.

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