Clementz and Chausson lead Trans Provence after opening day

A relatively relaxed start to the week with a later start the normal saw our 70 riders kick off day 1 of the Mavic Trans-Provence with three special stages and around 45km of riding.

After an uplift out of the valley, pedalling proper started with the now legendary first climb to special stage 1 - the climb, an innocuous enough fireroad that gained height steadily but nonetheless sees 600 metres of height gain and topped out at around the 2000 metre mark, it was certainly a wake up to the system.

Stage one was modified from last year and missed out the lung busting carry or push, instead choosing to shorten the stage, (old hands at the event were disappointed that the newcomers don't have to suffer in the same way) but still starting on slightly uphill singletrack (this is enduro after all) before plunging in to a leaf and wood littered shoot that starts steeply and only continues to steepen as it makes it way down hill.. A real case of do or don't and make a choice at the beginning! Dismounts can and do end badly ( this is the special - stage that in 2010 saw world record round the bike racer Mike Hall break his ribs) Commitment is the key!

A short liaison stage led riders to a brand new special stage two for 2012, which started with steep switchbacks and ends in singletrack that crisscrossed a stream - There were a number of crashes including Geoff Kabush using his face as a rudimentary brake. And while no serious injuries occurred, the alarming view of Anka Martin riding into the feed station bleeding from around her eye after getting caught with a branch is reminder of how a small thing can potentially end your race and that this is a race that has a long way to unwind before it reach its final destination at Monaco .

What happens when you leave a feed station at the Trans-Provence? Well, it normally involves something steep and not in the direction that most people prefer, this year and this feed station is no different - a big climb again like this morning via fire road finishes the climbing for the day and led to today's final special stage 3.

Open woodland singletrack gave way to more leaf filled gullies before finally driving steeply down the side of the mountain in increasingly tightening switchbacks before firing riders out over a muddy stream the last blip of a timing chip against the timing balise and day one was over for another year.

Day 2 starts at 7:00 am and is probably the toughest of the event.

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