Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1) received a psychological boost this afternoon after the Race Committee announced that 27 athletes would receive a penalty for deviating from the official route up the Gaisberg on Day 1.
The athletes will each receive a two-hour time penalty, which was reduced from six hours after the race committee reviewed appeals from the athletes. Among them is Chrigel Maurer (SUI1), who has been racing neck and neck against Guschlbauer all day at the front of the race.
In a statement the race committee announced:
“Yesterday on Sunday, all athletes except Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1), Toma Coconea (ROU), Stanislav Mayer (CZE), Gaspard Petiot (FRA4) and Gavin McClurg (USA2) made a shortcut up the Gaisberg deviating from the mandatory route. This is a clear violation of the rules. The penalty will be a two hour time period, which the 27 athletes have to add to their next rest period. Therefore all athletes, who violated the rule, must start the day only at 7am!”
Crucially for the leaders, Maurer is in the sin bin, while Guschlbauer is not. That means Guschlbauer goes into this evening knowing he has an advantage – putting Maurer under pressure. How this will affect the legendary three-time winner remains to be seen but he likes to lead from the front and excels when he does.
Otherwise Day 2 was a day when patience paid off as the race was hit by bad weather and storms.
“It’s kite surfing weather up here on the Kampenwand,” one pilot joked, as athletes huddled against the rain and wind.
A cold front passed through the course line of the Red Bull X-Alps at dawn, bringing torrential rain, thunder and lightning. That left all the athletes struggling against the elements on foot.
Race leader Stephan Gruber (AUT3) had pulled his LED Lenser Night Pass on the first day – but only used it to walk until 1am, extending his lead by a mere 6km.
“We saw the weather forecast and decided not to walk all night. We knew we would be walking in the morning,” he said.
The two athletes hot on his heels were three-time Red Bull X-Alps champion Chrigel Maurer (SUI1) and Powertraveller Prologue winner Paul Guschlbauer (AUT1). Both athletes were up at dawn and walking through the rain.
Behind them, a battle of wits and patience played out. Those reaching Turnpoint 3 of Aschau-Chiemsee (Kampenwand) early had to decide whether or not to wait out the bad weather in the hope of better flying conditions, or walk down.
Those who walked down, or risked a wet flight through rain showers, were soon pushing ahead along the valley floor on foot
Those who stayed high however, gambled that conditions would improve for flying – and by lunchtime they did and they were soon airborne.
Below them, the pack of athletes on the ground realised their tactical error – they were on the ground when they should be in the air and were soon being overtaken. Among those to suffer was Gavin McClurg (USA2) who slipped back in the rankings.
In other developments it was announced that Toma Coconea (ROU) did not violate airspace yesterday after all. He had been anxious after officials told him this morning they were investigating his track log.
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Photo: Antoine Girard (FRA2) after landing in tough conditions. ©zooom/Kelvin Trautman
INFO: Red Bull X Alp
