The Yak Attack is fast approaching. This is an 8-day Mountain Bike race (yes race) across the Himalayas. I feel extremely privileged, as a sponsor and journalist to have been asked to attend this year. As you’ll no doubt conclude when you see the pictures below that this is an opportunity of a lifetime…
The first 2 days look pretty sound actually and I’m quite looking forward to them. Day 1 is a 20km stage all below 1500m. I should just about be able to cope here. Stage 2 is only 7km long and sounds like a doddle, but apparently only 15% of it is rideable. It’s essentially a downhill with a little climb at the end. I’m excited about this, because I reckon I’ll be at an advantage over the locals with my Kona Hei Hei supreme (extremely light full sus race bike), plus you don’t need red blood cells to tonk it down hill at break-neck speeds. Hell, I’m gonna ride more than 15% of it.
You can tell I’m a competitive bugger can’t you? The only problem is that after day 2, it’s going to get a whole lot worse for me and all the Sports Science and light bikes in the world won’t be able to prepare me for the aerobic supremacy of the indigenous Tibetans. I am going to get my arse kicked royally and I know that. And they’ll be doing it on a Raleigh Activator!
By day 3, we will have climbed to 2500m. Day 4, we’ll be up to 3500m. We rest on day 5 or else we’ll all die of altitude sickness. Day 6, we continue up to 4500m and on Day 7 we get up to 5500m – oh my god! At this height, I won’t be riding my bike apparently. I’ll be stooped-over my trusty Kona steed and dribbling on the top tube. The 3K to the high point takes a western chap like me approximately 6 hours to complete.
One thing’s for sure though, I’ll come back with the constitution of a Yak even if I haven’t had the energy to ‘attack’ any when I’m out there!
If you want to come out there with me, there’s still time. Contact Phil Evans on 07949 874 856 (+44 7949 874 856) or visit the website at Extreme World Challenges
I would like thank Gulf Air for extending my baggage allowance to 30Kg FOC. Very kind of them.
