Pioneer Stage Four - battling Ben Ohau

Lake Tekapo to Lake Ohau

Distance: 104km

Elevation: 1915m

Day 4 of The Pioneer mountain bike stage race is pretty much hump day. And you could sense it this morning. Riders were a little groggy, hoping to stay in their tent longer, in the warmth offered by a sleeping bag. And considering it was well and truly single digits outside – who could blame them. I certainly got out of bed later, and made an A-line to the Allpress coffee van.

If you glanced at the profile, you'd think the stage was mostly flat, with a couple of steep climbs at the finish. Which in part, is true. Although it gives no respect to the twin-headed monster that Ben Ohau is.

With cool temperatures, and the chance of a change of weather, we all took off with our emergency kit again. And plenty of us started with much of it on as the whole race took off in one start as we hit the road out of Tekapo.

On the trail

With the whole race leaving Tekapo on the road, the pace lifted a few times as we hit the gravel service roads beyond the houses, to thin the bunch down a little. After a small crash on a gravel descent, there was a bunch split and I'd say everyone was pretty happy to arrive in the sun on the viaduct service road.

Unlike last year, we didn't stay on this flat and easy rolling surface for long, as the route headed back to farm roads, glacial washes and old double track. This really starts to sort out the race, especially with tired legs.

Early on, one of the Alps2Ocean team were out with a mechanical, but the two best mixed teams were in a tight battle. The time gap is big between 1st and 2nd, about 40 minutes, but a stage win has some serious cache.

In time, we were on the Alps2Ocean cycle trial, skirting the edge of Lake Tekapo, and while the views up the lake to Aoraki/Mt Cook were obscured by cloud, the dazzling teal lake looked amazing in the sun.

We shifted to making our way back along the farm trails towards Ben Ohau, as the range consumed the entire horizon. Soon enough we could spot what lay ahead, the first 24% ramps of the climb.

It was like staring death in the face.

With a feedzone at the base of the beast, teams split as some took on extra fuel, and others attacked with full force. The hill side was a cacophony of gear shifting, swearing, and slipping tyres.

I believe it was this climb last year that I questioned the common sense of coming to such an event on a 1×11 group set. I was finishing a test on the Shimano XT M8000 group, and it got in my head that maybe, just maybe, I had an 11-40 tooth cassette on. I didn't, and I think I got off to count teeth and check. But the climb is so steep, it has you question many things.

The first climb takes you up high, into rocky, tussock grass covered mountains. The trail ahead is like a small scar across the face, and you stay high for a long time, with fast and rocky descents where every rock could mean a destroyed tyre or rim.

And then you climb again.

But once you are up the next climb, which is narrower, looser, and more exposed than the first, you reach a saddle and the expanse of Lake Ohau is below you. Any pessimists would also see the road to Ohau ski fields above the lake on the other side, and hope we don't climb it… (we don't).

Ben Ohau is like the stage boss – just like a video game where you need to destroy a 'boss' at the end of a level to carry on, Ben Ohau is the stage boss, maybe even the race boss. If you can defeat the twin-headed beast – you can finish The Pioneer. And that counts for the up and the down.

It's a long descent – and truly epic. It's an old farm trail, crumbled to pieces, and I would hate to be the first rider down, or the lead moto rider. The exposure at the top is immense, and the rock moves a lot as you make your way down. Tussock grass hides a multitude of things that could create a problem at speed. We made our way down gingerly, with our legs feeling like they had just done a 15 minute static squat, and hands that couldn't feel much at all.

The last 30km wrap around the lake, on dirt road and narrow gravel cycleway. It's fast, and it's a fun finish.

Forgotten fatigue

I think Lake Ohau is the best Pioneer camp site. We're in full sun, the lake is across the road ready for recovery dips, and the sun is warm to soak in after the cool waters. but we can't forget what lies ahead. Although the riders in the 4 Day Traverse are done and ready to kick on at the Lake Ohau Lodge, the rest of us have the Queen Stage ahead. 112km and almost 4000m of climbing. While the race lead looks well set in most categories, The Imparables are leading Masters and in 2nd overall – they're not that far behind the Kiwi duo of Manuka Honey etc. It's the day that could create big gaps if riders legs are weary, and there's an easy recipe for disaster on plenty of the trails if riders are tired and inattentive.

That's all a guess – we'll all know more tomorrow!

Full results are on The Pioneer website.