Episode 3

S1 E3: Teams now finally surviving the most brutal first day in Adventure Racing history are welcomed by horizontal rain and some epic stages that will cause some extreme moments and life threatening situations. Some of the world’s greatest athletes will be hit hard by the altitude and conditions. This is real life drama unfolding right before your eyes. Leg 3 Mountain Bike 90km – The human body is not designed for high-level performance with minimal oxygen. The next 90km of mountain biking takes team over a number of 3500mtr peaks in some extreme rain and cold that slowly destroys their bodies. Leg 4 Trek 23km – Surviving the brutal elevation of the mountain bike our teams now head even higher again on a trek that starts to destroy their body and mind in sequence. Only little respite is gained by the sight of one of the worlds most spectacular natural landscapes, Quilotoa Crater Lake. For some they are near breaking point and for others, especially the local teams it seems to be a walk in the park, or is it. Leg 5 Mountain Bike 32km – At this point one of the worlds leading teams is faced with a life or death decision. The course has been so brutal to this stage it has caught many by surprise. That said some of the front runners also dig deep and decide to go against their better judgement and fight for positions. This is one of the harsh realities of one of the world’s most challenging environments. Leg 6 Trek 47km – Following on from legs that have decimated the field our teams now face more than a marathon trek into one of the most remote canyons on earth. Once they enter there is only two options. Get to the end or turn back as once inside there is no possibility of rescue. It is here that yet again a drama unfolds as teams are now forced to fight a battle within their own ranks as if the environment wasn’t challenging enough.