TORQ YAK ATTACK 2012

Overall Placings after each stage

GENESIS YAK ATTACK2011

STAGE 1

MARCH 7: KATHMANDU TO NUWAKOT
The biggest field of riders to date left Kathmandu this morning for the 5th Yak Attack. With the top 6 Nepali national riders included in the field it was set up to be a fast and furious first stage and it didn't disappointed. A 5km, 600m initial climb soon split the field and the top local boys also showed their prowess on the rough 18km descent, opening up a considerable gap on the rest of the participants.

Ajay Pandit Chhetri (Genesis/Torq) and Raj Kumar Shrestha (HST) battled it out over the 45km course and only 2 seconds separated them on the FINISH line, with Ajay coming out on top and taking first place in a stage that he also won last year when he was crowned 2010 champion. Third place was taken by Narayan Gopal (Ed Menzies), with 2009 winner Padam Sebenhang coming in at 4th position approx 8 minutes behind the leaders. The youngest contender of the race, Aayman Tamang (Just-one.org), proved he is a champion in the making, finishing only 30 minutes after the top boys, whilst UK rider John McGillivray, having only landed in Nepal the previous evening, was the first international rider back.

The terrain has already taken its toll on bikes and riders, with Rajeev Rai taking a serious fall on the big descent and 2 other participants both breaking seat posts.

STAGE 2

MARCH 8: NUWAKOT TO DHADING BESI - RIDEABLE 100%, 50KM, 1359M ASCENT, 1739 DESCENT
A rapid "sealed road" descent starts the day from Nuwakot to Trisuli Bazaar. From here the race rejoins a rural and undulating jeep trail through arable countryside. The terrain is relentless with numerous climbs and descents and riders skills will be tested with a mixture of rocky and sandy conditions. The stage finishes with a descent into Dhading Besi, the districts major town. Although this is early spring, temperatures will be into the mid 20's as the trail drops to only 500m above sea level.

The day started with a 10km group ride taking the Yak Attackers down a 6km sealed descent and then through the busy market town of Trisuli Bazaar. The race proper started at the foot of a 12km rocky climb that followed the side of the valley, increasing in severity for the final 6kms before reaching the small village of Samari. The going was made even tougher by the heat (25c+), lack of breeze and the rocky terrain, which meant that it took some of the riders over 2 hours to reach the first summit of the day! From here the trail descended on equally rocky terrain for a further 6km. It was fortunate that the skittish pigs, encountered during previous years, were missing from the descent this year as a large number of riders, pushing themselves to the limit, took some serious tumbles, even without this added distraction. The trail then followed the contours of the foothills with numerous shorter climbs and descents through the heat of the day inducing veteran Aussie Greg McGoldrick to utter into his headcam "This is not a race, this is torture". After crossing through numerous streams and travelling through a terraced landscape the trail finally descended 400m of sandy track into the bustling town of Dhading Besi.

Once again Ajay Pandit Chhetri (Sponsored by Genesis/Torq) showed his credentials as Nepal National Champion finishing the 48km in 2hr 13mins, only 13 minutes longer than the last participants had reached the top of the first climb at only 12km !!!! Narayan Gopal Maharjan (Sponsored by Ed Menzies) finished in second place just under 10 minutes later and Padam Sabenhang kept his title hopes alive with a 2hr 27minute third place. First placed non Nepali rider was again John McGillivray, finishing just under an hour behind Ajay, with the final riders to finish the arduous stage 2 of Yak Attack in just over 5 hours.

Steve Rysdale - plighted with a series of mechanicals yesterday, including a broken seatpost and 2 punctures, and having taken a fall on the first descent of today, on finishing threw down the gauntlet to the mountain bike community with the statement "You haven't mountainbiked until you've Yak Attacked!"

STAGE 3

MARCH 9: DHADING BESI TO GORKHA - RIDEABLE 100%, 56KM - 1700M ASCENT, 1567M DESCENT
What goes down must go up and from Dhading its a climb back up into the Himalayan foothills. Another day to test the legs and mettle of the riders with more relentless but breath taking scenery. The stage finishes in Gorkha, Nepal's former capital, and for those finishing early enough this is a great opportunity to visit the ancient palace complex perched on the side of the surrounding hills.

For the third successive day the race started with a major climb. 18km of broken tarmac and dusty trail with a 600m altitude gain confronted the riders as they made their way towards Nepal's former capital, Gorkha. Thankfully, after yesterdays high temperatures (recorded on one participants bike computer as 41c!) there was some cloud cover today and rain even threatened early on but with the cumulative climbing mounting up it still had the riders toiling. The first casualty of the day happened when a local knocked Chandra Chhetri of his bike, causing him some serious road rash, but the tough Nepali Yak Attack stalwart remounted and manged to complete the race in 7th place. Once over the first climb a fast and flowing 6 km descent awaited the riders, which later prompted UK mountain biker Mike McCabe to tell the organisers that it had been the best day of mountain biking he had ever had.

The descent took the riders to the lowest point of the entire course at 335m (the highest point being 5416m) and from here another tough ascent commenced. Steep switchbacks and soft sand raised temperatures as well as the cloud breaking, but the views from the top of the climb, looking back down the valley more than made up for being sweat soaked and tired. A final 10km of undulating and again very dusty jeep track led the riders towards their destination, with a last steep 1km climb on the road, closing the day at the Hotel Gorkha Bishauni. Setting a trend, first and second place were once again taken by Ajay Chhetri (sponsored by Genesis/Torq) and Narayan Gopal Maharajan (Ed Menzies). Rajeev Rai secured his first top 3 placing, whilst 2009 champion Padam Sabenhang kept himself in the running with  fourth place. Australian rider Greg McGoldrick was the first international rider back, with UK rider Stephen Rysdale hot on his heels, but John McGillivray held on to his overall top international position at the end of stage 3.

STAGE 4

MARCH 10: GORKHA TO BESI SAHAR - RIDEABLE 100%, 61KM, 1121M ASCENT, 1368M DESCENT
An 8km downhill section on jeep track starts the day and from then the trails in gently (in a Himalayan style) undulating until it reaches the the sealed road to Besi Sahar. A rare opportunity to use the big ring then rears its head with a 30km section of sealed road but this will be hot and again "undulating"!

The cloud had cleared and the sun was back at full strength again as the riders left Gorka and headed for Besi Sahar and the trail leading into the high mountains. For the first time during the race and for the last time for the next 7 days the day kicked off with a downhill start. 8 km of rapid descent saw numerous riders take a fall and at least 5 punctures as the riders headed down from over 1000m to below 400m.

As ever in Nepal, what goes down must go back up and a hot and steep climb from a suspension bridge river crossing allowed the local boys to once again make their mark on the event. After 30km of off road the trail joined a sealed undulating highway for the final 30km into Besi, but although during last years race, international rider Phil Hystek was able to take advantage of pushing some big gears and produce a stage win, this years stage was taken once again by the ever consistent Ajay Chhetri (Sponsored by Genesis/Torq), with the equally consistent Narayan Gopal finishing in second place just 3 minutes later.

Stephen Rysdale recorded his first "international victory" coming in in 7th place overall, despite breaking a chain, with John McGillivray 5 minutes behind him, whilst Mike McCabe recovering from a stomach upset bought home the field in a little over 4 hours.

With Ajay Chhetri (Genesis/Torq) now over 25 minutes ahead of his closest rival, Padam Sabenhang, the 2009 champion threw down the gaunlet. "The mountains are now coming and this is where I am at my strongest,so the gap will definately be closing soon".

Further down the line veteran french rider and mtb Himachal category winner, Andre Deplechin quipped "Ok, I have made it to the mountains with body and bike intact, I am very happy just for this small mercy!!"

With over 200km and 5000m of cumulative climbing already accrued the race heads into the mountains proper tomorrow, with the destination of Taal at 1700m above sea level.

STAGE 5

MARCH 11: BESI SAHAR TO TAAL - RIDEABLE 70%, ALT: 760M - 1700M, DISTANCE: 40KM, 1635M ASCENT
Approx. 2km of sealed road starts the race along Besi Sahar main street. The trail soon turns to rough jeep track, and follows the course of the Marshyangdi river along the left side of the valley. After approx 30 km the jeep track runs out and from then its 11km of mainly push and carry up steep rocky climbs with a final 1km descent into the flat valley surrounding Taal.

Besi Sahar to Taal 40km 1635m of ascent.

Day 5 of 11 saw the riders head into the mountains proper, with another 4.5 days climbing ahead of them! Yet another hot day confronted the riders as they commenced on 30 kms of steadily climbing, jeep track. Fortunately the trail was dry and dusty which made the going much easier than last years mud fest, and with the road being pushed even further into the mountains this set the stage for an ultra fast finish time.

Following the course of the Marsyangdi river, the route clung to the side of the cliff high above the raging river on its way towards Chamje and the end of the jeep track (for this year anyway). After crossing the river the riders then had to endure their first carry section, a rude awakening, with almost 6km of rocky unridable trail to negotiate in the mid day heat. Remarkably most riders seemed to enjoy the carry, and some even found it easier than expected. "I used to do a lot of mountaineering", explained Steve Rysdale, UK mountain biker and ultra runner, "and am used to lugging 70kg packs up them, so just carrying my bike is almost a pleasure". Kumar Gurung Tamang who had been struggling during the prevoius days also came good this afternoon, finishing in 14th place, his highest posistion yet. "It must be the Nepali in me.  From the age of 4 I was running up and down hills carrying loads, so it must be in my blood" he quipped. At the more serious end of the race, Padam Sabenhang couldnt quite carry out his promise of vctory made yesterday. Battling it out over the course, it came down to just 2 minutes between hm and the 2010 champ Ajay Chhetri (Genesis/Torq) at the finish, but Ajay succeeded in recording his 5th stage victory overall and extended his lead from his nearest rival to over 45 minutes overall. Rajeev Rai (John McGillivray), recorded his second top 3 placing, taking him upto 4th place overall while Narayan Gopal (Ed Menzies) slipped back a place in the overall rankings by only managing 5th place today.

Greg McGoldrick (Aus) once again bought home the international contingency, but the consistent John McGillivray (UK) manged to hold on to his top international overall placing by finishing just 10 minutes after Greg.

After the trepidation of such a hard and long carry section, Andre Deplechin summed up most participants feelings about todays stage "It was much easier than I thought it would be. No, correction, it was not as hard as I thought it would be", joked the French veteran rider.

STAGE 6

MARCH 12: TAAL TO CHAME - RIDEABLE 33%, ALT: 1700M - 2570M, DISTANCE: 23KM, 1365M ASCENT
Leaving Taal, there is a maniwall (dry stone wall inlaid with Buddhist prayer slates) in the middle of the path. These should always be passed from the left. After going by fields of maize, barley and potatoes, the valley becomes narrow again. From Taal to Danaqu it will involve a large % of push/carry with a very steep hard climb out of Danaqu. From here though it becomes more rideable with closer views of snow capped peaks and a wide flowing trail to the finish.After a hard days work to reach Chame, competitors can relax by the hot springs on the other side of the Marshyangdi Khola, enjoy the fares at the bakery, or even email home from the internet cafe.

Taal to Chame 23km 1365m of ascent.

Whilst day 5 finished with a tough carry section,  Day 6 started with one as the Yak Attack route continued its climb into the higher mountains. Leaving Taal the route climbed high above the river along trails carved into the solid rock cliff face. The competitors were soon once again in full sun as they crossed the river via a high suspension bridge and as ever, the going was made tough by the incline and the rock strewn surface. There was little descending to be had today so once again the top local riders broke away from the rest of the field, leaving the rest to toil up another tough carry section heading rapidly up to the village of Timang. From here riding conditions improved but a run of muddy sections made slow going of the final 10km into Chame. With no major rapid descents today there were few incidents although a number of riders did have near misses with the numerous ponies that frequent the trails carrying goods up into the mountains.

Ajay Pandit Chhetri (Genesis/Torq) made it 6 out of 6 stage victories today and extended his overall lead to over an hour as second placed overall Padam Sabenhang could only manage 4th, finishing 17 minutes after Ajay. Mangal Krisna Lama is starting to come into his own with the increase in altitude, finishing second today only 4 minutes after the winner, whilst the earlier consistent Narayan Gopal Maharajan is starting the feel the effects of this arduous stage race, finishing in 5th place.

Aussie social worker, Paul Bolla, riding on a bike he bought merely for transport in Kathmandu, sporting training shoes, flat pedals and suspension forks that have given up the ghost was the first international rider back today, 5 minutes before the very consistent UK rider John McGillivray.

Uk rider and ex mountaineer Steve Rysdale said of the days riding "This is raw. This is mountain biking at its base level. Im loving it".

STAGE 7

MARCH 13: CHAME TO MANANG - RIDEABLE 75%, ALT: 2570M - 3540M, DISTANCE: 30KM, 1044M ASCENT
The route today takes competitors through a dense forest in a steep, narrow valley and crosses a river via two bridges, one at 2910m and then another at 3030m. The trail continues along the river to Pisang, where the altitude is enough to bring on the first symptoms of altitude sickness or AMS. From Pisang, the route follows a wide valley that opens up ahead of us. Competitors will pass through Humde (the highest commercial airport in the world) and Braga with its Gompa and roots in Tibetan religion. A cliff face obscures Manang until were practically upon it and a final steep climb brings us to its prayer wheel lined streets and stunning scenery.

Stage 7 - Chame to Manang 30km , 1044m of ascent.

After a ceremonious send off from the Chame community the 2011 Yak Attackers were once again on their way upwards towards Manang and a well earned rest day. Once leaving the village the trail was soon into pine forests, following the course of the river far below. Reports from further up were that the snow that had fallen 2 weeks ago had all but cleared and the going was good all the way to the days first suspension bridge. From here, the days only major carry section ensued, a 15 minute haul up through the forest, which took the riders upto a height where the snow was still lying in shaded areas. On the first descent down into the Manang valley a small section of ice took a number of victims. Greg McGoldrick, John Ferguson, John McGillivray, Kumar Gurung and Rajeev Rai all fell foul of the ice, adding to this Andre Deplechins earlier fal, made for a busy time for the medic once everybody was back at base!!

Once out of the snow covered section, and onto the flat, a complete mud fest confronted the riders. The going was so bad that at one point, that Australian rider Greg McGoldrick, fed up of clearing mud from his back wheel and suffering the effects of his earlier tumble, threw his bike into the snow, vowing never to race again. Joking about it later Greg said "We dont get much mud in Australia and if we do get any we dont go out in it!!".

Answering the critics who doubted his ability at altitude, Ajay Pandit Chhetri (Genesis/Torq) , took his 7th stage victory, increasing his overall lead by another 9 minutes. His closest rival Padam Sabenhang finished 9 minutes later, with Mangal Krishna Lama 3rd and Rajeev Rai in 4th. The laid back Aussie, Paul Bolla was once again first non Nepali rider back with fellow Aussie, Mark Waller, putting in the performance of his race finishing just 2 minutes later, equal 7th with Steve Rysdale.

Previously fearing the increase of altitude (the race is now at 3540m), John McGillivray mused "I never thought I would have enjoyed racing at 3500m, but with all the mud and snow, the 4 months of training in the UK winter have paid off".

STAGE 8

MARCH 15: MANANG TO THORONG PHEDI - RIDEABLE 68%, ALT: 3540M - 4450M, DISTANCE: 17KM, 980M ASCENT
The race leaves Manang through narrow, medieval looking streets and then climbs steadily upto Khusang. Although the trail is more rideable above Khusang (3900m), the altitude now takes effect making turning those pedals very hard work. For the majority of the international competitors it becomes a slow hard slog upto Thorong Phedi with an added bonus of having to cross a steep scree landslide area in the final 2km

Stage 8 - Manang to Thorong Phedi 17km, 980m ascent.

After a well deserved rest day to allow for acclimatisation to the ensuing increase in altitude, and for repairs to bodies and bikes the riders were once again on the move. There was a certain trepidation in the air as today as the final destination for the stage was to be Thorong Phedi at 4540m above sea level, taking them into a zone where altitude sickness is a very real danger. There were also rumours of snow higher up the route to unnerve the riders even more and the 45cm of compact snow lying in the alleyways of Manang did nothing to alleviate these fears.

A steep start up through Gunsang village soon split the field and some sharp rideable climbs had the legs and lungs burning of all but the fittest riders. A section of flowing, dry single track high above the river took the riders onto Yak Kharka at over 4000m . From here on up the going got a little slower with icy, muddy and snow covered sections with the altitude also slowing the pace. Towards the end of the stage a course diversion was necessary as the main trail was covered in sheer ice.The diversion saw the riders scrambling down the valley side and along side the river before climbing up to cross a rickety wooden bridge, followed by the last carry section of the day.
The final 2km were moderately flat but tricky riding, taking in loose scree slopes and rock covered sections before the final ascent of stone steps led the riders into the Thorong Phedi hotel at the foot of the Thorong La pass and the resting point for the evening.

Rajeev Rai (John McGillivray) showed his supremacy at altitude riding today, finishing 17 minutes ahead of overall leader Ajay Chhetri (Genesis/Torq). Narayan Gopal Maharajan (Ed Menzies) came back to form with a second place only 2 minutes after Rajeev and Mangal Lama suffering from a crash and mechanical problem late on in the stage did well to finish third.

Australia took first and second place in the international stakes with chilled out Paul Bolla using his inner tube brake modifications to great extent coming first with Mark Waller enjoying his new found form just minutes behind.

Paul summed up his day with "Ah I was just cruising along today, I couldnt push myself too hard because the altitude did for me. I hated the first four days, they were too hot, too hilly and just not fun, but Im lovin this now".

STAGE 9

MARCH 16: THORONG PHEDI TO MUKTINATH - RIDEABLE 66%, ALT: 4450M - 5416M - 3750M, DISTANCE: 18KM
A 4am start is necessary to cross the Thorong La: the trail can get windy later making it difficult to cross the pass. It will take approximately 4 hours to reach the top (approx 5km) and will be 100% carry for bikers. The effects of altitude are now fully felt and the majority of international competitors will be unable to move at anything but a snails pace. Once at the top, the trail descends rapidly on a very steep slope (technical riding) for approximately 45 minutes to a collection of teahouses and then on fast and flowing singletrack to Muktinath with its pilgrimage site of the temple of the eternal flame

To quote South African rider John Ferguson "Today is the leveller" and it certainly was, with the quickest time for the stage being a little under 3 hours and the slowest close to 10!!! It was -7 when the riders congregated at the foot of the pass at 4.30am, but as the altitude increased the temperature dropped and it was recorded at -15c close to the summit. Leaving in the dark, the only way of telling how far the field was soon split was by the headtorch light guiding each participant up the lung burning initial ascent, as each took on their own technique for "shouldering the bike" for the next 2-5 hours.

Once High camp (at approx 5000m) was reached, lying snow and ice became a problem, with a number of rides slipping on a 45 degree slope traverse, sending them off the trail and scrambling to get a hold on the seemingly never ending drop. The sun rose just before 6am, offering a little warmth but the windchill froze fingers, faces and noses as a steady stream of riders passed over the summit at 5416m, pausing only to take a photo or to reassemble their bikes, dismantled earlier for ease of carrying.

Compact snow made for a sketchy but fun first initial descent off the summit, but as the gradient increased so did the snow turn to ice and it was a very treacherous mid section that very few riders escaped from without some kind of fall.|

From the teahouses at the foot of the pass, the snow dissipated and it was a fast and fun rock strewn final descent into Muktinath, offering warmth and relative comfort after this hardest of stages. Rajeev Rai (John McGillivray), once again proved his worth at altitude reaching Muktinath in an incredible 2hours and 52 minutes, with Mangal Krishna Lama the next in in 3hours and 19minutes. Padam Sabenhang, finishing in 3rd place also clawed some time back off Ajay Pandit Chhetri (Genesis/Torq), who struggled with todays stage, finishing in 6th place in a little over 4 hours.

Australia once again took 1st and 2nd in the international stakes, with Paul Bolla and Mark Waller chasing each other all the way down, but John Feguson, after being passed by the flying Scotsman John Mcgillivray on the descen,t joked in a typical South African fashion "Man if I could learn those descending skills, I would be unbeatable!!!"

Andre Deplechin, slowly recovering from a stomach complaint which has hampered his progress bought up the rear, enduring the snow,ice and sun for an energy sapping 9 hours and 58 minutes.

Tomorrows final stage drops over 2500m in altitude finishing at the site of the healing hot springs Tatopani.

STAGE 10

MARCH 17: MUKTINATH TO TATOPANI - RIDEABLE 100%, ALT: 3750M - 1190M, DISTANCE 67KM
Today we will descend from snow capped peaks to tropical lowlands in just under 70km. Leaving Muktinath the course drops rapidly on jeep track before taking a detour onto narrow and technical single track that drops down to the river bed. From here the terrain undulates along jeep track through Jomsom, Marpha and many other small villages along the route. From Kalopani the trail again drops rapidly on a very rough but fast trail to Tatopani, where tired riders can enjoy the revitalising qualities of the village hot springs.

After the ardours of yesterdays stage everybody was looking forward to an easier final day, but with only 18 minutes separating the top 2, Ajay Pandit Chhetri (Genesis/Torq) and Rajeev Rai (Brelades Vets) it was set to be a tense finale.

With everybody vying for first posistion on the initial descent out of Muktinath, there was a mass pile up at the stone steps involving Dawa Sherpa, Mangal Lama, John Ferguson and John McGillivray but no serious injuries were sustained and everyone managed to remount and rejoin the race. At some steep loose rock switch backs leading down to Ekle Bhati the top local riders were able to break away by riding directly down the bank, while their chasing international counterparts took the cautious option by pushing down. Kumar Gurung took a falll on this section suffering some serious gashes to his ear which meant he later had to go to hospital in Pokhara for stitches.

From Jomson the trail levelled with some undulating terrain following the course of the river, taking the riders through numerous small settlements, packs of horses, past waterfalls and through water courses. After Kalopani the trail once again dropped rapidly on rocky/sandy terrain, ideal riding for the boys on full sussers, but not so fun for the fully rigids !!! With the loss of altitude, the temperature increased and the cloud cover and cooling wind was a welcome relief with the majority finishing at the hottest part of the day.

With such a small time margin between the top 3 riders, it was with baited breath that the timekeepers kept an eye on the finishing straight into Tatopani. Right on schedule and for the second year in succession the first contender to cross the line was Ajay Pandit Chhetri (Genesis/Torq), the most consistent rider of the series and in the end a worthy winner. Crossing the line Ajay dismounted his bike, thanked his sponsors and then sat in thoughtful reflection waiting for his companions to finish. Next in was Raj Kumar Shrestha (Himalayan Singletrack) one of the initial event favourites but who had seemingly suffered with the rigours of an arduous 10 day stage race, eventually finishing 10th overall. Next over the line were Rajeev Rai (Brelades Vets) and Padam Sabenhang, hand in hand and finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively overall. Mangal Krishna Lama finished 5th, securing 4th place overall, whilst John "The Hoff" Ferguson saved himself until the last day, to take, in his words "The ultimate stage victory" for the internationals.l Greg McGoldrick and John McGillivray had valliantly chased the South African all the way down the valley but "The Hoff" had the bit between his teeth and with the scent of Everest beer waiting at the finish line there was no stopping him. Narayan Gopal Maharajan (Ed Menzies) finished in 7th place on the day, securing a credible 5th overall placing in his first ever Yak Attack, Greg McGoldrick, finished in 8th, securing the masters category title and John McGillivray finishing 9th on the day but secured the first international overalll title by well over 2.5 hours and celebrated with his first beer in 4 months.

As Rajeev Rai's sponsor John was keen to know the overall results, ever gracious, Ajay shook Johns hand and then apologised for his overall victory. The rest of the field were fairly well split by the the terrain and mechanical difficulties, with Dhanjit (Santosh) Rai (Himalayan SingleTrack) picking up an incredible 6 punctures over the 67km descent. Paul Bolla, with the demise of his Heman handlebar figurieen and his trusty steed finally giving up the ghost, seemed to run out of steam bringing up the rear of the pack in a little over 5hours but still finishing second international rider overall and definately receiving the "Heath Robinson" award for makeshift modifications to his bike.

Summing up the day and event in general in one simple statement John McGillivray said "That was like Glencoe on steroids!! "

GENESIS 2011 YAK ATTACK SUMMARY

There was plenty of time for reflection as the riders embarked on the final stage of the Genesis Yak Attack 2011, a group ride from Tatopani to Khaniya Ghat, and the end of the dirt after over 400km and 11000m of ascent.

During the 11 stages the competitors had endured temperatures (if the computer readings were to be believed) from a sweltering 44c on STAGE 2 and cases of heat exhaustion, to a finger freezing -15c on STAGE 9 with a few incidents of mild frost bite.

There had been mud during STAGE 7, so sticky and deep it had led Aussie rider Greg McGoldrick to vow never to race again (a statement he later retracted after the 67km downhill section!).

Snow and ice brought on some extremely scary moments both ascending and descending during STAGE 9, with both John McGillivray and Mangal Lama loosing their footing on the treacherous section just past High Camp and sliding down the 45 degree snow covered slope.

South African John Ferguson, went for the record most number of falls on the icy descent to Muktinath, managing one final tumble on the last remaining metre of ice, before clear trails and safety, to take his tally well into double figures for the day!

The first 4 days of lower altitude riding also took their toll and kept the medic, Keith Green busy, with Rajeev Rai, Dhanjit Rai, John McGillivray, Steve Rysdale and Kumar Gurung amongst other all taking injury inducing falls on the numerous rough and ready 6km+ descents.

Mike McCabe and Andre Deplechin both suffered from stomach complaints, weakening them through hunger and making progress painfully slow at times, but both persevered through to valiantly and uncomplainingly complete the race.

On top of this there were the tough carry sections, hauling bike onto shoulder to tackle the steep rocky climbs to Taal and beyond, donkey trains to negotiate, river crossings and of course the altitude.

Whilst each and every rider endured their own personal battle against differing race elements and most questioned their sanity at some point during the 11 days, (nearly all admitting it was the toughest event they had ever taken on), on crossing the finish line at Khaniya Ghat with over 400km and 11000m of ascent under their belts the underlying consensus was that Yak Attack had been the most memorable and enjoyable experience of a lifetime.

Dorking veterinary, Trans Rocky and Cape Epic rider John McGillivray surmised "After reading all the blurb about this event I came out with no aspirations of enjoying it, just to merely complete it, but in actual fact, its been bloody great!!"

It wasn't only the terrain and the incredible scenery that had made the race so memorable. It was the interaction with the local Nepali riders that was the topping on the cake. A friendlier and more helpful set of riders you couldnt wish to meet.

Although ultra competitive and desperately wanting the Yak Attack crown and prize money each and everyone of the 12 strong Nepali field were always willing to assist any rider in need.

Ajay Chhetri, going for his 3rd stage win in a row, only minutes from the start, took the time to assist Paul Bolla who's seat rail had broken, Dhanjit "Santosh" Rai after completing each stage himself would lend his hand as a mechanic in the evenings for the ubiquitious running repairs, and the youngest rider to date, Aayaman Tamang at 17, took it on himself to ride amongst the field, taking photos and checking all were happy.

There were as always also few surprises to be had. Paul Bolla, a laid back Aussie, working as a volunteer in a hospital in Bhaktapur and riding a $700 hardtail, donning training shoes, with v brakes modified with old inner tubes, showed its not all in the equipment, being first international rider back in all 4 of the higher altitude stages. Fellow Australian Mark Waller, struggling during the initial lower, hotter stages on his fully rigid singlespeed, found "wings" at altitude and chased Paul all the way, finishing with second international placings on 3 high altitude stages. It was the consistency of John McGillivray however that earned him the top international spot, finishing in 9th place overall in a very credible 34 hours.

For the 5th year running the real battle was between the Nepali boys with yet again no international rider able to compete with their ascending or descending skills. Before the start there appeared to be no clear cut favourite, with all 6 top Nepali riders taking place, but by Manang, with Ajay Pandit Chheri (Genesis/Torq) having taken all 7 stage victories and over an hour ahead of his closest rival it looked like being a whitewash. However it was testament to Rajeev Rai's (Brelades Vets) fight and determination that he was able to cut Ajays lead to just 18 minutes over 2 short stages and set up an exciting finale on the final 67km descent to Tatopani.

In the end  it was all in vain though as Ajay showed tremendous strength of character (having crashed during this stage in 2009 and 2010) to cross the finish line over 10 minutes ahead of Rajeev who later admitted had give it his all but had run out of steam in the latter part of the stage.

And so all that was left for the tired and battered Yak Attackers to do for another year was to soak in the hot springs at Tatopani, nursing sore legs, cuts and scrapes, blisters and aches and plan the strategy for next years attempt at the "Worlds Highest Mountain Bike Race".

At the awards ceremony in the lakeside city of Pokhara everybody involved in the race, including the hard working porters received race medals, t-shirts and certificates. whilst the winners took possesion of their trophies and prize money.

Overall winner Ajay Pandit Chhetri collecting his first prize of a Genesis Core MTB generously betrothed it to his best friend and fifth place finisher Narayan Gopal Maharajan, whos bike has definately seen better days.

After celebrating the birthdays of the the 2 oldest competitors, Greg McGoldrick and Andre Deplechin with the presentation of a delicious birthday cake each, the ceremony closed with thanks going to all the sponsors and supporters without whom such an event would not be possible.

Genesis Bikes UK (Title Sponsor), Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), ACAP, Dawn Till Dusk MTB,  Torq Fitness, Himalayan SingleTrack, Himal.de, Nova Raiders Cycle Club, Sandra Gwynne, Brelades Vets, Ed Menzies, Mukhiya "Snowmonkey" Gurung (timekeeper and race logistics), Rataman Gurung (porterage and drink stations), Prokash Gurung (rider safety and photographer), Keith "Yak Doctor" Green (medic), Buddha Lama (way marking), Kate Hobson (race numbers) and all others far too many to mention but equally appreciated and needed.

HALL OF FAME

WINNER HALL OF FAMERS
Hari Rokaya NEPAL 2007	Kazi Sherpa NEPAL 2008	Padam Sabenhang NEPAL 2009	Ajay Pandit Chhetri NEPAL 2010
Ajay Pandit Chhetri NEPAL 2011	Ajay Pandit Chhetri NEPAL 2012

INTERNATIONAL RIDERS WHO COMPLETED WITHOUT ASSISTANCE
Rob Jarman (Berghaus) UK 2007	Phil Evans UK 2008	Matt Hart (TorqFitness) UK 2008	Helen Curtin NZ 2009
Murray Thomas NZ 2009	John McDonnel EIRE 2009	Phil Hystek AUS 2010	Paul Errington UK 2010
Andreas Danielsson SWE 2010	Martin Stenmarck SWE 2010	John McGillivray UK 2011	Paul Bolla AUS 2011
Stephen Rysdale UK 2011	Greg McGoldrick AUS 2011	Mark Waller AUS 2011	John Ferguson S.AFRICA 2011
Phil Evans UK 2011	Cefin Evans WALES 2012	Doug Brain UK 2012	Gareth Jones WALES 2012
Jens Rowold Denmark 2012	Keith Green UK 2012	Neil Cottam UK 2012	Paul Bolla AUS 2012
Paul Topham UK 2012	Peter Butt AUS 2012	Phil Evans UK 2012	Thomas Fischer DE 2012
Tyler McMahon USA 2012	Henri Lesewitz DE 2012	Sonya Looney USA 2012	Carena Dean CANADA 2012
Mizuho Fujihara JAPAN 2012

FEMALE HALL OF FAMERS
Nirjala Tamrakar NEPAL 2008	Nirjala Tamrakar NEPAL 2009	Helen Curtin NZ 2009
Mizuho Fujihara JAPAN 2012	Carena Dean CANADA 2012	Sonya Looney USA 2012