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Videos: Kristof Allegaert back in lead of Indian Pacific Wheel Race after duel with Mike Hall

Belgian now well on his way to Sydney after thrilling day's racing when the lead kept changing hands...

Belgium’s Kristoff Allegaert has seized back control of the Indian Pacific Wheel Race, leading Great Britain’s Mike Hall by 168 kilometres as he heads towards the finish line at Sydney Opera House.

Allegaert’s re-establishment of the lead he has held for almost the entire race followed a day when followers of the race were abuzz on social media about the battle taking place between the two men.

This time yesterday, the pair were almost inseparable, trading the race lead along the Murray River ahead of the tough climb up to Cabrumurra.

But while Allegaert pressed on up the ascent, Hall stopped for rest that was much-needed following his exertions to catch and briefly pass his rival.

By the time the Briton got back on the bike more than five hours later, the leader was over the top of the ascent and well on his way to Canberra.

Hall reached the checkpoint at Cooma at 7.48pm local time on Thursday evening – that’s 9.48am in the UK – but Allegaert had made it there a little more than eight hours earlier.

He’s kept on riding and is now across the border and into New South Wales and heading towards a rather rainy Sydney, which he should hit sometime tomorrow.

As the main picture above shows, there are cyclists spread out all along the southern Australian coast – so even once Allegaert and Hall hit the finish, there will be plenty of racing, and plenty of stories, still to come.

You can follow the progress of the two leaders, and the rest of the riders in the race, using the online tracker here.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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13 comments

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Freddy56 | 7 years ago
1 like

Just heard mike died in a crash- awful 

rest in peace and thanks for the inspiration 

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mattydubster | 7 years ago
1 like

I think he is now moving....

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BrokenBootneck | 7 years ago
1 like

is Mike having a really good sleep, there is a hotel just down from where he has stopped. Then monster it all the way to the end? in the dark whilst in major cities less of an issue as well it will be well litcompared to the back end of beyond. 

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CygnusX1 replied to BrokenBootneck | 7 years ago
1 like

BrokenBootneck wrote:

is Mike having a really good sleep, there is a hotel just down from where he has stopped. Then monster it all the way to the end? in the dark whilst in major cities less of an issue as well it will be well litcompared to the back end of beyond. 

The longest sleep of them all, if news reports from Australia are true. RIP.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-31/cyclist-killed-on-road-south-of-ca...

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Ad Hynkel | 7 years ago
0 likes

Looks like Mike's night vision issue might have him hunkered down waiting for light. Or his tracker has run out of juice. No updates for nearly 5 hrs. Kristof power on. Sarah holding on to 3rd on that last big climb. Hope she gets over without issue.

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Jackson replied to Ad Hynkel | 7 years ago
1 like

Ad Hynkel wrote:

Looks like Mike's night vision issue might have him hunkered down waiting for light. Or his tracker has run out of juice. No updates for nearly 5 hrs. Kristof power on. Sarah holding on to 3rd on that last big climb. Hope she gets over without issue.

Na I reckon Mike's doing a sneaky attack with it turned off.

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steviemarco | 7 years ago
1 like

What a sense of acheivment doing that 'race' must give, got my respect all who entered, well done all laugh

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psling | 7 years ago
5 likes

Looks more like a disc brake injury to me....

 

 

 

(and not a disc brake in sight)

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antigee | 7 years ago
0 likes

over on BNA   http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=93848&p=1398495&sid=45c3033b618b1e0d657e98d0c3d5db2e#p1398495

this poster blames a wombat  but no source - quite possible they are big and nasty. (full stop) and out in the dark and easy to hit 

Quote:

Inaugural Indian Pacific Wheel Race

Postby Red Rider » Thu Mar 30, 2017 7:36 pm

Mike's big day yesterday must have caught up with him. It sure spiced up the race even more..

Meanwhile Kristof apparently got attacked by a wombat! It left a hefty scratch on his leg, but otherwise unaffected.

Juju will probably make her first catch tonight, Paul is the last one the road but still going strong it seems.

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Sharpie | 7 years ago
0 likes

Thought this was a wombat related injury? Didn't he collide with one on a downhill section in the dark?

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Jackson replied to Sharpie | 7 years ago
1 like

Sharpie wrote:

Thought this was a wombat related injury? Didn't he collide with one on a downhill section in the dark?

I think he was joking when he said that. Wombats are a decent size to crash into, then once you get up you've got an annoyed wombat to deal with. 

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JimD666 replied to Sharpie | 7 years ago
1 like
Sharpie wrote:

Thought this was a wombat related injury? Didn't he collide with one on a downhill section in the dark?

It started with Kangaroos (https://tinyurl.com/o72tr3l) and now the Wombats are revolting?!

Australia. Putting the Wild in Wildlife since the year dot.

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tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
0 likes

Kristoff maybe went down at some point yesterday. Image of him goin' round with a cut leg. Actually looks more like it was cut with a tool or cable more than a typical fall wound.

 

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