in a wood , twice riding the banks and splashing through the water ; the second rider needed to deal with a series of full-lock tight turns , plus a log traverse , while the last rider dealt with a slalom course . At the end , the three reunited to load and secure the last GS onto a trailer ready to be towed away .
After that , the teams tackled the Navigation Challenge , using a BMW GPS navigation unit to find a waypoint in the woods , transfer new coordinates into the GPS then race back to the start … on foot . The last test of the day was the Albania Slow Race , the slow race being something of a GS Trophy tradition . Here , all the riders in the team ride a 100m course as slowly as they possibly can , without leaving their one-metre-wide lane and without putting a foot down .
The day played to the strengths of the South African team who moved into second place , just one point behind the United Kingdom , Germany were third as Thailand fell to fourth . Mexico was back in second for the female challenge , six points clear of South Africa . Germany still leading .
A short ride on day four was backed up with a long one for day five as the riders headed back toward the west and the Adriatic Sea and days end near Himare .
The crossing the Pindus mountain range challenged riders as they looked for a way through as well as the expected ‘ specials ’. Twenty minutes in a trial section was followed with a shot on goal , sliding the bike and taking the ‘ kick ’ with the rear wheel .
Back on the day ’ s course , the next job was to break through the Nemercke section of the Pindus mountains , a 2000 plus metre tall range of peaks that flatly resist any traveller ’ s attempts to go west . Steep trails requiring a level of hill climbing capabilities rarely seen , the trails ever searching for a way through , finally found with the Vjose River cutting through the impenetrable near the village of Dragot .
Leading into the Bence Gorge , only recently opened to travellers , riders were confronted with a stunning road that clings bravely to the southern slopes , gaining height via a never-ending succession of hairpin turns . On the other side of the gorge , quite possibly no one can pass as there stands the most impressive 2000 metre sheer cliff . The drama of the geology was simply breathtaking .
Incredibly at the summit of the climb was not an immediate descent but a plateau , verdant green with grasses and crops , and populated with villages . Quite the surprise , and at last a relaxing ride . At the highest
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