Tackling the canoeing section Courtesy of X-Adventure

"We know that Les Arcs-Quechua can control a race like no one else," said Luc Beguin of Team Salomon Suisse. No truer words were ever uttered throughout the 2003 X-Adventure Raid Series to describe the team that has taken the World Cup by storm, completing a hat-trick of victories to become Europe's undisputed champion.

Race conditions for the fourth stage of the X-Adventure series in Spain were near perfect when 45 teams set out on Saturday morning at 06h00 from the picturesque medieval enclave of Ainsa for a steady climb on their bikes towards the small village of El Plano. By sunrise, the first teams had reached the end of the 20km mtn bike section at the foot of the Pena Montanesa range, with early pace setters Elix-Courchevel (FR) ahead of Equilibre Attitude (FR) and World Cup leaders Les Arcs-Quechua (FR) grouped with SAAB Salomon (GB) not far behind. A compact cluster of 13 teams rapidly mustered to attack the first trek of the weekend.

At this point, overall series leaders, Les Arcs-Quechua chose to accelerate and pull away from Saab Salomon, who they had been neck to neck with since the start of the race. The day continued with a seemingly endless mtn bike descent involving some portage and river crossings. Ertips-Salomon, Salmon Suisse, Equilibre Attitude, Les Arcs-Quechua and Elix Courchevel, still holding onto the race leadership, all arrived in Campo at the end of the third section with a time spread of one minute. The following canoeing leg on Rio Esera was reduced by half due to low water levels, but it still turned out to be a fast and technical section with Elix-Courchevel holding firmly onto the lead and a refreshed team Salomon-Suisse hot on their heels.

The longest mtn bike section of the stage took the teams into the remote parts of the Sierra de Campanue: a 660m ascent followed by a demanding 510m downhill dash over rough ground. Local heroes Salomon Spain demonstrated their excellent biking skills by overtaking the leading teams and the crack Spanish unit moved up the field to start section six (trek) in 4th position overall. Elix-Courchevel made it through the section safely, but Salomon Suisse was unlucky. While riding side by side with Saab Salomon, chasing Elix and the Spainards, one of their derauilleurs broke and the Swiss team lost 26 minutes.

Though Les Arcs-Quechua continued to lose time on Elix-Courchevel, they moved up into second place in the overall race rankings and put their foot down on the two last treks of the day to take the lead as night fell on Aragon after a fierce day of competition.

After four hours of well-deserved sleep on the campsite at Meson de Liguerre, the teams took off for the first mtn bike section of the day. Crack mountain bikers, Equilibre Attitude, followed by Salomon Suisse, chased and overtook the leading team Les Arcs-Quechua, who had trouble coping with the dark. But, entering the canyons in the Parque Nacional de la Sierra de Guara under rolling thunders and heavy rain, the three guys from Les Arcs-Quechua exacted their revenge and with three sections to go, they were already 32 minutes ahead of their nearest contenders. The all-male squad pulled away from their nearest rivals, Salomon Suisse who, on the other hand, lost their second place after following incorrect directions from a Spanish guide.

Equilibre Attitude who, with two former elite mtn bike racers and a former member of the French x-country team, were able to stay in touch with the two leaders and take advantage of the error made by Salomon Suisse.

After another good night's sleep, Pete James from team Saab Salomon felt fit again, but the Brits had to fight darkness on the first section as their headlamps failed. As the end of the race approached and the teams blazed through the final three sections of mtn biking, trekking and canoeing, the ranking barely altered, with the exception of Nordic Adventure (FR) being squeezed out of the top ten by Elix-Courchevel, who fought back to finish 6th place. Human Link (SE) held onto an impressive eighth place, an astonishing achievement after racing with only three members.

1. Les Arcs-Quechua
2. Equilibre Attitude
3. Salomon Suisse
4. Salomon Spain
5. Saab Salomon

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—Courtesy of X-Adventure