An easy ride greeted everyone on day four of Santa Cruz Stone King Rally Vol.1. But we all know this is not your ordinary bicycle race; easy is only relative. Riders started the stages in Italy and finished the day in France.
POV vid and pretty pics
Day 4: Demonte to Tende
- 50.4km length
- 980m ascent
- 3,060m descent
More than a few revived themselves with a gelato and an espresso before making the day’s opening special stage; others used the trail itself to slap themselves awake. Parts of the day included severe exposure – an excellent way to double-check the morning’s wake-up had done the job.
Beyond the halfway mark, the race waved goodbye to the Cottian Alps and welcomed the Maritime Alps proper. Riders eyeballed the finish line as they made their way into the second half of the day, with a liaison section skirting around more nineteenth-century Italian fortresses.
The day typified the fruits of much hard work in the weeks, months and years leading up to the Stone King Rally. A lot of scouting, organising and graft has brought many lost or half- forgotten trails back to life for everyone to enjoy on two wheels.
Results after Day 4
What is the Stone King Rally?
Santa Cruz Stone King Rally 2022 takes in two countries (75%in Italy, 25% in France) from 28th June to 3rd July 2022.
Stone King crew: “The Santa Cruz Stone King Rally is the evolution of backcountry MTB enduro competition. Containing the same blend of wild adventure and gravity racing excitement that Trans-Provence introduced in 2009 and refined over the course of a decade, we now take things to new levels on a 100% original itinerary from the High Alps to the Mediterranean.
“Stone King’s truly transalpine itinerary – crossing the Alps’ central watershed not once but twice – will take in two countries and four distinct regional areas: the majestic Queyras Regional Park (France), the mystical Occitan Valleys of Piemonte (Italy), the wild Roya Valley (France) and, last but not least, the revered coastal mountains of Liguria (Italy).
“Each of these zones contains its own brand of mindblowing descents and incredible journey-style trails. The inextricable link between these trails, the cultural heritage and the agricultural or industrial history of each valley is critical to the spirit of a backcountry adventure like Stone King; riders will experience – in a variety of formats – a thread of associated stories throughout the race and tour versions of the itinerary.“
Guillestre to Bordighera
28th June to 3rd July 2022
Riders: 100
Days: 6
Timed Stages: 24
Distance (on-bike): 269km
Ascent (on-bike): 8140m
Descent (on-bike): 20153m
