Stuff.co.nz - Full ArticleLast updated 19:47, August 10 2015
Three Kiwis, including one from New Plymouth, are in the leading group of six riders at the beginning of the sixth day of the gruelling Mongel Derby.
Maxim Van Lierde, 25, son of New Plymouth sculptor Renate Verbrugge, Braden Cameron from Wellington and Ben Wilks from Katikati were in the leading pack at the end of Day 5 of the 1000 kilometre horse race across the Mongolian Steppe.
The derby website reports there has been a break by the front six at the start of Day 6.
"At the pointy end of the field there's finally been a breakaway from the lead six. Eloise Pointrinal and Byeronie Epstien have peeled away from Michele Tanaka, Ben Wilks, Braden Cameron, and Maxim Van Lierde. So now the battle for the lead is: France/ South Africa followed by USA/ New Zealand/ New Zealand/ New Zealand."
About 30 riders are competing in the race, which follows a route once taken by Genghis Khan. Each day they ride about 100km and change horses every 40km.
The riders are battling weather conditions, unfamiliar terrain and the constant threat of dehydration...
Read more here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/70916269/kiwi-riders-in-leading-pack-in-1000km-race
