We headed out from Leonardo Plaza hotel on the Dead Sea by bus to our start point at Arava Junction into the Negev south of the small crater. After a good warmup on relatively flat terrain we got into the major climb of the day - Scorpion . We had stopped for water before starting the climb and I had stepped into a sticky mess of dates that I didn't see. I couldn't get into my left cleat and desperately clawed at this stuff to clear the cleat. I managed to get into the cleat but it wasn't fully engaged. I was back of the group with our Israeli champion Guy Sagiv, but as we rode up the 19 to 20% grades I started to pass everyone except Rick. I finished 2 minutes faster than 2 years ago.
We had a fast pace through a river bed into the valley with a brutal head wind. I had dropped back to help Rob Kwinter back to the group but we were too far back, Rob was hurting and went in the truck and I carried on to the next water stop. Another climb and ended just past Yeruham in the general direction of Dimona.
