RAID Vélo Mag

This Friday (June 24), the Kunstadt team is heading to Mont-Sainte-Anne to compete in this year's RAID. While I know Neil and Imad have both done the race before, as evidenced by the photos on the site, this will be my first time doing this type of race.

Imad and Neil lead out the massive pack

The RAID is a three day mountain bike stage race that takes place at Ste Anne, with Saturday's stage starting in Quèbec city: right in front of the Chateau Frontenac. We've opted to ride all three stages (you have the option to do any individual/combination of stages):

"The BIG one:

• June 24 : To the Top - Prologue : 24 km
• June 25 : Quèbec - Mont-Sainte-Anne : 77 km
• June 26 : Mont-Sainte-Anne : 55 km "

The Prologue on Friday is a 24km "hillclimb" at Ste Anne, staring at 4:00pm. We must go up the hill a few times to make it 24km... I guess we'll find out. (more to come)

Stage 2 is the long one: the ride from Quèbec city to Ste Anne via a combination of road and trails. Looks like it's pretty steady climbing all the way up to Ste Anne too, this stage will be tough.

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Stage 3 is a 55km loop of trails around Ste Anne... this one should be a beauty.

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I'm looking into getting some mud tires, and will definitely be packing my knickers, cap and rain gear given the weather forecast! Hell, I might even pack my shoe covers.

More to come on Monday, with extravagant and dramatic tales from the race and results.