<p>Lea Davison made it two consecutive stage victories when she won 45km point-to-point stage 2 at the Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge (LIMBC) on Wednesday. The Specialized Racing team rider extended her overall lead in the race with an aggressive attack en route to a solo victory.</p><p>
</p><p>
Racers tackled a 42km course crossing the island from east to west. There were 1400 meters of climbing and conditions again provided challenges.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It's so muddy and hot out here," said Davison, who raced her Specialized S-Works Fate with a Specialized Ground Control tire up front and a Fast Trak on the rear. "I was feeling good at the beginning of the race and wanted to ride my own pace, so I pushed it up the big climb less than 10km into the race and no one followed. I kept a consistent pace, and then we hit the huge climb and hike-a-bike section. For 5-10km, I was walking and riding. I was all alone in the jungle and just tried to focus on keeping moving forward."</p><p>
</p><p>
Keeping her concentration wasn't easy and her solo race through the jungle was unnerving at times.</p><p>
</p><p>
"There was the loudest clap of thunder I've ever heard, and I seriously thought it was a bomb. This made me up the pace determined to find some company in the jungle. After half an hour, I realized it was thunder. I saw a snake. There was a leech on my neck. The entire trail was muddy, technical singletrack. It was a very challenging day for everyone."</p><p>
</p><p>
Davison now leads the women's race with a margin of 6:41. Three more stages remain. "This race isn't over until I hit that last finish line. Onto tomorrow!" said Davison.</p><p>
</p><p>
In the men's race, Max Knox led the Specialized Racing team with a fourth place finish in stage 2. Todd Wells was sixth while Burry Stander finished 11th on the day. </p><p>
</p><p>
"There were two big hills with lots of portaging," said Knox, who raced his Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper 29er hardtail with Specialized Fast Trak Control 2.0 tires on the front and rear. "Nine of us got to the bottom of the last hill together. The pace up the hill was fast, and at the top, there were Fabian Giger and Karl Platt in front of me."</p><p>
</p><p>
Then, Knox encountered some problems. "On the downhill to the finish, I lost about 10 seconds to the two leaders. Unfortunately for me, I took a wrong turn between one and two kilometers from the finish line, and I lost my podium position to Emil Lindgren. I finished the stage in fourth position."</p><p>
</p><p>
Wells spent some of the day in a chase group with Knox, Florian Vogel and a German rider. That group caught the leaders at the bottom of the big climb with the hike-a-bike, but the group immediately splintered again. </p><p>
</p><p>
"We were on and off our bikes on that big climb for about 30 minutes," said Wells, who was in fourth place at the top of the climb after Giger, Platt and Knox.</p><p>
</p><p>
Lindgren caught and passed Wells on the descent while the American was having some issues with his chain. "Then the sky opened up and it poured for about 40 minutes. The downhills were like rivers and it was hard to see anything. Inside of 1km to go, I got caught and passed by Kristian Hynek. I was running on 'E' since I misjudged the distance from the feedzone to finish and started to feel the knock. Live and learn."</p><p>
</p><p>
Wells noted how tough the local conditions have been each day so far. "It was another hard day on equipment. I had brand new metal brake pads for the start today and they were completely gone after just two hours and something of racing. The mixture of sand and mud wreak havoc on the equipment. That said, my Specialized Epic worked flawlessly again today, and I couldn't think of a better bike for this race." To help with traction in the muddy conditions, Wells raced a Specialized S-Works Fast Trak tire on the front and a Fast Trak Control tire on the rear.</p><p>
</p><p>
For the rest of the race, the riders will be on the west side of the island. "I'm not going to miss the 45-minute bus ride each day to the start and back from the finish, that's for sure," said Wells.</p><p>
</p><p>
On Thursday, racers will compete in stage 3. "Tomorrow is the marathon and I'm looking forward to this," said Knox, who is in fifth in the general classification and a strong marathon racer. Wells and Stander are in sixth and ninth, respectively, in the GC.</p>
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</p><p>
Racers tackled a 42km course crossing the island from east to west. There were 1400 meters of climbing and conditions again provided challenges.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It's so muddy and hot out here," said Davison, who raced her Specialized S-Works Fate with a Specialized Ground Control tire up front and a Fast Trak on the rear. "I was feeling good at the beginning of the race and wanted to ride my own pace, so I pushed it up the big climb less than 10km into the race and no one followed. I kept a consistent pace, and then we hit the huge climb and hike-a-bike section. For 5-10km, I was walking and riding. I was all alone in the jungle and just tried to focus on keeping moving forward."</p><p>
</p><p>
Keeping her concentration wasn't easy and her solo race through the jungle was unnerving at times.</p><p>
</p><p>
"There was the loudest clap of thunder I've ever heard, and I seriously thought it was a bomb. This made me up the pace determined to find some company in the jungle. After half an hour, I realized it was thunder. I saw a snake. There was a leech on my neck. The entire trail was muddy, technical singletrack. It was a very challenging day for everyone."</p><p>
</p><p>
Davison now leads the women's race with a margin of 6:41. Three more stages remain. "This race isn't over until I hit that last finish line. Onto tomorrow!" said Davison.</p><p>
</p><p>
In the men's race, Max Knox led the Specialized Racing team with a fourth place finish in stage 2. Todd Wells was sixth while Burry Stander finished 11th on the day. </p><p>
</p><p>
"There were two big hills with lots of portaging," said Knox, who raced his Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper 29er hardtail with Specialized Fast Trak Control 2.0 tires on the front and rear. "Nine of us got to the bottom of the last hill together. The pace up the hill was fast, and at the top, there were Fabian Giger and Karl Platt in front of me."</p><p>
</p><p>
Then, Knox encountered some problems. "On the downhill to the finish, I lost about 10 seconds to the two leaders. Unfortunately for me, I took a wrong turn between one and two kilometers from the finish line, and I lost my podium position to Emil Lindgren. I finished the stage in fourth position."</p><p>
</p><p>
Wells spent some of the day in a chase group with Knox, Florian Vogel and a German rider. That group caught the leaders at the bottom of the big climb with the hike-a-bike, but the group immediately splintered again. </p><p>
</p><p>
"We were on and off our bikes on that big climb for about 30 minutes," said Wells, who was in fourth place at the top of the climb after Giger, Platt and Knox.</p><p>
</p><p>
Lindgren caught and passed Wells on the descent while the American was having some issues with his chain. "Then the sky opened up and it poured for about 40 minutes. The downhills were like rivers and it was hard to see anything. Inside of 1km to go, I got caught and passed by Kristian Hynek. I was running on 'E' since I misjudged the distance from the feedzone to finish and started to feel the knock. Live and learn."</p><p>
</p><p>
Wells noted how tough the local conditions have been each day so far. "It was another hard day on equipment. I had brand new metal brake pads for the start today and they were completely gone after just two hours and something of racing. The mixture of sand and mud wreak havoc on the equipment. That said, my Specialized Epic worked flawlessly again today, and I couldn't think of a better bike for this race." To help with traction in the muddy conditions, Wells raced a Specialized S-Works Fast Trak tire on the front and a Fast Trak Control tire on the rear.</p><p>
</p><p>
For the rest of the race, the riders will be on the west side of the island. "I'm not going to miss the 45-minute bus ride each day to the start and back from the finish, that's for sure," said Wells.</p><p>
</p><p>
On Thursday, racers will compete in stage 3. "Tomorrow is the marathon and I'm looking forward to this," said Knox, who is in fifth in the general classification and a strong marathon racer. Wells and Stander are in sixth and ninth, respectively, in the GC.</p>
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