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Private Notes
The old vehicles, which have been shipped half way around the world, are lined up at the European quarter of old Peking where the Great Race started 100 years ago. Five cars identical to the originals, ready to re-create motoring history. There's limited back up, hardly any spares and 14,000 kilometres to drive.
With 250 kilometres of desert still to cross, the expedition stumbles on an abandoned Soviet military town called Choya. Ten thousand Russians used to live there up until 15 years ago. The old Soviet airstrip is the perfect place for a little grudge match between the Itala and Spyker, and Dutch horsepower triumphs over 'spaghetti power'. Then it's off to Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia's capital city.
The yellow De Dion has a hole in the gearbox, the Contal has a broken spring and the Itala has a broken tail shaft. The crews are just managing to limp into Irkutsk and straight into the arms of Russian Hell's Angels. And what a lucky break it turns out to be even though it means extra time in Irkutsk, time to let loose and mix it on the dance floor with some locals.
It's Day 31, the expedition is halfway through Russia, and with the traffic getting worse the further west they go, the crews opt for a back road. But Russian back roads are always a struggle, and the million dollar Spyker ends up in a ditch. There's rain. Lots of it and it's very cold. Stijnus's support crew, Rob Spyker is worried about hypothermia, but they can't stop.
