Thursday 15th April 2004 - Dayet Chegaga / Jebel Megag - 76 kilometers
Weather at 8h00 : 25 degrees – Humidity 22%
Weather at 12h30 : 38,2 degrees – Humidity 11%

564 runners at the start of the race yesterday


PROVISIONARY GENERAL RANKING

Provisionary general ranking -men
1>Mohamad Ahansal (Morocco) – D 2 – 13h35m33
2>Lahcen Ahansal (Morocco)– D 1 – 13h37m27
3>Hassan Oulmyr (Morocco)– D 601 – 14h33m41
4> Eric Plantin (France)–D 229 – 15h57m37
5> Marco Olmo (Italy) – D 14 – 16h11m02
6>Benoit Laval (France) – D 132 – 16h40m13
7>Mustafa Ait Amar (Morocco) –D 602 – 17h17m59
8>Albert Vallee (France) – D 211 – 17h18m56
9>Abdessadek Zaid (Morocco) – D 604 – 17h25m33
10>Andre Sicot (France) – D 212 – 18h02m14

Provisionary general ranking - women
1> Simone Kayser (Luxemburg) D 241- 21h07m02
2> Lucile Bellotti (France) – D 60 – 21h39m15
3>Marie Sammons (France) – D 94 – 21h41m50
4> Katell Corne (France) –D 33 – 22h38m12
5>Luisa Balsamo (Italie) – D 293 – 22h56m50

STAGE RANKING

Stage 4 ranking - men
1>Lahcen Ahansal (Morocco)– D 1 – 6h13m56
2>Mohamad Ahansal (Morocco) – D 2 – 6h17m02
3>Hassan Oulmyr (Morocco)– D 601 – 6h34m28
4> Eric Plantin (France)–D 229 – 7h03m33
5> Marco Olmo (Italy) – D 14 – 7h12m29
6>Benoit Laval (France) – D 132 – 7h21m52
6>Mustafa Ait Amar (Morocco) –D 602 – 7h21m52
8>Albert Vallee (France) – D 211 – 7h40m47
9>Abdessadek Zaid (Morocco) – D 604 – 7h58m47
10>Juan Julio Cuellar Ricoy (Spain) – D 605 – 8h13m22

Stage 4 ranking - women
1>Simone Kayser (Luxemburg) D 241- 9h36m57
2>Josee Konrath Martin (Luxemburg) D234 – 10h14m30
3>Lucile Bellotti (France) – D 60 – 10h26m46
4>Marie Sammons (France) – D 94 – 10h28m08
5>Luisa Balsamo (Italy) – D 293 – 10h34m24

Once more the 76 kilometer stage was filled with surprises and moving moments. The first surprise concerning Lahcen Ahansal (D1), who has won the race for the last six years and who managed to beat his brother yesterday, excelling once again in his favorite sport. This man from Zagora has made up some lost time, but still hasn’t toppled his brother from his first place in the general ranking. In the women’s ranking, Simone Kayser has continued to display impressive skills of race management, and has increased her lead over Lucile Bellotti and Marie Sammons. The second surprise concerns the general state of the runners at this stage. Just 9 dropped out during this leg of the race, a far cry from the statistics two years ago, where huge numbers threw in the towel (mainly due to severe sandstorms). A good overall performance due to the relatively moderate temperatures this year. Not too many suffered from dehydration, but the state of their feet leaves a lot to be desired…blisterwise…
There were many touching scenes. They crossed the paths of the inhabitants of the village M’hamid, which was their first contact with the outside world in five days. There was the moment when the first group was overtaken by some of the second group, who set off threee hours later, which provided some interesting interactions. Above all, there was the effect of the Moroccan night. Armed with their torches, a long trail of gleaming fireflies on the skyline making their way in the starry night was an unforgettable image. About 70 runners decided to spend the night in CP 5 and 6, transforming the Berbere tents into hotels for exhausted athletes. The camp-fire lit at CP 6, provided a warm welcome to runners experiencing the chilly night in the Sahara. A real sense of solidarity developped between the runners during this stage. Chance has brought together people who don’t speak the same language, yet who are running side by side, giving each other moral support for hours on end.
When they arrived at the bivouac, the runners were tired because of the 76km covered, but proud of having managed this leg, and happy in the knowledge that the they have done the hardest part!
Tomorrow there is the penultimate stage of 42 kilometers which will take us to Jebel Bou Debgane.