Friday 16th April 2004 - Jebel Megag / Jebel Bou Debgane - 42 kilometers
Weather at 8h00 : 25 degrees, humidity 33%
Weather at 12h30 : 43 degrees, humidity 13%

This stage starting time : 9h07 (GMT)
554 runners at the starting line

Stage 5 – men’s ranking
1>Lahcen Ahansal (Morocco)– D 1 – 2h52m18
2>Hassan Oulmyr (Morocco)– D 601 – 3h00m17
3>Mustafa Ait Amar (Morocco) –D 602 – 3h03m59
4> Abdessadek Zaid (Morocco) – D 604 – 3h12m46
5> Mohamad Ahansal (Morocco) – D 2 – 3h14m39
6> Andre Sicot (France) – D212- 3h16m46
7> Abdessadek El badaoui (France ) - D35 – 3h20m52
8> Marco Gozzano (Italy) – D15 – 3h22m04
9> Albert Vallee (France) – D 211 – 3h22m46
10> Eric Plantin (France)–D 229 – 3h24m28

Stage 5 – women’s ranking
1>Lucile Bellotti (France) – D 60 – 4h 06m39
2>Simone Kayser (Luxemburg) D 241- 4h17m59
3>Marie Sammons (France) – D 94 – 4h36m06
4>Katell Corne (France) – D33 – 4h36m06

The group of runners who set off this morning on the penultimate leg of the MDS were revitalised after a day of rest (or half a day for the slower ones). For general information, between them they have consumed 80 liters of infusion fluid, 4300 painkillers and …2,2 kilometers of plasters, - about 4 meters per runner!
This stage presented no particular difficulties in terms of orienteering : there were three straight stretches running parallel with the rocky ocre crests of the Jebel Boudebgane. This spaghetti western scenery provided the backdrop for the Ahansal brothers’ duel. After running side by side for the first 30 kilometers, Lahcen suddenly increased his speed and virtually caused his brother to collapse. “ He suddenly accelerated…We were running at a really good pace together…I got annoyed and my energy suddenly dropped.” explained Mohamad at the finishing line, which he passed in fifth place, and in pain. He suffered during the last few kilometers, and the fatigue he experienced cost him his first place in the general ranking. Lahcen announced : “ I wanted my first place back, and of course, he didn’t want to give it up…so I just increased my pace.” However, for the first time in this 19th Marathon des sables, the Ahansal family are not in first and second place. A reminder, then that we are dealing with human beings, and not infernal running machines. One man’s loss is another man’s gain, and today it is Hassan Oulmyr who finishes in second place, in excellent form, charming the group at the finishing line with his smile.
In fifth place, Marco Gozzano waxes philosophical : “ I’ve understood one thing : I’m not made for this race. I like speed, whereas this race is about stamina. God didn’t create me to run here. I have to respect that.”
The women’s race was breathtaking from start to finish. Lucile Bellotti led from start to finish, and increased her lead as the race went on, whereas Simone Kayser, who is first in the general ranking, came in second, several minutes later, and Marie Sammons, along with Katell Corne, finished third and fourth, a good half an hour after Bellotti. And the race is not over yet!