The back of the field has put in a last big push to get over the line using every minute of the extended riding hours of the last couple of days.  Most have done it and all will have incredible stories to take home to friends and family.  They have suffered and struggled and for far longer than the front of the field.  Some retired but got up the next day and battled on (SN).  Some had terrible falls and rode on, riding hard to get back into the race against all expectation (GR).  Sadly, despite valiant efforts by both DHE and TB, the extreme nature of the race overwhelmed them and while they crossed the line today, the penalties they collected over the 1,000 kilometre course mean that they do not get an official placing.  Not that this should detract from their adventure, of course.

Now the glorious mayhem of the Mongol Derby is over for another year, HQ’s thoughts turn to horse buying (RMHQ) and rafting adventures (KWHQ).  The crew are catching up on sleep and will no doubt return to a flurry of library fines and unpaid bills as they hit cell reception.  The riders wave goodbye to the land of blue skies, wonderful horses and kind hosts but not before an epic finish line party tonight and a spot of shopping in Ulaanbaatar.  We wish them all well.

Some of these riders are no doubt already planning their return, cheated of the win or even a finish by injury, bad luck, weather, distance… you’ve followed the race this far.  You know how hard it is.  Some will leave the steppe taking enough happy memories to last a lifetime and confident that they could not improve on the adventure.  Whatever they think now, some will return.  Some never will.  Epic, extraordinary and ephemeral, that was the Mongol Derby 2018.

HQ over and out.

Finishers’ Leaderboard

15th August 2018

1330 – AC & AN (Australia & UK), joint winners of the Mongol Derby 2018

1535 – DH (USA), third

1556 – EAL (Australia), fourth

1707 – CH/AL (NA/SA), fifth

1957 – HW (Netherlands), seventh

16th August 2018

0745 – VA (Uruguay), eighth

0800 – the Archibells (Australia), MT (Botswana), JP (USA), ninth

1215 – JM (Ireland), fifteenth

–placings all a bit nebulous after this point: time across line unlikely to reflect final standing–

1245 – EK (NZ), CR (USA), KR (USA)

1840 – KO (USA), TTM (NZ)

1842 – WG & KOL, (Australia)

2042 – MG, NMS & JS, (USA)

17th August 2018

1129 – CF, MGR (USA)

1159 – MM (Portugal), SN (Pakistan)

1232 – PK (USA)

1230 – JL (USA), GR (UK), CON (Ireland)

DNF: DHE, TB

Retired: CB, CS, FA, KG, MB, MS, RB, RH, SA