Martin Muller closed on race leader Christian Maurer on Thursday, in the Red Bull X-Alps challenge from Salzberg to Monaco.
Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it’s the Red Bull X-Alps Challenge.
Martin Muller came from out of nowhere.
Maybe he felt the magnetic pull of his home country drawing him in.
Or perhaps it was the prospect of being the second Swiss athlete to arrive in the paragliding Mecca of Interlaken.
But on Thursday, day five of the X-Alps, Muller stormed ahead, overtaking several teams and moving from ninth to second place.
It was an awesome display from the Swiss clockmaker. He now joins the pack of athletes desperately trying to close down race leader Christian Maurer’s (SUI1) 150km lead.
Muller’s position was far from secure though and the other athletes showed no sign of letting him get ahead.
Antoine Girard (FRA2), Jon Chambers (GBR) and Clement Latour (FRA1) were all flying well and as the day progressed they ended just 15km behind Muller.
This is where the real Red Bull X-Alps battle is taking place and it’s anyone’s guess as to who will emerge victorious.
Two athletes pulled Night Passes, which allows them to hike through the night. They were Pil Pyo Hong (KOR) and Raul Penso (VEN).
