Leg 5

IDEAL KM 100km

ESTIMATED TIME 9:00

To the north, the Djebel Bani stands out as a unique landmark. A reassuring presence, almost like a silent guide, watching over the Gazelles' progress… at least as long as the wind doesn't interfere. For the wind is a familiar guest in these parts. Often present, sometimes insistent, it can transform everything in an instant. If it rises, landmarks disappear, the terrain vanishes, and navigation becomes a matter of dead reckoning, relying on instinct rather than visual cues.

The first part of the leg take place on hard, fast terrain, allowing for a steady pace. But the terrain quickly changes, giving way to sand. Sand even more treacherous than that of the largest dunes. Soft, dusty, and deceptive, dotted with countless tamarisk trees carpeting the bottom of its hollows. A maze of holes, bumps, ravines, and vegetation that destabilizes every trajectory. Maintaining course becomes a real challenge, demanding precision, patience, and flawless navigation to hope to cross and move away from this wadi that flows towards the sea.

Ultimately, while this leg may not allow for significant gains, it is a leg where everything can be lost.