With more than a two hour lead over the competitor currently in second place, it looks likely that Mohammed Ahancel will take victory at this years Marathon des Sables.

Heavy rain at the beginning of the week has resulted in a modified course, so with the first and the final stages cancelled, runners will have completed a distance of just over 200km.

The logistics of organising an event in a remote location are huge. To then have the re-route the course at the last minute and find accomodation for over 800 competitors is an extra nightmare that Dabaroud did not need, and no doubt they were faced with many disgruntled competitors. But they should be commended for the efforts, as for sure those 800 runners willl once again leave the desert with memories of one of the toughest challenges of their lives.