Jay Petervary, a carpenter from Jackson, Wyoming, has one of the sweetest rigs in this year's GDR. His carbon-fiber 29-inch-wheeled Orbea, with a custom gear-carrying system from Carousel Design Works, and all his on-the-bike gear weigh in at a miraculous 35 pounds. The light weight (and Jay's high-revving internal motor — he was practically jumping out of his socks with anticipation when I took these photographs a few minutes before the start) seems to be paying off, with Jay leading the race at an unheard of pace in the first few days. The big question: will he blow up, or can he maintain his record-setting pace?