Reality show players battle exhaustion, pain and betrayal on the toughest challenge yet at Mont-Tremblant

Welcome to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec! Tensions are high because one team will be eliminated, while the rest move on to the finale. Who will be cut?

What went down on Episode 6 of Canada's Ultimate Challenge, Season 3

Players arrived at the historic Circuit Mont-Tremblant, the second-oldest racetrack in the country, for what looks like the most gruelling challenge of the series, The Ultimate Pit Crew Push. 

Each team had to steer a rickety four-wheeled cart around a 4.3-kilometre track three times — that's over 12 kilometres! Along the way, they had to load the cart up with tires — 16 in total — weighing over 400 pounds. And the final twist? This track followed the natural topography of the land, which was hilly.

At the start of the race, Team Red was on top with rivals Team Yellow at the bottom. The stacks were high. Said Eddie, "I've never even run 12 kilometres. But we're gonna push as hard as we can go until we get to that finish line."

And they are off, Team Red and Team Yellow neck and neck around the track, with Wildcard and Blue behind.

All teams discovered they needed to stack their tires carefully because if they rolled down the hills too fast, they would pop right off the cart, losing precious time to reload.

Eddie found an ingenious way to stack them by placing the smaller ones inside the larger ones to make a more solid formation, which the other teams instantly copied. But there was a lot of frustration on the track. 

"This challenge sucks," said Aaron who looked like he might not finish. "First lap and I'm exhausted. I'm gonna puke." Steve is feeling it, too: "I need to stop. My leg is starting to cramp. I'm just hobbling."

And Team Blue was way, way behind.

MVP of Episode 6: Tulio (and all of Team Blue) 

"Pain is temporary, G [Gracia]. Let's keep pushing. We'll rest when we're dead," said Tulio as he rallied the team. Things looked grim but they kept with it. "Going up this hill, the pain is unbearable," said Gracia. "What the [bleep] am I doing here?"

In a neck-and-neck race, Team Yellow pulled out the W. "This is absolutely amazing. I am beyond proud of Kelly and I am beyond proud of Steve!" said Eddie. 

Despite the impressive win, it wasn't enough to keep second-place Team Red from winning the region. They'd be safe from elimination and choose whether Yellow or Wildcard would face Team Blue in the elimination round. 

In last place, and after more than three hours on the track, Team Blue finally crossed the finish line. No hard feelings, though; they were all just happy to finish. "This was honestly the hardest thing that I've ever done in my entire life. Tulio, you were just my rock through this whole thing. And so I just kind of want Tulio to be cap[tain] for the remaining of the region," said Gracia. 

Agreed, Tulio is a rock and the whole team were champs for persevering!

Now Team Red faced a tough decision: Who would get a free ticket to the finale, Team Yellow or Team Wildcard? 

Moment that changed the game

Santina and Keenan were ready to throw Team Yellow in retaliation. But Team Blue, struggling to survive in the game, made some interesting revelations. "Aaron is the kind of player that slides his way into the top. He doesn't deserve to go to the finale," said Gracia. "Wildcard, I want to beat them." By this point in the game, there was no love for Aaron, especially from his former Team Blue.

It was Aaron's double-dealing that had sealed his fate, back in Episode 2. When he was Team Blue's captain, he decided to put Team Yellow into the elimination round at BC Place (remember the friendship bracelet incident?) McKiya revealed that Aaron told his team that Red wanted Yellow in the elimination round and that they made threats to come after Team Blue.  This wasn't quite the truth. "I felt cornered," said Aaron in his defence. "Why is this being brought up now, I didn't mean it that way." 

"Yellow, they put you in [last week] because they believe all those lies, so they're also victims of the truest villain, which is Aaron," said Gracia (who by this point, would say anything to give her team a fighting chance).

Aaron was finally revealed. But he was also lucky. 

Best line of the episode

A (strategic) truth: "Last region, Yellow decided to throw us in. We forgive, but we don't forget. It's the way she goes, baby," said Team Red's Mark. 

Team Red decided to throw Team Yellow into the elimination round regardless. 

Aaron and Team Wildcard would make it to the finale. 

Next up, the shores of Lac Tremblant for the High Rollers Elimination Showdown. Both teams would take a spot at opposite ends of a giant log suspended over the water. Whichever player was the last one standing won the round for their team. The first team that won three rounds would make it to the finale in Halifax.

"The thing about this challenge is it's about balance, stamina, focus. All our strengths. We're okay, Blue," said Tulio optimistically. 

But in three nail-biting rounds, Yellow squeaked out the W. Bye-bye, Team Blue! "We gave it everything we had. I wouldn't want to have done it with anybody else. Love you, guys," said Tulio (again, showing great leadership!) McKiya added, "We gave it all we had. I'm so proud of us. There's no other way I'd rather go out than with those two people."

We'll miss you at the finale in Halifax!

Most caption-worthy photo

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