Lance Mackey takes lead back onto the trail in final stretch of Iditarod

Mackey begins final Iditarod leg with lead

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — “See you in Nome.” With those words and two-hour lead, musher Lance Mackey hit the trail for the final leg of the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race.

Mackey left the White Mountain checkpoint at 4:43 a.m. following a mandatory eight-hour layover. He had a one hour, 57-minute lead on his closest competitor, Hans Gatt of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.

The front-runners were expected to reach the Nome finish line 77 miles from White Mountain on Tuesday afternoon.

Four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King of Denali Park remains in third place.