Photos: Relief, drama continue on Front Street in Nome as mushers finish the race

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Paige Drobny and her team run in front of Scott Smith in the last few miles of the Iditarod on Thursday, March 19, 2015. Smith passed Drobny in the final mile to take 26th place.

NOME -- Like a man saved from drowning, Paul Gebhardt gasped for breath as he hunched over the handlebar of his sled early Thursday in Nome. The 58-year-old musher nearly collapsed, hanging onto his racing sled for balance as Iditarod race marshal Mark Nordman discreetly sidled up, concern showing clearly on his face through its bushy cloak of gray.

"You winded?" Nordman whispered to Gebhardt, who moments earlier had crossed beneath the burled arch finish line for the 19th time in 20 Iditarod starts dating back to 1996.

Read more: After scary winds and brilliant northern lights, 2 mushers stage thrilling sprint finish

Paige Drobny was certain she had 26th place wrapped up in the 2015 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Her dogs had other ideas.

Drobny was leading her friendly competitor Scott Smith into Nome on Thursday after running with the Willow musher since Shaktoolik, after Drobny was slowed by a wrong turn in bad weather at Unalakleet and was delayed by six hours while Iditarod crews set additional markers along the windswept trail.

Read more: Doggie detour on Front Street costs musher Drobny 26th place