Dakar 3rd Stage Report

The third stage was a technical oneabout ten trucks fighting it out for top positions.  The winner was a surprise one.  Loprais managed well and climbed to 5 th overall.

In San Rafael the heat was unbearable, the temperature in the bivouac  exceeded up to 45 degrees Celsius.  Under these conditions many engines suffered from overheating.  The stage was slower than the previous one – Alex’s average speed reached  70 km / h.   

Ales took off the stage as fifth, and held this position despite dropping back to 8th at CP1. maintained.  The whole stage he professionally watched the opposition and finished fifth. His aim is to race steadily, to avoid mistakes and risks and to stay in close contact with the forerunners.

Gerard de Rooy, who was in the lead of most of the stage, lost some time in the end, his teammate Miki Biasion, twice rally world champion taking the laurels.  Nikolaev, Ajrat Mardějev and Van Vliet all got lost, the honor of Kamaz rescued by Andrei Karginov and the non-works Astana Kamaz, driven by Arthur Ardavičusem.  He is also the most striking new leader.  For the last two, the third stage was a breaakthrough, but competition stays close. The first ten saw two new faces peeked into her Joseph Adua with another company, Iveco, in sixth place and Martin Kolomý with Tatra to eighth place. Regrettably, Andre de Azevedo (Tatra) went slowly, after some technical problems, and hopes dashed GINAF’s Wuf van Ginkel also.

OVERALL: