In the category of trucks (T4), Arthur Ardavichus, the bronze medalist of Dakar 2012, competes in the 2015 Dakar with navigator Alexei Nikizhev and mechanic Daniel Kozlowsky, riding a Tatra under the number 515.
Artur Ardavichus spoke of the second stage: “We were going through serpentine rock, with frequent turns, and at some point the steering wheel got jammed. It turned to the left but not to the right, so the truck missed the correct trajectory. The road was straight ahead but the truck continued going to the left. There was a hill to the left of the roAd and we crushed into the hillocks and fell on a side.”
A truck passing by helped their Tatra us back up. No one was hurt in the incident. The hydraulic booster had to be repaired right in the field, so that the crew could finish the stage.
Scrutineers, or tech inspection, said they would check on the condition of the vehicle at 6 a.m. the next day to make sure it complies with the safety standards – the door had to open and close so as the windows. Unless the repairs are complete in time, Dakar would be over for the truck from Kazakhstan. Luckily, the safety cage of the truck was almost undamaged, so the repairs were made and the crew continued the Dakar.
After losing time, Ardavichus fell back to the 27th place.