Finally some good news and great joy after the previous two intensive days. The fourth stage brought the crew of 301, second place, conjured stíbrně good mood in the team and also brought satisfaction for the work of all those who, day and night, work hard to debug a new car. Overall, Ales, radio and Serge ten. 306 crew of Jan Tomanek, Thomas Jasper and Michael Honda ended on stage 13-th place overall is twelve. Originally Although the trio would not be presented or publicized, but after numerous questions that fans are finally agrees to the disclosure by publishing their location in our news service.

Ales happily reports: “Today we had the first clean stage. The track was very broken. We drove through the barren landscape. In addition to the salt lakes and herds of wild cattle, it was just a road full of holes and bumps across the desert. The terrain is extremely challenging especially on the spine and head tremors are also unbearable. For tomorrow we’ll try a different suspension settings. Step by step we change the properties of the new car and tune it to the profile of the local SS. Today we are at the stage occupied by a nice silver position, although we started to 39-TI and so we had to overtake d

SS 4 « On the Silk Route»

There will be a change of direction on stage four. The rally will head west from the shores of the Caspian Sea, the cradle of the Russian, Kazak, Turkmenistan, Iranian and Azerbaijan civilizations towards the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia.

The start of the special stage will be situated in the heart of the Sands of Astrakhan which will feature a lot of off-road kilometres, few reference points and imposing heat on the first 150 km. Then the rally leaves the Astrakhan and heads to the infinite space of another desert, the Kalmykia.

As they pass by the nature reserves, the teams could come across wildlife such as Eurasian antelopes, deer and herds of horses. The track will become fast with numerous direction changes.

Steppes, valleys and hills on the rolling tracks and soon the competitors will head towards a breath taking décor along the shores of a magnificent lake.

Then the rally will head towards Elista (which merits the time to visit), on straight and fast tracks.

Partial Classification of Leg 4 (Astrakhan to Elista)

Classement Partiel de l’étape 4 (Astrakhan à Elista)

(Leg length / Longueur étape 506,47 Km)

Grp/ Cla/ Pénalités Temps total Ecart

Pos N° 10 6 G Pilotes/Drivers Camion/Truck Pos Pos Penalties Total time Diff. leader

1 309 T4/1 2/1 SHIBALOV Anton (RUS) / AMATYCH Robert (RUS) / KHISAMIEV Almaz (… Kamaz 4326 3h41m51s

2 301 T4/2 2/2 LOPRAIS Ales (CZE) / BRUYNKENS Serge (BEL) / PUSTEJOVSKY Radim… Tatra 815/2 3h45m48s + 3m57s

3 303 T4/3 2/3 NIKOLAEV Eduard (RUS) / YAKOVLEV Evgeny (RUS) / RYBAKOV Vladimi… Kamaz 4326 3h53m27s + 11m36s

4 300 T4/4 2/4 MARDEEV Ayrat (RUS) / BELYAEV Aydar (RUS) / MIRNYY Anton (RUS) Kamaz 4326 3h54m04s + 12m13s

5 312 T4/5 2/5 SOTNIKOV Dmitry (RUS) / MIZYUKAEV Viatcheslav (RUS) / AFERIN Andre… Kamaz 4326 4h00m08s + 18m17s

6 315 T4/6 2/6 VASILEVSKI Aleksandr (BLR) / ZAPAROSHCHANKA Anton (BLR) / KAZL… MAZ 5309RR 4h05m57s + 24m06s

7 320 T4/7 2/7 VIAZOVICH Siarhey (BLR) / PALISHCUK Aleksandr (BLR) / VIKHRENKA D… MAZ 5309RR 4h16m36s + 34m45s

8 310 T4/8 2/8 VALTR Jaroslav (CZE) / KALINA Josef (CZE) / FIRST Jakub (CZE) Liaz 111.154 4h22m42s + 40m51s

9 314 T4/9 2/9 KUPRIYANOV Sergey (RUS) / KUPRIYANOV Alexandr (RUS) / TANIN Anat… Kamaz 4911 4h27m45s + 45m54s

10 313 T4/10 2/10 VILDMAN Vlastimil (CZE) / MACIK Martin Jr (CZE) / MRKVA Michal (CZE) Liaz 111.154 4h29m44s + 47m53s

11 322 T4/11 1/1 SZUSTKOWSKI Robert Jan (POL) / KAZBERUK Jaroslaw (POL) / SKROB… Tatra 4h34m26s + 52m35s

12 307 T4/12 2/11 VAN DEN BRINK Maarten (NLD) / VEENVLIET Arjan (NLD) / DE BAAR Pasc… Ginaf X2222 4h36m20s + 54m29s

13 306 T4/13 2/12 TOMANEK Jan (CZE) / HONDA (CZE) / KASPAREK Tomas (CZE) Tatra 315/2 4h44m17s + 1h02m26s

14 311 T4/14 1/2 ARDAVICHUS Artur (KAZ) / STANEK Adam (KAZ) / NIKIZHEV Alexey (KAZ) Tatra T815 4h48m09s + 1h06m18s

15 323 T4/15 1/3 VAN LANKVELD Frans (NLD) / VAN LANKVELD Martjin (NLD) / VAN DEN… DAF CF 4h59m08s + 1h17m17s

16 318 T4/16 1/4 KOOLEN Kees (NLD) / KOETSIER Simon (NLD) / VAN UDEN Gijs (NLD) Ginaf X2223 5h20m32s + 1h38m41s

17 316 T4/17 1/5 1 PIANA Marco (UKR) / GARNIER Nicolas (FRA) Mercedes Unimog 5h26m05s + 1h44m14s

18 317 T4/18 2/13 KOVAKS Miklos (HUN) / ACS Laszlo (HUN) / CZEGLEDI Peter (HUN) Scania Qualisport V8 5h30m31s + 1h48m40s

19 325 T4/19 1/6 HOONDERT Adwin (NLD) / VAN STEE Peter (NLD) / OPT HOF Jacco (NLD) DAF CF 5h50m11s + 2h08m20s

20 319 T4/20 1/7 MEKHTIEV Iakov (RUS) / SHEPILO Andrey (RUS) / GORSHKOV Gennadiy… Man TGS 6h08m10s + 2h26m19s

21 326 T4/21 1/8 2 SHKLYAEV Mikhail (RUS) / DOLGOV Stanislav (RUS) Gaz 33088 6h09m16s + 2h27m25s

22 321 T4/22 1/9 3 KISELEV Sergei (RUS) / IVANOV Alexey (RUS) Man 18.285 7h01m16s + 3h19m25s

VIDEO STAGE 2:https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KVM3llwtXW0

The third stage – the purgatory

Today’s third stage run from Volgograd to Astrakhan and let competitors to the coast of the Caspian Sea.

“Today started great. We flew from the start and overtook several cars and trucks. I had a great feeling of the Queen. Unfortunately the intercooler pipe burst, we repaired it in the terrible heat for 45 minutes. Then we have tried to delete the maximum of the losses, however the cab mountings snapped, which is the unrepairable issue during the stage. The solution was the only one – to slow down the speed level. We drove 300 km forever. In some places was the average speed of 35 km/h, which was gruelling. The track was extremely rough and I thought that this is like the purgatory. However, we have to rise above the present technical problems and treat it as a test of the new evolution of the Tatra to the Dakar. After all that is what we came for. Get the car to the limit and test it before the next Dakar, which is our main goal. We were able to win the Silk Way Rally, but the new Dakar in the South America we weren’t yet. But we go on!” says Aleš Loprais and sends greetings to all. Crew 301 ended today’s stage on the 15th place, they are on the tenth place overall. The Princess and the crew 306 was in today’s stage on the ninth place, overall they are 13th.

Today it lived by the Silk Way Rally in the centre of Ostrava. Mr Karel Loprais was guest in the programme Dobré Ráno on the Czech Television. You can see his opinions, life experiences of the world racing and travelling, as well as confession to his loving Tatra Puma here:
http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/10435049455-dobre-rano/

July 9, stage 3, Volgograd-Astrakhan

SS 3 « Heading: Caspian Sea! »

Day four is what rally-raid competition is all about. After an 80 km liaison, the start of the nearly 500 km special stage will be given at the highest point of the Khazar steppe.

The opening third of the special stage will be fast on rolling tracks that are not always visible and navigation will be relatively easy. The landscape will still be desert-like in this region known for its nomadic population. The massive plateau will offer a stunning 360° panoramic view.

Then, after 230 km the competitors will then once again head towards sandy  zones. The organisers have traced out 200 km of stage on sandy tracks, with a lot of off-road sections. The co-drivers will have to pay very close attention! The competitors will have to cross the “Berguin” erg and the just as difficult and legendary “Scorpion” erg where it is not unusual for temperatures to reach 40° Celsius.

Gradually, the sand will give way to the steppes. Speeds will steadily increase in the final kilometres of the special stage and the competitors of the 2013 Silk Way will head along the banks of the Volga and shores of the Caspian Sea.

Due to fuel injection problems (causing a 40 min delay) and a broken navigarion system later on, Loprais finished 8th today and is now 6th overall

RESULTS STAGE 2 TOP FIVE:TRUCKS 1 Karginov (n°305 Kamaz) 2 Mardeev (n°300 Kamaz) +13’46” 3 Shibalov (n°309 Kamaz) +22’17” 4 Viazovich (n°320 Maz) +37’42” 5 Vildman (n°313 Liaz) +51’23”

All results.  http://www.silkwayrally.com/upload/2013/ETC02.pdf

8.7.2013

NEWSLETTER INSTAFOREX LOPRAIS TEAM
On stage in the first stage

The first stage of a total length of 744 km from Tambov to Volgograd containing two speed trials is successfully behind us.

Aleš Loprais shared emotions of the way and achieved the third place in the stage:

“We experienced an initial baptism of fire with the Queen. The girl still has a lot of childhood diseases. We have finished the trucks literally a minute before the technical acceptances, so we had to count with all of this. Wipers did not work for a while which is an unpleasant thing if you have to go with it over 400 km. Although it was not raining we got through few muddy places that we had to pass through. I sent everything to the navigator to have clean at least my part of windscreen, which is the only solution in terms of safety. We had also a little problem with fuel supply. The car horn and acoustic overtaking device also stuck. The overtaking acoustic device Sentinnel also incredibly roared into the headphones till the finish. But we had to resist. The headache lasted for over 60 km and then the locomotive horn failed. However, we gradually interact with a successor to the Princess and the podium finish surprised the whole team and me pleasantly. We continue in testing the Queen and gradually tune the dampers and the other setups. And we keep going on!”
The crew 306 ended in the first stage on the 14th position.

You can watch both of our crews here:
http://silkwayrally.ru/en/competitors/301/
http://silkwayrally.ru/en/competitors/306/

The map of route is here:
http://vulcain.iritrack.net/tdcom/eviewer/swr2013/

The results are on our web:
http://www.loprais.cz/dakar/cz/vysledky

Or you can find them on the official page of the Silk Way Rally:
http://silkwayrally.ru/en/livetiming2/1/

Tomorrow’s second stage will lead in the footsteps of history around Volgograd. The speed trial 2A will be from 40% consist of sinuous tracks on hard ground, from 50% of sandy tracks and from 10% of dunes. Two new timed sectors in a region the rally will pass through for the first time. This stage has historical significance, as this year is the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad. A particularly important event that will honor the 100s of thousands of soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in saving the world from fascism.
The speed trial will feature everything the Silk Way is known for: fast rolling tracks, alternating with tighter sections that on occasion will be rocky. The drivers will have to give this stage their undivided attention. Then the dunes and off-road section where navigation will make the difference.
Then comes a neutralization zone on the motorway that will take the competitors to the start of the 2nd speed trial.

The speed trial 2B (“The joy of driving”) will consist from 35% of sinuous tracks on hard ground and from 65% of fast tracks. The competitors will then have 120 more km of the speed trial on varied and unpredictable terrain, where the drivers and co-drivers will share the same pleasure.
A short 18 km liaison section will lead the field back to Volgograd.

Hopefully the windscreen washers and wipers will work tomorrow and the Queen will quickly grow up…
We wish you successful upcoming working or rather vacation week.

PROVISIONAL RESULTS : TOP TEN TRUCK CATEGORY 1 Shibalov/Amatych /Khisamiev 4h29′58″ (Kamaz) 2 Mardeev/Belyaev/Anton (Kamaz) +2′05″ 3 Loprais/Bruynkens/Pustejovsky (Tatra)+8′06″ 4 Nikolaev/Yakovlev/Rybakov(Kamaz)+10′22″ 5 Valtr/Kalina/FIrst (Liaz)+14′38″ 6 Viazovich/Palishcuk/Vikhrenk+(MAZ)+22′50″ 7 Vialdman/Macik/Mrkva (Liaz)+29′14″ 8 Ardavichus/Stanek/Nikizhev (Tatra)+33′11″ 9 Karginov/Mokeev/Devyatkin (Kamaz+40′43″ 10 Kupriyanov/Kupriyanov/Tanin (Kamaz)+42′55″

Having had their official start yesterday in Moscow, the Silk Way Rallyt really started today with the 1st stage. The first four competitors in the truck category now have finished stage 1 with the Kamaz of Shibalov (n°309) 2′05 ahead of team mate Mardeev (n°300). Ales Loprais (n°301)has 3rd best time in his Tatra so far at 8’08s. Nikolaev (n°303) in a third Kamaz 4326 is 4th overall at 10’22s to Shibalov.

July 7, Stage 1, Tambov-Volgograd

SS – 1А « TheRussianSavannah »

After a liaison sector of more than 200kms the competitors will arrive at the start line for the opening special stage of the rally. Now the real business at hand will begin! In fact, at this early point in the event, the competitors will have already completed nearly all the road sectors of the rally.

The day’s stage will be split into two timed sectors, separated by a neutralisation.

The first sector at roughly 200km will allow the competitors to discover the splendid countryside of central Russia, on compact and clearly visible tracks, ideally suited for driving fast.

At the start of the stage, run around lakes and rivers, the tracks are rolling and twisty in places. Then, after the fast tracks in the fields, the competitors will discover a landscape similar to an African savannah, where navigation will be more difficult and average speeds will be slower.

In March 2012, Gen VK Singh had said that Lt Gen Tejinder Singh had offered him Rs 14 crore to clear a tranche of 600 Tatra trucks for the army. He also alleged that the offer, made in September 2010, was on behalf of Ravi Rishi, owner of Vectra group.

More:  http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1855932/report-tatra-bribery-case-being-closed-under-pressure-gen-vk-singh

The Tatra Register Switzerland held its annual meeting this weekend.  Enjoy the pix:  http://tatra.ch/2013_treffen/2013_trs_ausfahrt.pdf