After two race days with completely separate routes, everyone will gather together to tackle the longest stage of the rally. They will need to be extremely resistant to overcome these two sections of the special stage which will primarily feature sand. All day long the competitors will make headway on off-piste sections: those who have poorly assessed the limits of their engine will constantly be on the verge of overheating and all the more so, as the region’s temperatures are generally very high. At the bivouac in Tucuman, the candidates for the podium will have been whittled down to a select few, as many of them will no longer be a part of this elite group. For many others, their timing and mechanical mishaps will only become apparent in the middle of the night.
At this very moment only the top 10 finishers are known, with Loprais the top Tatra. However, it was Artur Ardavičus who was spotted at a fantastic fourth place during the rally. Stay tuned!
After two race days with completely separate routes, everyone will gather together to tackle the longest stage of the rally. They will need to be extremely resistant to overcome these two sections of the special stage which will primarily feature sand. All day long the competitors will make headway on off-piste sections: those who have poorly assessed the limits of their engine will constantly be on the verge of overheating and all the more so, as the region’s temperatures are generally very high. At the bivouac in Tucuman, the candidates for the podium will have been whittled down to a select few, as many of them will no longer be a part of this elite group. For many others, their timing and mechanical mishaps will only become apparent in the middle of the night.
It was Artur Ardavičus who was realized a fantastic fourth place during the rally and eventually managed to finished fourth. He was followed by Loprais at 9th spot, Vratny at 11th spot, Tomanek at 15th spot and Blom at 16th spot.
| Pos. |
N° |
Name |
Mark |
Time |
variation |
Penalty |
|
|
549 |
|
KAMAZ
|
04:47:46 |
- |
- |
|
|
506 |
|
KAMAZ
|
04:50:42 |
00:02:56 |
- |
|
|
501 |
|
IVECO
|
04:59:53 |
00:12:07 |
- |
|
|
542 |
|
TATRA
|
05:08:49 |
00:21:03 |
- |
|
|
500 |
|
KAMAZ
|
05:12:31 |
00:24:45 |
- |
|
|
510 |
|
MAN
|
05:16:36 |
00:28:50 |
- |
|
|
516 |
|
IVECO
|
05:16:38 |
00:28:52 |
- |
|
|
507 |
|
IVECO
|
05:21:14 |
00:33:28 |
- |
|
|
504 |
|
TATRA
|
05:29:50 |
00:42:04 |
- |
|
|
545 |
|
KAMAZ
|
05:31:10 |
00:43:24 |
- |
|
|
515 |
|
TATRA
|
05:37:24 |
00:49:38 |
- |
|
|
518 |
|
HINO
|
05:47:35 |
00:59:49 |
- |
|
|
505 |
|
MAN
|
05:52:16 |
01:04:30 |
00:15:00 |
|
|
534 |
|
MAN
|
05:53:41 |
01:05:55 |
- |
|
|
519 |
|
TATRA
|
05:55:20 |
01:07:34 |
- |
|
|
539 |
|
TATRA
|
06:02:18 |
01:14:32 |
- |
|
|
514 |
|
GINAF
|
06:02:44 |
01:14:58 |
- |
|
|
520 |
|
IVECO
|
06:03:50 |
01:16:04 |
- |
|
|
522 |
|
DAF
|
06:04:42 |
01:16:56 |
- |
|
|
512 |
|
DAF
|
06:08:45 |
01:20:59 |
- |
|
|
525 |
|
LIAZ
|
06:19:14 |
01:31:28 |
- |
|
|
511 |
|
GINAF
|
06:19:44 |
01:31:58 |
- |
|
|
563 |
|
DAF
|
06:20:51 |
01:33:05 |
- |
|
|
508 |
|
MAN
|
06:24:09 |
01:36:23 |
- |
|
|
540 |
|
DAF
|
06:32:24 |
01:44:38 |
- |
|
|
548 |
|
GINAF
|
06:46:17 |
01:58:31 |
- |
|
|
509 |
|
GINAF
|
06:47:55 |
02:00:09 |
- |
|
|
547 |
|
DAF
|
06:47:55 |
02:00:09 |
- |
|
|
557 |
|
GINAF
|
07:04:19 |
02:16:33 |
- |
|
|
527 |
|
MAN
|
07:16:39 |
02:28:53 |
- |
|
|
553 |
|
MAN
|
07:20:39 |
02:32:53 |
- |
|
|
543 |
|
MAN
|
07:26:35 |
02:38:49 |
- |
|
|
538 |
|
MERCEDES
|
07:27:51 |
02:40:05 |
- |
|
|
532 |
|
HINO
|
07:33:13 |
02:45:27 |
- |
I’m happy with losing just twelve minutes
In the first dunes we got stuck and we broke one of the drive shafts, so we had all the race with three wheels, running on 4 by 3. We got out of the dunes in one piece. It was really bad. We did it with practically no air in the tyre, just to come onto the top. We had to drive five or six times back up in front. Really hard. The temperature was too high, at 110°F because the radiator was completely full with twigs and whatever. It was a really, really tough day. I think not even fifty per cent will make it today because it was really, really hard, even for us. Twelve minutes – it’s really incredible that we only did lose twelve minutes. We made the same mistake as the two Kamaz, they forgot the way point and we did the same so there’s no difference. We didn’t lose much time, we didn’t stop or have any punctures. On the link stage we had a puncture but we could change without losing time. When we had the problem I thought we were going to lose more than an hour, so I’m happy with losing just twelve minutes.
After Stage 4, we find the best Tatra., Loprais, in seventh spot overall, 1 hr 09 min behind overall leader De Rooij. Kolomy closeLY FOLLOWS LOPRAIS, just 2 minutes behind. On 22nd Place, at 5 hrs 38 min. tomas vratny of the dakar bonver project is having a realatively well dakar. just two places lower, we find at 6 hrs and 14 sec tomanek. The dutch phoenix is placed 36th, 12 hrs 37 second behind the overall leader. the two-men tatra crew of kasak is a massive 100 hrs behind. Arthus Ardavichus did not show up on yesterdays results, but is allowed to start today. regrettably, the pole Szustowski has retired with his tatra
| Pos. |
N° |
Name |
Mark |
Time |
variation |
Penalty |
|
501 |
|
IVECO
|
16:17:33 |
- |
- |
|
508 |
|
MAN
|
16:53:45 |
00:36:12 |
- |
|
506 |
|
KAMAZ
|
16:58:44 |
00:41:11 |
00:00:30 |
|
500 |
|
KAMAZ
|
17:14:36 |
00:57:03 |
00:05:00 |
|
507 |
|
IVECO
|
17:17:15 |
00:59:42 |
- |
|
545 |
|
KAMAZ
|
17:23:48 |
01:06:15 |
- |
|
504 |
|
TATRA
|
17:26:43 |
01:09:10 |
- |
|
502 |
|
TATRA
|
17:28:52 |
01:11:19 |
- |
|
529 |
|
MAZ
|
17:39:33 |
01:22:00 |
- |
|
549 |
|
KAMAZ
|
17:49:39 |
01:32:06 |
- |
|
516 |
|
IVECO
|
17:51:40 |
01:34:07 |
- |
|
509 |
|
GINAF
|
17:52:39 |
01:35:06 |
- |
|
510 |
|
MAN
|
18:12:15 |
01:54:42 |
- |
|
520 |
|
IVECO
|
18:35:24 |
02:17:51 |
- |
|
518 |
|
HINO
|
20:04:49 |
03:47:16 |
- |
|
548 |
|
GINAF
|
20:37:04 |
04:19:31 |
00:07:00 |
|
525 |
|
LIAZ
|
20:46:49 |
04:29:16 |
- |
|
540 |
|
DAF
|
21:09:53 |
04:52:20 |
- |
|
513 |
|
LIAZ
|
21:15:56 |
04:58:23 |
- |
|
534 |
|
MAN
|
21:18:31 |
05:00:58 |
- |
|
512 |
|
DAF
|
21:45:23 |
05:27:50 |
- |
|
515 |
|
TATRA
|
21:55:54 |
05:38:21 |
- |
|
505 |
|
MAN
|
22:30:28 |
06:12:55 |
- |
|
519 |
|
TATRA
|
22:32:09 |
06:14:36 |
- |
|
533 |
|
MAN
|
22:51:38 |
06:34:05 |
00:05:00 |
|
527 |
|
MAN
|
22:54:44 |
06:37:11 |
- |
|
538 |
|
MERCEDES
|
23:08:02 |
06:50:29 |
- |
|
521 |
|
MAZ
|
23:10:23 |
06:52:50 |
00:02:30 |
|
532 |
|
HINO
|
23:37:12 |
07:19:39 |
- |
|
531 |
|
MAN
|
24:15:28 |
07:57:55 |
- |
|
547 |
|
DAF
|
24:37:27 |
08:19:54 |
- |
|
542 |
|
TATRA
|
25:38:08 |
09:20:35 |
02:05:00 |
|
550 |
|
DAF
|
25:45:50 |
09:28:17 |
- |
|
557 |
|
GINAF
|
25:53:42 |
09:36:09 |
- |
|
535 |
|
DAF
|
28:03:02 |
11:45:29 |
02:00:00 |
|
539 |
|
TATRA
|
28:54:34 |
12:37:01 |
02:00:00 |
|
522 |
|
DAF
|
29:04:29 |
12:46:56 |
02:00:00 |
|
511 |
|
GINAF
|
29:12:17 |
12:54:44 |
02:00:00 |
|
546 |
|
GINAF
|
29:20:35 |
13:03:02 |
02:00:00 |
|
543 |
|
MAN
|
29:35:48 |
13:18:15 |
02:03:00 |
|
563 |
|
DAF
|
29:56:49 |
13:39:16 |
02:00:00 |
|
514 |
|
GINAF
|
30:44:26 |
14:26:53 |
01:00:00 |
|
556 |
|
MERCEDES
|
31:05:26 |
14:47:53 |
02:00:00 |
|
552 |
|
MERCEDES
|
33:30:11 |
17:12:38 |
02:00:00 |
|
541 |
|
GINAF
|
35:51:52 |
19:34:19 |
02:00:00 |
|
566 |
|
MERCEDES
|
37:32:08 |
21:14:35 |
04:00:00 |
|
551 |
|
MERCEDES
|
38:19:10 |
22:01:37 |
04:00:00 |
|
558 |
|
MERCEDES
|
39:52:13 |
23:34:40 |
05:00:00 |
|
568 |
|
MAN
|
75:15:59 |
58:58:26 |
02:00:00 |
|
575 |
|
TATRA
|
116:44:19 |
100:26:46 |
02:00:00 |
|
555 |
|
RENAULT
|
120:26:04 |
104:08:31 |
02:00:00 |
|
570 |
|
MAN
|
125:43:49 |
109:26:16 |
02:13:00 |
|
569 |
|
MAN
|
255:06:26 |
238:48:53 |
- |
|
574 |
|
RENAULT
|
256:16:49 |
239:59:16 |
01:00:00 |
Bonver Dakar Rally Team Project attacking in the fourth stage at the moment the best location for thisyear’s Dakar Rally. Their efforts, however, stopped the technical problems that had one of the crew.
In the fourth stage, in which the participants expected a total of 657 competitive kilometers, divided into two parts, started two crew team Bonver Dakar Project closely behind. A first measurement of did great. Artur Ardavičus was over 216 kilometers fourteenth, Thomas Vratny was right behind him in seventeenth place.
The crossing between the measured sections, however, seems to have been so far unspecified technical problems. Artur Ardavičus and Thomas Vratny arrived too late to start the second timed section of a racing team boss while he continued on, experienced Kazakh racer took more than two hours before he showed up on the next lap times.
Thomas Vratny in this so difficult and long stage finished in 22nd place with loss of 1 hour 52 minutes and 53 seconds. In the overall assessment of trucks belong to him 22nd rung. Artur Ardavičus finally arrived to the fourth stage of the 40th position. Late arrival to the finish was also penalized, so overall he is now 9 hours, 20 minutes and 35 seconds behind the overall leder Gerard de Rooij.
Best Čech Wednesday’s marathon stage of the Rally Dakar Martin Kolomý collapsed from exhaustion at the finish. The brief loss of consciousness caused by dehydration and the pilot Tatras but soon recovered and nothing prevents its further attempt to fight the famous contest this year’s first medal position. In the middle was the second consecutive fourth at 657 kilometers measured section lost at the end of the fight for the bronze stage a minute and 14 seconds with the Russian Nikolaev.
“We tore the antenna and stopped us to operate the navigation system. Due to the fact we could not find the last way point and we lost about five minutes.’s A shame we have jumped on the box. Nevermind, more important is that the car keeps going and yet the great “Kolomý said in a press release Tatra Team Buggyra Racing. The nature of health problems is signed to the crew runs out of water. “So I came very dehydrated. Boys had to resuscitate me, but we did it thanks to a well-prepared nutritional and fluid intake,” he said.
Kolomému now belongs to eighth place with minimal loss to seventh Ales Loprais.
Best Čech Wednesday’s marathon stage of the Rally Dakar Martin Kolomý collapsed from exhaustion at the finish. The brief loss of consciousness caused by dehydration and the pilot Tatras but soon recovered and nothing prevents its further attempt to fight the famous contest this year’s first medal position. In the middle was the second consecutive fourth at 657 kilometers measured section lost at the end of the fight for the bronze stage a minute and 14 seconds with the Russian Nikolaev.
“We tore the antenna and stopped us to operate the navigation system. Due to the fact we could not find the last way point and we lost about five minutes.’s A shame we have jumped on the box. Nevermind, more important is that the car keeps going and yet the great “Kolomý said in a press release Tatra Team Buggyra Racing. The nature of health problems is signed to the crew runs out of water. “So I came very dehydrated. Boys had to resuscitate me, but we did it thanks to a well-prepared nutritional and fluid intake,” he said.
Kolomy is now eighth overall just behind Ales Loprais.
|
9.1.2014
NEWSLETTER INSTAFOREX LOPRAIS TEAM
The fourth stage and further purgatory
Aleš Loprais started to the fourth stage from the third position after the Russian Alex Karginov and De Rooy from the Netherlands. But at the first waypoint of the marathon stage was Aleš recorded on the eighth place. However Aleš battled to the fifth places and most of the 650 km long run held at a range of the very fastest.
But after crossing the highest point of the stage, more than 3200 meters above sea level, Aleš began to fade. Between the eighth and ninth waypoint, approximately 500 km after the start of the special stage, he fell from sixth place to eighth and after eleventh waypoint he was the ninth. It was the loss of 23 minutes and 12 seconds to the winning De Rooy and the ninth place in he finish. In the overall ranking is Aleš on the seventh place and has a loss of an hour and nine minutes to De Rooy.
“Purgatory without 4×4 dust for the second time! We met the same problem in the longest stage of the current year. Tonight we will deal with it. A lot of trucks overtook us today. The attack on the podium has changed to struggle for survival on the Dakar – not to get stuck and reach the finish. Unfortunately we met another problem during the day – oil leaks from the oil pan. We had to refill oil in the neutralization zone to not stop the heart of the Queen. We are happy that we reached the finish and managed everything somehow. So our adventure continues!” commented Aleš Loprais and the 504 crew.
5th stage: Chilecito – Tucumán
The connecting section: 384 km / The special stage: 527 km
If one could say about the yesterday’s stage that was challenging and exhausting, then the same applies to today. It is the longest in this year and the measured part of 527 km is divided into two parts. To this must be added 154 km an 231 km of connecting section between the starting Chilecito and finish in Tucumán. The heat and sand is waiting for the racers. Organizers warn that the number of candidates to the podium will reduce in the bivouac in Tucumán and the elite group will be reduced too. Hopefully our two crews 504 and 519 will bravely fight on! |
|
Ing. Lucie Houthoofdtová
PR manager
|
The best special in two or three years!
It was terrific! A terrific special, I think it’s the best one we’ve had in two or three years. We saw from the beginning that Karginov was too fast and we couldn’t keep up with him, so we decided to drive at our own pace, without taking any risks, especially with the tyres. Nevertheless, we were in the link section when we noticed a tyre was slowly deflating and we had to stop to change it. In the second part we overtook Karginov, who had stopped on the left side of the course with a flat tyre. We made a small navigation mistake towards the end, when everyone went right but you actually had to go left, but it was no big deal. The only mishap was when I bumped my left wrist against the steering wheel, but it’s nothing to be worried about: some ice, a cool bier and everything will be okay in time for tomorrow!
The Dakar’s competitors haven’t faced a special stage this long since the historical one from Zouerat to Tichit in 2005! They will have to cross rivers, descend the canyons in a Wild West setting and beware of the other participants: as these terrains are often wide open, it will be entirely possible to overtake fellow competitors.
Stage winner Gerard de Rooy: The best special in two or three years!
It was terrific! A terrific special, I think it’s the best one we’ve had in two or three years. We saw from the beginning that Karginov was too fast and we couldn’t keep up with him, so we decided to drive at our own pace, without taking any risks, especially with the tyres. Nevertheless, we were in the link section when we noticed a tyre was slowly deflating and we had to stop to change it. In the second part we overtook Karginov, who had stopped on the left side of the course with a flat tyre. We made a small navigation mistake towards the end, when everyone went right but you actually had to go left, but it was no big deal. The only mishap was when I bumped my left wrist against the steering wheel, but it’s nothing to be worried about: some ice, a cool bier and everything will be okay in time for tomorrow!
Best Tatra driver was Kolomy. He finished 10 min behind De Rooy. Loprais finished 23 min behind De Rooy
| Pos. |
N° |
Name |
Mark |
Time |
variation |
Penalty |
|
501 |
|
IVECO
|
06:06:40 |
- |
- |
|
506 |
|
KAMAZ
|
06:08:11 |
00:01:31 |
- |
|
500 |
|
KAMAZ
|
06:15:44 |
00:09:04 |
- |
|
502 |
|
TATRA
|
06:16:58 |
00:10:18 |
- |
|
507 |
|
IVECO
|
06:20:46 |
00:14:06 |
- |
|
508 |
|
MAN
|
06:24:03 |
00:17:23 |
- |
|
549 |
|
KAMAZ
|
06:26:01 |
00:19:21 |
- |
|
545 |
|
KAMAZ
|
06:26:02 |
00:19:22 |
- |
|
504 |
|
TATRA
|
06:29:52 |
00:23:12 |
- |
|
509 |
|
GINAF
|
06:34:16 |
00:27:36 |
- |
|
505 |
|
MAN
|
06:36:36 |
00:29:56 |
- |
|
529 |
|
MAZ
|
06:39:50 |
00:33:10 |
- |
|
510 |
|
MAN
|
06:41:12 |
00:34:32 |
- |
|
516 |
|
IVECO
|
06:44:09 |
00:37:29 |
- |
|
520 |
|
IVECO
|
07:25:00 |
01:18:20 |
- |
|
521 |
|
MAZ
|
07:37:19 |
01:30:39 |
- |
|
518 |
|
HINO
|
07:38:33 |
01:31:53 |
- |
|
525 |
|
LIAZ
|
07:42:47 |
01:36:07 |
- |
|
540 |
|
DAF
|
07:45:12 |
01:38:32 |
- |
|
548 |
|
GINAF
|
07:49:18 |
01:42:38 |
- |
|
534 |
|
MAN
|
07:58:56 |
01:52:16 |
- |
|
515 |
|
TATRA
|
07:59:33 |
01:52:53 |
- |
|
513 |
|
LIAZ
|
08:01:05 |
01:54:25 |
- |
|
539 |
|
TATRA
|
08:16:31 |
02:09:51 |
- |
|
527 |
|
MAN
|
08:40:43 |
02:34:03 |
- |
|
547 |
|
DAF
|
08:42:27 |
02:35:47 |
- |
|
533 |
|
MAN
|
08:50:31 |
02:43:51 |
- |
|
569 |
|
MAN
|
50:00:00 |
43:53:20 |
- |
|
574 |
|
RENAULT
|
50:00:00 |
43:53:20 |
- |
 |
|
8.1.2014
NEWSLETTER INSTAFOREX LOPRAIS TEAM
How does it see Karel Loprais this year?
Monsieur Dakar, as is Karel Loprais called thanks to his six victories in the Dakar Rally, watches this year’s 36th Dakar Rally from home. What does the Dakar legend say about performance of his nephew Aleš?
Aleš was on the second place in the first stage. What do you think about it?
In any case, it’s fantastic. They are all poised at the beginning to start as good as they can. The first time control point pointed it. Ten trucks in two minutes! An Aleš was ahead.
Aleš donated the symbolic silver to his new-born son Alex. How does such an addition to the family affect racer?
I think it’s encouraging. He has the son, everything went well. It just start him up, it has already has been seen.
What about the second stage? Aleš’s crew had to cope with difficulties.
This is Dakar. You cannot race without a problem and at rest, especially today, when the competition is strong. They all are pushing, going forward, as they can. But problems also affected the others. There were accidents, defects, something can always happen.
The crew had to go without a windscreen for a long time. Have you experienced this?
I have not, it would be like riding a motorbike… Seriously, in the dust and rocks it is not fun. And Aleš isn’t the type of racer who would hold far behind to not catch a wound. When racer needs to overtake, it’s a problem.
In addition, Aleš had to overcome dunes without all-wheel drive.
This is a fantastic performance to cross the dunes, though the front didn’t work. I experienced this just in situation we were not in the race. Be stuck on the dune would be end.
The loss is in tens of minutes. Can anything be done?
It was only the second stage. If this was a loss before the last stage, it would probably be no chance. But they have the race ahead, it’s open. I believe Alda can handle it.
De Rooy seems strong. He helped Merdejev but leads.
It’s disputed. It is said that he helped about a quarter of an hour and organizers subtracted 22 minutes. It just does not seem fair. In our times it was not like that. Who want to help, help without the right to subtracting the time.
What pitfalls had yesterday’s third stage? The race was at altitude of around three kilometres.
Technique loses power at that height. It is important not to make a navigational error, not to capture defect. The boys made it great. I keep my finger crosses and hope that this year it comes out. |
|
Ing. Lucie Houthoofdtová
PR manager
|
|
|
8.1.2014
NEWSLETTER INSTAFOREX LOPRAIS TEAM
Bronze in the third stage and climbing to the three thousands meters
After Monday’s second stage, in which the team had to deal with inconveniences such as absence of 4×4 dust and punched windscreen, it was hard to put together technique and prepare for the next stage at the same time. But Aleš Loprais as a true fighter said: “Although result after the second stage does not look very good and I’m not thrilled at all, it was luck that we managed to reach the finish. Now we can fight again for the podium and I believe that for the victory too because I lose about twenty minutes to De Rooy, our major competitor. The rest we have to solve somehow. Of course there is not much space for mistakes, but we have no other option than board the A variant and fly as good as we can.” The mechanics did a great job at the night from Monday to Tuesday, so Aleš could report at the six in the morning local time: “Queen after renovation, night shift, I’m going to ride!”
About half past eight the organizers announced that they approached the target for cars and trucks from originally planned 245 to 222 km. But everything was different half an hour after noon. “It is possible to preserve original special stage for trucks and cars unchanged unlike the morning announcements,” said organizers. Racers could enjoy the Ands in full glory. Trucks had to climb to an altitude of over three kilometres, Aconcagua volcano looked down from its high of 6962 meters at the racers. And it saw a race that had to cheer the team of Loprais. After night toil of mechanics has dove the whole 504 crew and the Queen great job. And finally it was another position on the podium!
Aleš Loprais reached the finish in San Juan as the third, just five minutes after the Russian Karginov from Kamaz and two minutes after Dutchman De Rooy. After the silver first stage the 504 crew won in the third part of Dakar adventure bronze. In the overall ranking is the crew now fifth.
“From the fifteenth starting position to the stage bronze! What can I say? After a hellish experience of the second stage it was pleasant variety for the whole team and the second podium finish in the first three stages. I have to admit that the start of the Dakar 2014 is the most complicated in terms of difficulty of stages. The organizers really fulfilled what they promised. Devastation of crews, junkyard of technique and constantly changing position across all categories – it is return to the roots of Dakar. I really would like to go through this adrenaline to the finish of race. Tomorrow at six in the morning we will begin the longest stage of this year’s Dakar. Good night…” said Aleš Loprais.
And program of today? 4th stage San Juan – Chilecito
Connecting section (trucks): 211 km / Special stage (trucks): 657 km
We could say about Wednesday’s stage that it is a “long-haul flight”. Competitors will run the Argentinean pampas to the northwest and after a warm-up connection section of 43 km the unprecedented long special stage waits for them. 657 km! So long stage was on Dakar last time in 2005. And organizers promise a wide open field, so there will be much of overtaking. Racers have to keep an eye on rivers and canyons. |
