Ardavichus and Dandy Rise Like a Phoenix From The Ashes

12.1.2015

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Just like the mythical Phoenix rose our Czech-Kazakhstani crew of the Bonver Dakar Project from the fine sand of the Atacama Desert in stage eight of the Dakar Rally. Still in the morning before the start we did not have an idea whether their truck would start in the second half of the world’s toughest race. Our crew mechanic Daniel Kozlovský was able to tackle the technical problems even without proper tools and equipment and the pilot Artur Ardavichus then finished in the elite top ten. However, not everyone had been that fortunate before the day-long rest day.

The eighth stage was thrilling and full of unexpected twists. The service team basically spent the night in fear over the future of Ardavichus’s crew. The end of seventh stage had prepared a very unpleasant surprise for them – a broken turbo piping. Because of the stage being organized like a marathon, the racing team members did not have access to their service pit and mechanics team. “You can only fix this with a welding machine. But getting our hands on one on the track was unbelievably difficult. Even Robo Kasák stopped by to help us and had almost everything but one little thing necessary for the repair – petrol in the central. The time was flying by, I admit I started to lose hope,“ told us our Daniel Kozlovský.  

The racing team on the turquoise Tatra finally got out of the tight spot thanks to the French Boucou team, who were equipped with the necessary service equipment. “We got to the temporary bivouac before the dawn. We slept for just a bit and then continued to stage eight. Artur gave a superb performance in it,“ commented Dandy, whose Jamal started from the disadvantageous thirty-fifth position but arrived at the finish on fantastic tenth place with an hour-long loss on the winning Russian Nikolaev.

Two positions after Ardavichus came another Bonver team member whom we provide technical support, Poland’s Szustkowski. Twelth spot meant the best standing of the year for him. In contrast, Bonver’s boss Tomáš Vrátný had to tackle major problems. His truck’s spare wheel went loose several times, almost making the hopeless Vrátný leave it behind on the track. He was lucky enough to have stuck to the rules because only a few kilometres further on he burst two tyres at the same time. “For the first time in my life I had a double defect that cost us plenty of time. However, the worst thing was still to come at that moment,“ said Tomáš Vrátný, whose truck turned to the side in the final dune field.

Vrátný got help from the Dutch pilot on a Renault from our workshop again, Martin van den Brink, who also had to overcome the obstacles of the treacherous stage that day. The co-operating duo then arrived at the finish line together, van den Brink on twenty-seventh and Vrátný right behind him. Neither the other Dutch racer Pascal de Baar escaped trouble and with his result still to be announced early morning.

             The Dakar contestants are going to take a day off on Monday. Afterwards, five final  stages will follow before the finish in Buenos Aires. “We have loads of work to do but I still believe in the final part. We still have something to fight for. We all wish to get to the finish – at least,“ added the tired, but determined, Dandy.

Results - Trucks – Stage 8: 1. Nikolaev (RUS) Kamaz 3:25:47, 2. De Rooy (NED) Iveco +11:16, 3. Karginov (RUS) Kamaz +14:58, 4. Loprais (CZE) MAN +20:01, 5. Mardeev (RUS) Kamaz +32:02, 6. Kolomý (CZE) Tatra +46:28, 10. Ardavichus/Kozlovský (KAZ/CZE) Tatra +1:04:37, 12. Szustkowski (POL) Tatra +1:24:14, 27. van den Brink (NED) Renault +3:22:22, 28. Vrátný (CZE) Tatra +3:31:21, de Baar (NED) Renault Trucks.

Overall ranking: 1. Mardeev (RUS) Kamaz 26:33:21, 2. Karginov (RUS) Kamaz +5:09, 3. Nikolaev (RUS) Kamaz +12:41, Loprais (CZE) MAN +59:19, 5. Sotnikov (RUS) Kamaz +1:14:29, 8. Kolomý (CZE) Tatra +2:53:56, 14. Vrátný (CZE) Tatra +6:46:58, 18. van den Brink (NED) Renault Trucks +7:49:05, 20. Szustkowski (POL) Tatra +9:19:48, 25. Ardavičus/Kozlovský (KAZ/CZE) Tatra +14:22:33, de Baar (NED) Renault Trucks.

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