Dakar turns into second half

14.1.2019

This year's Dakar Rally has switched to its second half. The crews had a day off in South America on a weekend, which they used to regroup and recover and, above all, to repair the machinery which was under a big strain in the previous week. The Sunday 6th stage had the biggest mileage, but it has not spared anyone.

            "I would like to say, how we have enjoyed the day, but again, it was really hard for us. The only advantage was that you did not have to drive anywhere but we had a lot of work to do. Now we have another stage difficult to navigate with very soft dunes where a number of crews were stuck, "summed up Mario Kress, the lead designer, the entry into the second half of the competition.

            After a day off, crews had to cope with more than eight hundred-kilometres long routes from Arequipa to San Juan de Marcona. The timed special section was just over three hundred kilometres this time, but it was still pretty hard due to wind and difficult navigation. This time Iveco trucks with former champion de Rooy and his colleague Argentinian Villagra lead the way. The North Bohemian Renault pilot, Janus van Kasteren, finished fourteenth time, as he had to change a flat tire very soon in the race a had to fight very hard with this section.

            Thirty crews, that had withdrawn in the previous week, set off again on the course. The organizers wanted to give them a chance to fight at least in the "small Dakar". Gert Huzink, who originally dropped off during Friday's 5th stage due to a hole in the engine, also rejoined the race. The technicians from MKR Technology used engine from Martin van van Brink's truck and exchanged it during the day off and Huzink's truck was prepared for the next stages. The Dutchman then came in third place among the trucks.

            Leading overall standings in the truck competition is Russian Nikolaev. Van Kasteren is on thirteenth position. 

On Monday, Dakar continues with 7th stage and both starts and finishes in San Juan de Marcona. Special sections take up over three hundred and twenty kilometres and thanks to minimal traverses in the seventh stage, the total mileage is just a little longer.