First true off road rally stage for Africa Eco Race

JANUARY 3rd - DOMAINE MOULAY / TAGOUNITE - Stage: 393 kmStart from the bivouacSpecial Stage DOMAINE MOULAY / LARJAME: 370 kmLiaison LARJAME / TAGOUNITE: 23 km

The first real stage between Domaine Moulay near Erfoud and Tagounite not far from Mahmid in Morocco, took place on Tuesday January 3rd 2017. A real stage of Off Road rally with navigation, the first dunes with a fast, technical track. A selective sector of 370 km which has already done damage among the serious contenders of the 2017 AFRICA ECO RACE,

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FIRST SUCCESS FOR AFRICA TWIN

It was 2°C this morning in  Erfoud when the first motorbike piloted by the very young Teddy Gev SELLA took the start at 7:45 for his first big off-road Rally. The 18 year old KTM rider had no problem on the section before the dunes of Merzouga but then unfortunately fell, without any damage, and was then overtaken by Paolo CECI and his powerful Africa Twin, Gev SELLA clocked the 2nd fastest time of the day.

THE MINI AND THE KAMAZ ARE PUSHING HARD

Bad news of a big mechanical break in a trench at kilometer 22 for Mathieu SERRADORI’s SRT Buggy. Even if the Frenchman had been able to get out on his own and he could probably repair it, he can forget any ambition of victory. Same situation but in worse for Elisabete JACINTO whose MAN suffered an engine fire right in the Merzouga dunes. This year, and for the first time in 8 participations, the Portuguese will not see the Lake Rose.

Fortunately, there are those for whom the day went without problem. Notably Vladimir VASILYEV who completed the special stage at an average speed of 100 km/h at the wheel of his MINI. Obviously, the Russian won, relegating his opponents to more than 20 minutes behind. Once again, the impressive KAMAZ of Andrey KARGINOV made the show by being 2nd in the scratch.

The truck beat Pascal THOMASSE and his OPTIMUS Buggy by 44 seconds. It was also the day of the French team MD RALLYE SPORT since Guillaume GOMEZ finishes 4th and Dominique HOUSIEAUX 8th. A  good performance, like that of Thierry MAGNALDI, 5th after having a little bit gardened and also Jean Antoine SABATIER, 6th while remaining cautious while waiting for the second week in Mauritania. 

In the general ranking of AFRICA ECO RACE, the MINI of VASILIEV is in the lead by a little more than 25 minutes ahead of the 2WD Buggy of Thierry MAGNALDI, pursued very closely by the KAMAZ of KARGINOV. With three OPTIMUS buggies in the top 10, Guillaume GOMEZ, Pascal THOMASSE and Dominique HOUSIEAUX are ideally placed to place an attack.

Wednesday, a big day is on schedule for the competitors of the AFRICA ECO RACE which will continue its progress towards the south. Indeed, with 433 km to cover between Tagounite and Icht, this 3rd special stage will be one of the longest of the Rally.

Bikes 1 P. Ceci (Ita/Honda) en 4h42.56 ; 2 G. Sella (AFS/KTM) à 1.35 ; 3 H. Gabari (Mar/KTM) à 29.45 ; 4 M. Benko (SLQ /KTM) à 45.14 ; 5 P.A. Ullevalseter (Nor/KTM) à 45.56 ; 6 D. Agoshkov (Rus/KTM) à 48.18 ; 7 J. Zatko (Slo/KTM) à 1h05.20 ; 8 H. Rahm (Sue/KTM) à 1h12.52 ; 9 S. Pelloni (Ita/Yamaha) à 1h16.37 ; 10 B. Young (Aus/KTM) à 1h25.33

Général 1 P. Ceci (Ita/Honda) en 5h57.12 ; 2 G. Sella (AFS/KTM) à 1.19 ; 3 P.A. Ullevalseter (Nor/KTM) à 46.36 ; 4 H. Gabari (Mar/KTM) à 48.06 ; 5 D. Agoshkov (Rus/KTM) à 1h13.28 ; 6 M. Benko (SLQ /KTM) à 1h22.49 ; 7 S. Pelloni (Ita/Yamaha) à 1h24.46 ; 8 J. Zatko (Slo/KTM) à 1h24.52 ; 9 H. Rahm (Sue/KTM) à 1h26.12 ; 10 B. Young (Aus/KTM) à 1h46.49

AUTOS / CAMIONS

ES2 1 V. Vasilyev - K. Zhiltsov (Rus/Mini) en 3h48.25 ; 2 A. Karginov - A. Mokeev - D. Nikitin (Rus/Kamaz) à 20.05 ; 3 P. Thomasse - P. Larroque (Fra/Buggy Optimus) à 20.49 ; 4 G. Gomez - L. Fagot (Fra/Buggy Optimus) à 23.32 ; 5 T. Magnaldi - F.Borsotto (Fra/Buggy 2WD) à 24.22 ; 6 J.A. Sabatier - A. Rizzardi (Fra-Ita/BuggaOne) à 31.00 ; 7 P. Sireyjol - FX. Beguin (Fra-Bel/Buggy LCR 30) à 31.16 ; 8 D. Housieaux - C. Crespo (Fra/Buggy Optimus) à 37.01 ; 9 A. Cherednikov - D. Tsyro (Kaz-Ukr/Ford) à 38.28 ; 10 S. Kuprianov - A. Kuprianov - A. Tanin

Général 1 V. Vasilyev - K. Zhiltsov (Rus/Mini) en 4h48.34 ; T. Magnaldi - F.Borsotto (Fra/Buggy 2WD) à 25.25 ; A. Karginov - A. Mokeev - D. Nikitin (Rus/Kamaz) à 26.13 ; 4 G. Gomez - L. Fagot (Fra/Buggy Optimus) à 32.46 ; P. Thomasse - P. Larroque (Fra/Buggy Optimus) à 35.49 ; J.A. Sabatier - A. Rizzardi (Fra-Ita/BuggaOne) à 38.16 ; D. Housieaux - C. Crespo (Fra/Buggy Optimus) à 46.53 ; A. Cherednikov - D. Tsyro (Kaz-Ukr/Ford) à 48.10 ; J. Valtr - R. Pilny - F. Skrobanek (RTC/Tatra) à 50.42 ; M. Zapletal - M. Sykora (SLQ/Hummer) à 59.59


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