Motorcycles and news

The night’s storm was exchanged this day for rain and cold. With temperatures touching 15 degrees, the track leading to El Borma, bouncing off the borders with Libya and Algeria, turned into a cold day down south. With a weather climate not being co-operative for driving, including a wind that in a matter of seconds would wipe the tracks before your very eyes, the majority of the competitors of this 25th rally encountered a few difficulties, on this the longest stage of the rally, to complete this particular navigational stage. Especially in and around the CP4 ,both the two and four wheel drives lost precious time as well as their direction. One came through smiling more than the others, Giniel De Villiers (VW racing TOUAREG 2) arriving for his first stage win. Second in the last Dakar the South African managed a large minute in front of Stéphane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi Pajero). In third place, even with a puncture and a navigation fault, was Luc Alphand (Mitsubishi Pajero) sadly losing more than seven minutes. Whereas Jean-Louis Schlesser, first away this morning, found that his Ford Buggy was missing traction terribly in the camel grass came in at 11 minutes. The arrival at El Borma for Carlos Sainz (VW racing TOUAREG 2) was not without cost either, the tricky navigating at CP4 and getting bogged down in the sand cost him 25 minutes and allowed the Pick-up Dessoude of Holowczyc to slip into the top six of the day. Getting stuck in the sand as well were the T2s, Here the Nissan Pathfinder of Cristian Lavieille took advantage of the successive misery of Jean-Pierre Strugo (Mercedes ML) to re-open the stakes of this T2 battle.

Pal Anders Ullevalseter (KTM 660) won this stage today, remembering 2 years ago winning here at El Borma his first world championship rally stage, having avoided the mistake of the Gauloises KTMs of David Casteu and Isidre Esteve. These two Factory riders continue their rotation of placings with Casteu coming in second he now leads his team mate by a good minute. Thanking the support of KTM and his brave mechanics, who repaired his heavily damaged bike until the small hours, Franck Olmi came in for fourth place. The Italien Oscar Polli (KTM) is now chomping at the heels of the category 450cc the Polish Czachor. Bad day for the Franco-Uruguayan Laurent Lazard who lost more than 30 minutes due to the sand. Finishing just in front of him was the Yamaha quad of Christophe Declercq who managed a boost to 9th place in both the scratch and the overall placing.

Optic 2000 - results of the first 3 stages

SS1 NICE-LEVENS-NICE: 4km
1. D.CASTEU KTM
2. E.AUBIJOUX Yamaha  
3. C.PORTAL KTM  
4. F.OLMI KTM 
5. P-A.ULLEVALSETE KTM 
6. C.DECLERCK Yamaha   
7. I.ESTEVE PUJOL KTM  
8. A.MONTICO Honda   
9. J.CZACHOR KTM  
10. M.VAYSSIE Yamaha 
11. F.MONTEAUD Honda  
12. M.SANNA COCCO KTM  
13. G.TIXADOR KTM 
14. B.BARRA Yamaha 
15. O.POLLI KTM