RALLYE SE JE ZAKLJUČIL!
Uradni press release, je 4.10.2003, rekel:
7th STAGE: BAHARIA-CAIRO
SPECIAL STAGE: 345,2 km
LIAISON: 94,32 km
The winners of the sixth edition of the Rallye des Pharaons are Joan “Nani” Roma for the bikes, Yves Loubet for the cars and Teruhito Sugawara for the trucks. Today‘s leg was the last one, from Baharia Oasis to Cairo.
The cars ran only the first 36 km of the selective section, because of a lack of Avgas fuel and so the jury decided to end the race there. For the bikes it has been again a hard and difficult leg, 347 of selective section, the first part being slow and wise and the second faster, and in fact there have been some surprises!
Nani Roma started with the firm intention to fill up the handicap of 3’31” from Richard Sainct and, in winning the selective section in 3h39’16”, he managed to precede the French of 5’03. The third place in today’s leg went to Cyril Despres, at 11’39 from Roma and this is also his position in the general classification.
Today Fabrizio Meoni - who started really fast to lift up, with another victory, a race full of troubles - had to face a problem in the rupture of the fuel joint which filled his boots of fuel and caused him some burns. He lost half an hour to put in order his tank, thanks to the help of Jean Brucy, who dismantled from his bike his joint and this let Meoni start again. The Tuscan pilot arrived only tenth and lost two positions in the general classification, arriving sixth.
Fourth place both in the leg and in the final classification to the Polish Marek Dabrowski, who has been a revelation demonstrating to be able to compete with the official pilots.
Fifth place both in the leg and in the final classification to the Spanish Isidre Esteve, who preceded Fabrizio Meoni, the Chilean Carlo De Gavardo, the French François Flick and the best among the Italian pilots, Matteo Graziani.
Today unlucky race for Alfie Cox, who broke down his engine obliging him to give up at one km before the assistance point at half race.
Among the cars, today’s leg has been a mere formality, with only 36 km of selective section, but Yves Loubet has been able to give rise to a little suspense for being lingered in a difficult passage. His delay is anyway limited to 8’25”, nothing compared to his lead in the general classification of the eve. Josè Manuel Salinero won today’s leg, followed by Edi Orioli at about a minute, while the Japanese Jun Mitsuashi arrived third at 2’46”. Yves Loubet and his navigator Jacky Dubois celebrate their first victory in an African Rally, with a lead of 1h35’57” over Marco Tempestini, very happy for this result at his first experience in an off-road rally.
Great happiness for Tony Carello too, absolute third at 2h23’40”, who obtains a result above any expectations. Behind the Torinese, Etienne Smulevici and Edi Orioli.
The arrival at the Sphinx of Giza with the parade on the arrival podium has closed the sixth edition of the Rallye des Pharaons. Tomorrow evening the prize giving ceremony will conclude this very amazing adventure.
KTM Press release, je final day, rekel:
Baharija - Cairo / SS 345 km / Liaison 95 km / Total 440 km
Victory in the last minute...
for Nani Roma, who amazed everybody today when he took more than 5 minutes on Richard Sainct riding like a god. Yesterday, Sainct had been in the lead of 3,5 minutes, and everybody thaught that the race is decided. But the stage was fast again apart from a technical section on the first kilometers, and Roma knew he had no choice but attack to the max. He did an excellent navigation and must have found the most direct route today. He has been fighting all week and had been pushed back by unlucky tire problems, but he never gave up. He has been rewarded with this superbe victory. Richard Sainct is a fair loser, though naturally he would have liked to see himself on the top of the results list.
The true losers today were Alfie Cox and Marc Coma, both had to stop because of mechnical problems and couldn’t finish the race. A pity for both of them, they had been doing a very good race until the last day. No luck also for Fabrizio Meoni. A fuel hose came off his tank, and he lost a lot of fuel and had to wait for Jean Brucy to help him out. The fuel had run into his boot and burnt his leg, so he needed medical treatment at the assistance point. Nevertheless he finished the race and ends up in 6th position behind Isidre Esteve.
All KTM factory riders finished in the top 10. Special congratulations go to Marek Dabrowski who performed great on a 660 standard replica bike. He was riding all week with the "big boys", and finished in 4th position. The same for Jean Brucy who pushed his 450 rally prototype to 10th overall position. The fast race course was anything else than in the favour for this small engine.
The desert is orange - once again!
Še
finalni rezultati:
1. Roma 23’52’09 (KTM)
2. Sainct 1’32 (KTM)
3. Despres 20’13 (KTM)
4. Dabrowski 38’00 (KTM)
5. Esteve 44’23 (KTM)
6. Meoni 51’52 (KTM)
7. De Gavardo1’05’56 (KTM)
8. Flick 1’33’58 (KTM)
9. Graziani 1’57’25 (KTM)
10. Brucy 2’55’37 (KTM)
Foto -- Veliki zmagovalec - španec Joan "Nani" Roma na svojem twinu (P. Batini // KTM Press)