Sibiu, Romania – 31 July, 2018 — Round four of the World Enduro Super Series saw Sherco Factory Racing’s Wade Young become the youngest ever winner of Red Bull Romaniacs. For five epic days of Enduro racing the 22-year-old South African battled both his rivals and the elements to secure the biggest victory of his career to date. Pushing to his absolute physical limits during each of the long and demanding days of racing, Young conquered the toughest Enduro terrain Romania had to offer and etched his name onto the winner’s list of the world-famous Hard Enduro Rallye. Congratulations Wade, how does it feel to have won the 15th edition of Red Bull Romaniacs! Wade Young: “Thanks. This race is probably the toughest Enduro race around so I’m really stoked on the win. It’s a hugely demanding event. It’s five days on a bike and you get pushed to your absolute physical limit. I’ve been trying for a while now to get it done and finally the winner’s trophy is mine. But thanks also go to my whole Sherco Factory Racing team, my mechanic and family and friends who’ve kept me going all week.” Entering the final day of racing you only had a small four-minute lead, were you nervous about that? “I felt like I was riding well all week and knew that I could do it. But also, Manuel Lettenbichler was riding good too and was keeping me honest. He was fast on the up hills but I managed to reel him in on the downhills and flowing sections of the course. It went like that for the whole day right until the last couple of checkpoints. I knew then it was a case of now or never and I just gave it everything I had. I rode at maximum attack for the final 20 kilometres.” What was the feeling like entering the final hillclimb in Gusterita, knowing you’d done enough to win? “I could hear the crowd cheering and the atmosphere was just pumping. The final hillclimb is always nervy because it’s so steep and easy to make a mistake. With the gap being so tight crashing there could have lost me the entire race. I wanted to celebrate but held back until the finish line and then once I passed the chequered flag the enormity of it all hit me. It was an unreal moment in my Enduro career.” Aside from winning the race, were there any other highlights for you during the Red Bull Romaniacs? “Probably just before the service point on off road day three. There we had the hardest climb of the race and I managed to pull a gap on the guys. Up until then the climbs were not my strongest asset and to just get it right and build a small lead felt awesome. It was a little victory in itself.” You’ve had multiple podium results here and now a win, what is it about the Red Bull Romaniacs that suits your style of riding? “I think it’s the long days — it’s not just all about technique. Somewhere like the Erzbergrodeo relies a lot on technique and trials riding, where for me Red Bull Romaniacs is a pure form of Enduro riding. It’s man and machine against the elements for as long as it takes each day. It’s the toughest and most physically demanding Enduro race in the world. It requires you to dig deep and that’s something I can do when the going gets tough. I feel like I showed that this week — there were some gnarly days for sure.” Finally, with a debut Red Bull Romaniacs win do you think you can keep that momentum going and claim a debut Red Bull 111 Megawatt victory? “I’d definitely like to. Although it’s completely different to here in Romania, it’s a race where I’ve finished on the podium before. I’m riding well and I’ve always been strong there, so I’ll try to fight for the top step of the podium again.” WORLD ENDURO SUPER SERIES – 2018 SCHEDULE Rnd 1. Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 11-13Rnd 2. Erzbergrodeo (Austria) May 31-June 3Rnd 3. Trèfle Lozérien AMV (France) June 8-10Rnd 4. Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 24-28Rnd 5. Red Bull 111 Megawatt (Poland) September 8-9Rnd 6. Hawkstone Park Cross-Country (England) September 22-23Rnd 7. Gotland Grand National (Sweden) October 26-27Rnd 8. Red Bull Knock Out (The Netherlands) November 10

De Roompot Baja Borger is de mooiste race van het NK ORR en een uniek evenement. Dat blijkt wel uit het feit dat in slechts een paar dagen de inschrijving helemaal vol liep. In totaal staan er op zaterdag 3 november 55 auto’s aan de start. Inschrijven kan alleen nog voor de reservelijst.  Achter de schermen zijn de voorbereidingen voor twee dagen racen in volle gang. Het is veel werk om met alle landeigenaren en lokale overheden alle goedkeuringen te krijgen en alles af te stemmen om mooie proeven uit te zetten op roadbook.  260 kilometer op roadbook In totaal staan er vijf klassementsproeven op het programma, met een totale lengte van 260 kilometer, en dit jaar voor het eerst ook een nachtproef. De proeven worden in de directe omgeving van Borger verreden. Het evenement krijgt een internationaal tintje met equipes uit België, Duitsland, Denemarken en Engeland!  Bekijk hier alle inschrijvingen: http://www.roompotbajaborger.nl/deelnemers/deelnemerslijst-roompot-baja-borger/ Roompot Hunzedal vakantiepark Op vrijdag 2 november vinden de technische keuringen plaats op het Roompot Hunzedal vakantiepark. Wie het evenement van dichtbij mee wil maken, kan een huisje huren op het vakantiepark. Roompot Hunzedal 

Contested from 31 March to 5 April 2019, edition 10 of the Dakar Series Merzouga Rally will also serve as the venue for “The Ultimate Race”. It is in fact the ultimate event of the “KTM Adventures Rallies”. This four-continent, six-race programme brings together enthusiasts of the brand. The riders, who have qualified for this grand finale, will fight it out aboard the Austrian constructor’s latest off-road bike, the KTM 790 Adventure R.  Key points:  – The 2019 Merzouga Rally will be “The Ultimate Race”, the grand finale of the “KTM Adventure Rallies” – The KTM Adventures Rallies brings together enthusiasts of the brand for the six rounds contested on four continents. – The finalists will fight it out on matching KTM 790 Adventure R on a specific course. – The Merzouga Rally serves as a springboard to bike and quad riders as well as Side by Side crews to eventually compete in the Dakar. – Sharing sporting values and the thrill of adventure, KTM is now a Merzouga Rally partner through this collaboration.  KTM enthusiasts can’t ask for more! The Austrian brand recently began a six-race, world-wide programme. The KTM Adventures Rallies are run through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. These rallies are held on four continents from Europe (Italy), to Oceania (Australia and New Zealand), Africa (South Africa) and North America (The United States and Canada).  At the conclusion of each rally, the best two riders are selected for the grand finale, “The Ultimate Race”, which will run in conjunction with the Merzouga Rally from 31 March to 5 April 2019. The 12 top riders from the programme will fight it out aboard the KTM 790 Adventure R and will have the opportunity to discover this very demanding rally held every year in the Moroccan dunes. 

Wels, Austria – July 10, 2018 — At round four of the World Enduro Super Series competitors face Romania’s infamous Red Bull Romaniacs. A truly unique event, the Hard Enduro Rallye features a multi-day format and will feature some of the most breathtaking Enduro riding seen in this year’s championship. From the heart of Sibiu out into the wilderness of the surrounding Carpathian Mountains, a memorable week of world class Enduro riding is promised for the 500 competitors from 53 nations competing. For its 15th edition, the race also features a fresh twist – two overnight bivouacs for competitors. With preparations well underway, Red Bull Romaniacs mastermind Martin Freinademetz explains what riders can expect to find as the race to become this year’s ULTIMATE ENDURO CHAMPION continues… Martin, with the 15th edition of the Red Bull Romaniacs fast approaching how are preparations going for round four of WESS? Martin Freinademetz: “Everything is coming together nicely for the 15th edition of the Red Bull Romaniacs. I think we have a lot of nice trails we can use this year and we will also visit some areas we haven’t been to since some of the earliest editions of the race. For our organising team it’s very much a 12-month process preparing for the race and no matter how ready we feel it’s always very busy in the build-up to the race. But things are looking good – everything is falling into place and I’m confident people will really enjoy what’s on offer in Romania.” With 53 nationalities represented the race is seemingly more popular than ever this year! “After 15 years the popularity of Red Bull Romaniacs is not fading. This year the entries were completely sold out after one day of opening. We have about 500 riders from 53 nations competing, which makes it the largest Enduro race on the calendar in terms of different nationalities. Again, the United Kingdom is the largest with 86 competitors, but Australia, Germany, Austria and now Russia are strongly represented. There are riders from all continents of the world racing. I believe the reason for this is that the race offers something for everybody regardless of ability. It’s five days on your bike with a lot of beautiful memories to take away from it.” Part of WESS for 2018, what do you feel Red Bull Romaniacs will add to the championship? “We’re very proud to be part of the WESS championship for 2018. I feel the nature of Red Bull Romaniacs fits well with the mixed-discipline aspect of the series. We are a Hard Enduro race but the kind of riding we have is not solely Hard Enduro, it covers all types of terrain. Some sections are extreme, but a lot of it is very fast and flowing. Also factoring in the Rallye aspect adds another dimension to our round. It’s very much man and machine out in the wilderness. You have to survive with just the tools you carry and for me that is Enduro.” Along with organising round four of WESS you also competed in rounds one and three – Extreme XL Lagares and Trèfle Lozérien AMV – did you enjoy it? “I am a race organiser by trade but I’m an Enduro rider at heart and so I wanted to experience other events I hadn’t ridden before. I really enjoyed both races, especially the Trèfle Lozérien AMV Classic Enduro, which was very new for me. It’s important to push myself like that, while maybe also learning new ways and ideas that can be applied to my own race. I hope to race some more WESS rounds before the year is over.” How do you prepare the course for four unique days of Enduro riding at Red Bull Romaniacs?  “As the event has grown over the years so too has the staff and man power required to put on an Enduro race of this scale. Each of the four off road days are at least 160 kilometres long, but we actually mark well over 200 kilometres so riders of all categories have an almost unique route for each day. In the past the Bronze route was the main track, with Gold and Silver loops added on. Now Gold riders will stay to their own course for the majority of the day and this eases the passage of traffic on the terrain. To do this we’ve increased the number of track managers. What was once two track managers has increased to four or sometimes six people. In total the race requires about 20 track managers, plus a foot crew of 10-15 people who help clear tracks or de-mark post event.” We’ll see the return of the overnight bivouac to this year’s race, why is that? “We’ve reintroduced the bivouac for 2018 and will spend two nights away from Sibiu. However, unlike previous editions, both nights will be in the same location, which eases the logistics for those following the race. The reason for this is to discover new and fresh trails. There is some real wilderness riding to be found here — untouched with no braking bumps or ruts. Even if you are a seasoned Romaniacs rider these days will be new for you.” Finally, Sibiu’s City Prologue, which opens the event, is synonymous with Red Bull Romaniacs. What wacky obstacles are being planned for this year? “The City Prologue is an iconic part of Red Bull Romaniacs. In terms of the overall results it’s not so important, but it is something that’s very special to us. Although a lot of people are now coming out into the mountains to watch the real enduro action, it’s good to bring the sport to the people in the city who can’t. My good friend Andy Fazekas is the mastermind behind it and every year he surprises me with his creations. With this being the 15th edition of the race he’s got some wacky ideas in store, so we’ll have to wait until prologue day to see what he’s got planned this time around.” Round four of the World Enduro Super Series takes place at Red Bull Romaniacs in Sibiu, Romania on July 24-28. Red Bull Romaniacs Fast Facts 189. Bronze class finishers for 201786. United Kingdom is the largest nation represented for 201832. Graham Jarvis’ 2017 winning time in hours27. Gold class competitors entered for the 15th edition20. Track managers preparing the four off road days12. Wacky obstacles planned for City Prologue in Sibiu6. Wins held by Graham Jarvis, the event’s most successful rider2. Overnight bivouacs for 2018  Red Bull Romaniacs 2017 Podium  1. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 2. Mario Roman (Sherco) 3. Paul Bolton (KTM) Red Bull Romaniacs Past Winners 2017: Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna)2016: Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna)2015: Jonny Walker (KTM)2014: Jonny Walker (KTM)2013: Graham Jarvis (Husaberg)2012: Graham Jarvis (Husaberg)2011: Graham Jarvis (Husaberg)2010: Chris Birch (KTM)2009: Andreas Lettenbichler (BMW)2008: Graham Jarvis (Sherco)2007: Cyril Despres (KTM)2006: Michel Gau (KTM)2005: Cyril Despres (KTM)2004: Cyril Despres (KTM) 

The day before the last day.. there is a special tension in the bivouac as the mechanics prepares the vehicles for the last time, the drivers and co-drivers recover from the day and weigh their chances for the stage tomorrow.. Today was the seventh stage of the Rallye Breslau Poland, an almost perfect day in the forest north of Miastko, with a fast and exciting roadbook and two seperate stages, around Dretyn and Bobolice. ”Today was the best stage ever this week, wow!” says Jim Marsden. ”It made me think of the nicest races I’ve done in my life, with a fantastic mix of fast tracks, technical sections and the odd swamp to cross. Even though we did not win today, I was impressed.’ Tomorrow he will try to win the Rallye Breslau Poland, but Romain Porchere is a tough competitor. ”He is such a determined guy, fantastic. We went up and down this week, but he has produced straight and stable results. It would be a deserved win, but I am definitely trying to keep him away from that spot on the podium!” ”When Grzegorz called me to navigate in the Dacia here, he said he wanted to go for the win”, says Grzegorz Kamar, the co-pilot of the white Dacia. ”I laughed at him, I though he was aiming too high. But we decided to go for it and the results so far have been beyond my expectation. We are breaking the system with our Dacia! It was not easy to get here, we had our share of issues. One day we lost the rear differential and we drove 150km on front wheel drive.. it was tough, we had to think ahead about every step. And now we need one more thing, and that is to finish tomorrow evening!” Nikke Harkjaer tried to make an end to his participation in the Breslau today, crashing his quad in a low speed corner along a steep hill. ‘I was surprised by a ditch, and before I knew it the quad rolled down the hill. Somehow I have lost my low speed skills, I don’t know what happened. But MArcin was there in no-time and together we managed to get it back on the track. Now it’s just plastic, a steering rod and some small things. Tomorrow we are racing for the last time, I look forward to it!’ Racing a Jeep Grand Cherokee, Frank Amsallem and Amelie Perrin put their trial-experience to work in the Polish forests. ”Today everyone overtook us in the swamp”, says Amelie. ”The pneumatic switch of the winch did not work and we got stuck until I found out it was just a simple problem. But we are here to drive each day and finish.” After three years of building the car, it performs above expectation. ”We did not have any big problems, and we are really pleased to be here with all these experienced teams!” Breaking the steering arm of his Scania for the second time this rally, Hans van Geest created a nice situation for the recovery crew of Achim Lust. Putting the 8×8 truck to work, they drove a truck-trial section with the Scania on tow. It was a fantastic piece of work and a confidence booster for Truck Team Holten who expected to stay in the forest overnight while fixing the Scania on the track. ‘The recovery team did an awesome job, and even though we are sad to loose our first place in the ranking it was quite an adventure!” Tomorrow is the last day, and the Breslau has always been decided, lost or won on the last stage. We expect fireworks this year with a magnificent route around the Miastko forestry. No loops or circles but 145 km of pure rally-raid through the unique landscape of Pomerania in Northern Poland. Small tracks, fire roads, logging tracks, forests, fields and villages are the backdrop of today’s stage, a fantastic chase across the Polish countryside and a true ‘finale’ of the Rallye Breslau Poland 2018! Link to live results

Leaving Drawsko Pomorski the teams say goodbye to this fantastic region. The Rallye Breslau Poland moves to the north-west, to the second stage of today and the last bivouac in Gwda Wielka. Starting in the afternoon in Drawsko, it took until 17:30 before the first competitor started in the superfast and sandy second stage on the Czarne polygon. Here the evening light created a magic feeling for the competitors, as they were racing towards the sunset.. Remy Kusy opened the track today, chasing the fastest overall time set by Nikke Harkjaer. In the Cross Country ranking the quads take the lead, with fantastic speed and sportmanship. Marcin Talaga joins their battle after the first stage, showing excellent speed on the Czarne Polygon, making a place for himself in between the two front runners. Remy Kusy had the disadvantage of opening the stage, finishing as third rider in Gwda Mala.  Tomasz Wojtyra in his Can AM and Jaroslaw Andrzejewski in the fast Toyota are chasing each other for the fastest time on four wheels. Both have experience in the sand and with the navigation, and the battle between these two Polish teams racing on their own soil is fantastic. Even though Tomasz wins the stage, Jaroslaw is smiling from ear to ear after the stage. It was a fast and succesful day for him with almost 15 minutes lead over the next competitor in Car Cross Country. The evening light over the Czarne Polygon is beautiful, showing the colors of the moorland, the flowers and the forest. Not all racers will recognize this, but part of the Rallye Breslau Poland is the adventure, the driving pleasure and the ability to see beautiful places otherwise closed for the general public. Drawsko Pomorski has this flair, just as the Czarne area. These places have seen all sides of the recent history, and the Rallye Breslau Poland fills them with international competition and friendship. In the Extreme Class Romain Porchere leads the stage all the way from Drawsko to Czarne, flying with his white-blue proto. All the front runners from yesterday had issues – Franck Daurelle’s engine took water in the ‘Ladoga’ swamp, Jim Marsden had to help his assistance on the route and the Hertwig brothers lost almost 1:30h in Drawsko – today shows that in the Breslau anything can happen! It was fantastic!” Marzena Kaczmarek is cheering at the finishline, ‘We had such a great day! After yesterdays problems, now we took our revenge!” The little yellow trophy car is piloted by Marzena and navigated by her fiancé, Bartosz Kulpinski. ”We race together because it brings us together. To be in the mud, to be sweaty and dirty and to achieve goals together. And on a day like this, it is perfect!” Kay Messner wins the Extreme Truck class today, ahead of Patrick Toepfer (Unimog) and Thomas Pohle (IFA). the trucks fly across the stage today, with only a few special extreme points and mostly fast flowing sand and forest tracks. ‘It was a fast day, very nice driving with the truck!’ according to a cheerful Kay at the finishline. His MAN KAT is far from standard, but still a basic and tough army truck and accessible for everyone who knows to handle a pair of spanners. Tomorrow, the competitors drive two stages around the villages of Dretyn and Bobolice. Heading north they go deep into the forests, on old and sinuous tracks that offer a fantastic riding experience before reaching modern wood production areas with their remarkable logging tracks. In the second half of the stage the landscape changes, with fast long straights, open spaces and speed before reaching the finish line near Kawcze. Link to live results

A mass start, a hunt across the plain towards the next note in the roadbook. Chasing your fellow competitors, racing nose by nose, only to forget a marathon rallye is won with patience and lost with haste… Both in Extreme Class and in Cross Country today was a tough nut to crack, with washed out tracks, dust everywhere and for Extreme Class some of the toughest challenges of the week on the ‘Euro 4×4 Parts Special day’! Starting in front of a big winchwall, the Breslau Extreme class has the stage of the week with 120km rough and tough roadbook, extreme sections and dust. After the winchwall, deep swamps and a small but deep river swallowed the teams. Front runners Franck and Francoise lost a lot of time in the deep mud, Jim Marsden broke down and had to do the stage with front wheel drive only and many teams were brought back to the camp on the recovery truck. Smiling from ear to ear, the Hertwig-brothers check todays result. They have won the stage in the Extreme Class with their small Suzuki Samurai, on one of the toughest days of this years’ Rallye Breslau Poland! ‘We overtook Franck and Francoise on the plain, and helped to recover Jims’ car when he broke down. It is so much fun to race in the front here! Our car is good, and if we focus and make the right decisions we can compete properly.’ ”The start on the winchwall this morning was magic, coming directly from the trophy scene.’ Martin could not wait to start, ‘it was fantastic, we have the advantage of our weight and winch when it comes to the most difficult stuff.” Also as a co-driver he is not afraid of special solutions, according to his brother. ”Martin climbed in a tree, to connect the cable at 3m height. Otherwise we would have never made it out of the deep swamps today!” Behind the huge Quad category we find two riders, changing places each day. Andreas Brunhold is one of them, a young rider coming from the same region as Breslau-legend Beat Juen. ‘Of course, when I decided to compete here I called him. First he sent me to the gym, to do even more training then I already do. And when he found out I was preparing he helped me with the bike and with the navigation. ‘Today Aidas Bubinas was the fastest on the stage, but we are so close that anything can happen. It is special to be in front, my goal is to ride every day and finish. I still have to do that, but I never expected this. My stepfather raced the Breslau in the past, I grew up with videos and stories of the race, of the swamps and the adventure. And now I am part of it myself!’ ”We keep an eye on Richard Oguez, Bernd Jaeger and of course the white Dacia,” says Ton Stoker, former winner of the truck class. This year he competes with his yellow Desert Warrior in the Cross Country Class, and he is happy with the change. ‘It is super fun in a car, you really have to work, you can drift and fly over the stage!’ Ton is known for being a steady driver, with a strong team around him. ‘But often I am too fast, like on the stage today. 50 Meter left, 80 meter right – you have to slow down to be fast and that can be so difficult!” Tomorrow the Rallye Breslau Poland moves from Drawsko Pomorski to Gwda Wielda, starting in the afternoon with a fast stage on the Polygon and a second special near Czarne. Tomorrows new camp of the Rallye Breslau Poland 2018 has a view: located on one of the most beautiful lakes in the region it is not just a camp but also a place to relax after racing and dive into the fresh and clear water… Results   

De Breslau 500 is gisteren gefinisht. Winnaar bij de auto’s is Frank Stensky (DE) met zijn Mercedes. Ronald Schoolderman legde toch nog beslag op een 5e plaats, ondanks het tijdverlies in de nachtstage. Benny en Sander Dille moesten iets toegeven op de Schoolderman/Blankestijn, en finishten als 7e. Dave Klaassen en Tessa Rooth konden de route in de tweede special van dag drie niet vinden en besloten de special te verlaten, om in ieder geval op tijd aan de laatste special te beginnen, die wel goed verliep. Uiteindelijk finisht het duo als tiende algemeen, waar ze natuurlijk  op meer gehoopt hadden. Eelco Bekker met Erik Ras als navigator naast zich finishten als 14e. Kijk hieronder naar de reactie van Eelco. Uitslagen Breslau 500      

In het weekend van 3 en 4 november wordt er in de omgeving van Borger voor de derde keer de Roompot Baja Borger verreden. Deze wedstrijd wordt eens in de twee jaar georganiseerd en is geliefd bij de deelnemende teams. Tevens is dit de laatste wedstrijd van het eb NK Offroad Racing Series 2018 waardoor er nog een hevige strijd zal zijn om de laatste punten in het kampioenschap. De Stichting Offroad rallysport Noord-Nederland (SONN) organiseert hiermee de meest noordelijke offroad rally van Nederland op een unieke locatie in Drenthe. Er is plaats voor 55 teams en het bivak is traditiegetrouw terug te vinden op het vakantiepark de Roompot Hunzedal in Borger. Tijdens deze derde editie verwacht de organisatie een gevarieerd deelnemersveld met de bekenden namen uit het NK ORR maar ook internationale deelnemers. De wedstrijd gaat over vijf klassementsproeven van in het totaal 260 kilometer. De ondergrond zal variëren van landbouwgrond, smalle bruggetjes, zand, klinkers, asfalt, bospaden en natuurlijk het campingterrein waar iedere dag de showstart zal plaatsvinden. Programma Vrijdag 2 november: Technische keuring en rijdersbriefing Zaterdag 3 november: Showstart, twee klassementsproeven en een avondproef Zondag 4 november: Showstart, twee klassementsproeven en de prijsuitreiking Inschrijven is mogelijk voor T1, T2, Side-by-side en Specials op: www.roompotbajaborger.nl/deelnemers

Vandaag stonden er twee specials op het programma, met een lengte van 110 en 72 kilometer. Hoewel Schoolderman/Blankestijn als tweede auto aan de finish waren, zijn ze teruggevallen naar de zevende plaats in het algemeen klassement. Benny en Sander Dille kenden staan heel knap nog voor hen op een 6e plaats algemeen. Vooral in de eerste proef was de navigatie lastig. Het tweede deel, met veel zandpaden door een militair oefenterrien was sneller. Eelco Bekker moest de eerste proef uit met een kapotte steekas. Met dank aan de serviceploeg van 4×4 Centrum Ermelo kon de race voortgezet worden in de tweede special. Eelco is nu 30e algemeen. Dave Klaasen en Tessa Rooth zijn 15e algemeen, Tom Peetoom en Harry Groeneveld met hun Polaris zijn 33e algemeen. Bij de motoren en quads zijn het de Litouwers die de dienst uitmaken. Beste Nederlander is Rik van den Brink op een 17e plaats met zijn Can-Am quad. Bekijk hier alle standen.        

De Breslau 500 is vandaag van start gegaan met een eerste proef van 67 kilometer. Bij de auto’s finishten Schoolderman / Blankestijn met een 4e tijd. De winst was voor het Duitse duo Weimer / Trautsch met een Mercedes G500. In het gemengde klassement motoren en quads was de Poolse quadrijder Aleksander Piorczynski het allersnelst. De tweede tijd werd gereden door motorrijder Litouer Eugenijus Petruskevicius met een SWM. Verrassend was de 8e tijd van Benny en Sander Dille met hun verbouwde Toyota Landcruiser HZJ 73. Herman Schaeks werd 18e. (Nissan Patrol) Eelco Bekker verloor veel tijd met tripmeter issue’s en reed een 27e tijd. Dave Klaassen legde de Bowler Wildcat op z’n kant, zonder al te veel schade. Maar met een 30e tijd is hij zeker niet tevreden. Tom Peetoom en Harry Groeneboom finishten achter Klaassen met een 31e tijd in hun Polaris. Bekijk hier alle resultaten    

Vandaag vond in Dretyn (Polen) de technische keuring plaats van de Breslau Rallye en de Breslau 500. De Breslau 500 is een nieuw evenement, op de kalender gekomen als vervanging van de Duitse Baja 300 die niet meer verreden kan worden. Aan de start van de Breslau 500 staan diverse Nederlandse equipes. Morgen gaat de Breslau 500 van start met een 132 kilometer lange proef, en slechts 4 kilometer verbinding. De navigatie zal zeer uitdagend zijn met veel korte tussenafstanden in het roadbook. Een van de favorieten voor de overwinning is Ronald Schoolderman van het 4×4 Centrum Ermelo Rallyteam: Bekijk hier de planning van de Baja 500 met de diverse etappes. Interessant wordt ook de nachtspecial van zaterdag op zondag. In totaal zo’n 550 kilometer proef waar alles inzit wat rally-raid zo leuk maakt! Schema Breslau 500

De Rally van Albanië is afgelopen zaterdag gefinisht. Het leek een zekere overwinning te gaan worden voor Slowaak Boris Vlha, die vanaf de eerste dag aan de leiding ging. Maar op de voorlaatste special ging het toch nog mis, en pakte Ferdinand Kreidl (AUT) de overwinning bij de motoren. Beste Nederlander was Jonathan Velema met een fraaie 5e plaats.  Jonathan Velema: ,,De laatste twee dagen hoopte ik wat tijd goed te maken om nog 4e algemeen te worden. Maar die laatste special was zo snel, dat de verschillen erg klein waren. Met een 3e tijd had ik 36 seconden goed gemaakt, maar t was niet genoeg. Maar vijfde algemeen is geen slechte klassering. Boris Vlha is een ravijn in gereden, op vrijdag. In de eerste special was t het een beetje lastig met navigeren, en toen ik aan het zoeken was kwam Cosentino me tegemoet gereden en wist ik dat het ok was. In de tweede special kwam Boris me na twee kilometer voorbij. Later zag ik hem in een ravijn staan, een meter of tien diep. Het was erg smal daar, het ging voor mij ook net goed. Boris heeft geprobeerd een uitgang te vinden, maar dat was zo moeilijk dat hij de organisatie om hulp vroeg. Toen hij er eindelijk uit was en het duurde zo lang voor hij weer boven was dat hij opgaf. Dit jaar was hij buitengewoon snel, maar net als in voorgaande edities maaktte hij toch weer een fout die hem z’n resultaat kostte. ” Bij de auto’s waren de drie eerste plaatsen voor een SSV. Maurice Ubachs is op een nette 5e plaats gefinisht.  Top drie motoren plus de Nederlanders 1. Ferdinand Kreidl2. Marco Borsi3. Andrea Cosentino5. Jonathan Velema23. Ron Bruin28. Peter Groneschild (winnaar quads) 30. Alex Bogerd (2e plaats quads) 32. Bas Rek46. Simon Schimmel65. Guido Drooghaag (3e plaats quads) 67. Alfred van Gelder Uitslag laatste specialOverall klassement [widgetkit id=”279″]

et zijn lange dagen in Albanië. De marathonetappe zit er inmiddels op en de deelnemers maken zich op voor de langste dag van de rally op vrijdag die 420 kilometer lang is. In de uitslagen  (bijgewerkt t/m dag 3) staat Boris Vlha nog steeds aan de leiding bij de motoren. Beste Nederlander is Jonathan Velema op een 8e plaats, ondanks het feit dat hij zeven minuten verloor. Gisteren, met een betrekkelijk snelle dag, reed hij knap de 2e tijd!   Ron Bruin vinden we terug op de 33e plaats, Bas Rek is 37e, Simon Schimmel 46e, Alfred van Gelder 60e.  De eerste quad vinden we op plek 57 in het gecombineerde klassement met de motoren. Peter Groneschild gaat comfortabel aan de leiding. Albanië is altijd erg zwaar voor het materiaal, zeker voor de quads die vooral op de stenen toch wat kwetsbaarder zijn. Bij de auto’s is Maurice Ubachs netjes 5e, al is de achterstand naar de eerste drie aanzienlijk.  Jonathan Velema: ,,Het was best een snelle etappe vandaag, waarbij de verschillen niet heel groot worden. Maar wel weer gewoon 300 kilometer, en dat voel je toch. Ik ben uiteindelijk als 2e gefinisht, dus voor mij was het een prima dag. Iedere dag starten we vroeg, en dat is toch iets wat veel energie kost. We zijn één keer om half negen gestart, de andere dagen om 7 uur. Vrijdag rijden we terug naar Tirana. Deze etappe is niet 500 kilometer lang, zoals vermeld staat, maar 420, met drie specials erin.” In die lange etappe naar Tirana kan er nog van alles gebeuren. Snelle stukken afgewisseld met hele technische maken dit tot een hele mooie maar zware dag.  De standen [widgetkit id=”278″]

Following the cancellation of the last timed section (9) of 2018 Taklimakan Rally, the standings edited after stage 8 were approved today by the Race Director.  Han Wei / Liao Min (Geely) and Armand Monleón (KTM) are the 2018 Taklimakan Rally winners. 59 cars/trucks et 11 bikes/ATVs have completed the 4765,16 kilometers of the rally designed in the Xinjiang province, in the far West of People’s Republic of China. The strong heats felt during the eight days of race, especially in the cross of Taklamakan desert, have pushed competitors and vehicles to the limits. Han Wei claims his third Taklimakan Rally victory after the 2015 and 2016 editions. With his co-driver Liao Min, the driver-manufacturer, owner of Han Wei Motorsport, formed the most consistant crew in winning four stage victories. The top 3 of car category is completed with Lu Binglong / Sha He (BAIC) ranking second, and Christian Lavieille / Jean-Pierre Garcin (BAIC), third. The French crew have done a steady race but they may regret the time lost following a light roll over in stage 1. Geely Auto Coopertires and Run Racing Motorsports went into an intense battle during the eight timed section raced. These two teams placed seven cars in the top 10 of the overall standing. Rémy Vauthier and Jean Brucy finished their first Taklimakan Rally at the fourty first position. It was not the main point for the crew of the Optimus buggy. Day after day, they enjoyed the amazing sceneries of the Xinjiang province. In the bike category, Armand Monleón, already twice titleholder, wins one more trophy. After a difficult beginning, the Spanish rider reacted swiftly to finally dominate the others riders. 2018 Taklimakan Rally is a complete success for Daming KTMR2R Rally team since three bikes of the team are in the top 3. Zhang Min is in second position followed by Zhao Hongyi. Pablo Pascual and Eric Schiano, Zongshen teammates, finished fourth and fifth, in spite of a motorbike still in development but very reliable. The Argentinian rider wins even stage 7 while Eric Schiano grabs an encouraging top 5 for his first cross-country rally in China. Final overall classification 2018 Taklimakan Rally / Car 1. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, 23h53’09’’2. Lu Binglong (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC, + 2’23’’4. Zi Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 16’38’’5. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Hongyu Pan (CHN), BAIC, + 22’50’’41. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus, + 99h5’01’’ Final overall classification 2018 Taklimakan Rally / Motorbike 1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 25h14’41’’ 2. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 1h33’33’’3. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 1h47’38’’4. Pablo Pascual (ARG), Zongshen, + 2h28’21’’5. Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 4h56’18’’    

The last timed section (9) of 2018 Taklimakan Rally, initially planned to be tomorrow, was cancelled by the organization. The standings will only be approved at the end of  the rally by the Race Director. Barring surprises, Han Wei / Liao Min (Geely) and Armand Monleón (KTM) should claim 2018 Taklimakan Rally victory. Stage 8: CHANGJI > CHANGJI : 595,15 km | Liaison : 164,38 km | SS : 375,29 km | Liaison : 55,48 km Stage 8, 595,15 kilometers long, was designed as a loop around Changji. Competitors have crossed the Gurbantunggut desert where they faced small dunes crossing and gravel tracks. The timed section, 375,29 km long, was competed in a very high pace, an average speed of 123 kmh for the best cars. In being fifteen minutes quicker than Han Wei / Liao Min (Geely), only fifth, the Chinese crew of BAIC Lu Binglong / Sha He is getting closer in the overall standing. The third position of the day is for the French duo Christian Lavieille / Jean-Pierre Garcin (BAIC), third in the overall as well. The loser of this final round is the crew Zi Yungang / Wang Zengrong (Geely), second this morning. The teammates of Han Wei and Liao Min in Geely Auto Coopetires abandoned all hope for a win of Taklimakan Rally because of a roll-over luckily without gravity. The goal this morning for the Daming KTMR2R Rally team was to keep its one-two-three position in the overall standing. Armand Monleón, Zhang Min and Zhao Hongyi decided to ride together during the whole stage in order to be more reactive in case of problems. This team strategy of the KTM motorbikes was benefic for Pablo Pascual (Zongshen) who grabs the victory of the stage. The Argentinian rider is still fourth of the overall, before Eric Schiano who will finish the race in the Top 5. Competitors will join Ürümqi tomorrow morning by the road where the winners of each category will officially be celebrated. 

De Rally Albania is goed onderweg na een lange dag. De deelnemers moesten 2 specials rijden, de dag was met in totaal 360 kilometer de op één na langste dag van de rally(in kilometers). Bij de motoren gaat Boris Vlha nog steeds aan de leiding. Jonathan Velema had een goede dag. Na een 8e tijd rukt hij op naar een 6e plaats algemeen.  Simon Schimmel noemde het ‘bijna extreme enduro’ vandaag. Met veel technische klimmen en grote rotsblokken. Ron Bruin doet ook lekker mee, hij is 17e algemeen nu. Belg Martin Fontyn is knap 25e met een zware KTM LC8, een uitdaging om deze motor voor de Rally Albania te pakken. Hij gaat aan de leiding in het 2-cilinder klassement. Peter Groneschild was weer het rapst bij de quads en staat 27e in het gecombineerde motoren en quads klassement.  In het SSV en 4×4 klassement is Maurice Ubachs nu 6e algemeen, met de Hilux.  Algemeen klassement Morgen het eerste deel van de marathon etappe, die maar liefst 420 kilometer lang is met een moeilijke klim van maar liefst zes kilometer. Voor een aantal gaat het weer een hele lange dag worden op de Albanese stenen.  

After taking advantage of a second rest day in Hami, 2018 Taklimakan Rally competitors headed North of Xinjiang province toward Changji, a city close to Mongolian border. The leaders of the overall classification, Han Wei/Liao Min (Geely) in cars and Armand Monleón (KTM) in motorbikes, were the fastest in this transition stage. Upon further deliberation, the stewards have decided the cancellation of the 30’ penalties imposed to the crews Christian Lavieille/Jean-Pierre Garcin (BAIC), Lu Binglong/Sha He (BAIC) and Liu Kun/Wu Dajun (Geely) after stage 6. The short selective section of the day, 103,26 kilometers long, proposed a kind of field the competitors did not encounter yet. Steppes surrounded by mountains and narrow tracks of the North of Xinjiang province have replaced the dunes and sandy tracks of the East of the area. These stony and broken tracks have resulted in many tire punctures especially in car category. The duo Han Wei/Liao Min (Geely) continues to increase his leadership in winning his fourth victory in the 2018 Taklimakan Rally. The crew of the yellow buggy #105 shows that it will be very difficult to take them out the first place of the overall ranking. Christian Lavieille and Jean-Pierre Garcin (BAIC) finished second even though they got stuck in the dust of the other cars during more than twenty kilometers. The French duo is now third in the overall ranking thanks to the cancellation of his penalty. The second buggy Zi Yungang / Wang Zengrong (Geely) is still second after achieving once again a very good performance in finishing third of the stage.  The eighth and penultimate stage of 2018 Taklimakan Rally will take place tomorrow on Tuesday June 12th. Competitors will compete in a timed section of 375,29 kilometers long designed as a loop around Changji. Competitors will cross the Gurbantunggut desert in a very fast stage with some crossing dunes. 68 cars/trucks and 13 bikes/ATVs are still in the race to reach Ürümqi on June 13th. Provisional classification of stage 7 / Car 1. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, 1h14’32’’2. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, + 5’’3. Zi Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 1’07’’4. Niu Bandin (CHN) / Fang Mingji (CHN), SMG, + 1’07’’5. Zhong Lei (CHN) / Li Gand (CHN), Buggy, + 1’40’’14. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus + 11’51’’ Provisional overall classification after stage 7 / Car  1. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, 20h35’26’’2. Zi Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 9’04’’3. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, + 11’38’’4. Lu Binglong (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC, + 16’52’’5. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Hongyu Pan (CHN), BAIC, + 23’30’’42. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus, + 98h49’34’’ Provisional classification of stage 7 / Motorbike 1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 1h27’00’’2. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 4’33’’3. Wang Yun (CHN), Husqvarna, + 7’23’’4. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 11’03’’5. Pablo Pascual (ARG), Zongshen, + 13’14’’8. Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 30’31’’  Provisional overall classification after stage 7 / Motorbike 1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 25h14’41’’2. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 1h35’13’’3. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 1h53’00’’5. Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 4h33’07’’

Op zondag 10 juni is de Rally Albania van start gegaan met de eerste special. Met meteen een mooi resultaat voor Maurice Ubachs die een 2e tijd reed bij de auto’s. Peter Groneschild was de snelste man bij de quads, en Jonathan Velema was beste Nederlander bij de motoren met een 7e tijd.  In de  motorcategorie was de winst voor Slowaak Boris Vlha. De winnaar van vorig jaar, Andrea Cosentino(IT), verloor tien minuten door een navigatiefout. Simion Schimmel: ,,Het was een mooi dagje om er in te komen. De special was zeker in de bossen glad door de recent gevallen regen. Veel stenen en op sommige stukken was het pad erg smal, en dan weer breed. Ik ben in het midden van het veld gefinisht.” Andere Nederlanders in de rally zijn o.a. Ron Bruin, Bas Rek, Alfred van Gelder bij de motoren, en Alex Bogerd en Guido Drooghaag bij de quads.  Op maandag een loopstage van 332 kilometer. En wie Albanië een klein beetje kent, weet dat dat veel kilometers zijn. Er staan twee specials op het programma, en de maximale tijd is 14 uur. Dat belooft dus nog wat!  Uitslag dag 1 [widgetkit id=”277″]  

Vandaag gaat in Tirana de Rally Albania van start. Na de openingsceremonie beginnen de deelnemers aan een proloog van 160 kilometer die de deelnemers naar het bivak brengt in het noodoostelijker gelegen Dibër. Bij de motoren behoort Jonathan Velema tot de kanshebbers op een goed resultaat. Dagelijks zal Simon Schimmel voor ons een update verzorgen en vertellen hoe de rally verloopt. In de autocategorie is Maurice Ubachs van de partij die zich zeker zal willen meten met de snelle lokale rijders die een risico’tje niet schuwen op de snelle paden met heel veel stenen en soms diepe afgronden…  De (helaas niet actuele) startlijst

Competitors of 2018 Taklimakan Rally have raced today the longest stage of the rally (637,89 kilometers) around Hami. While the crew Han Wei / Liao Min (Geely) won the stage, three of its main rivals received a 30 minutes penalty. Zhang Min won a shortened stage in motorbike category. STAGE 6 : HAMI > HAMI : 637,89 km Liaison : 54,12 km | SS : 491,15 km | Liaison : 92,62 km After a stage 5 raced under a strong heat, exhausting for the bodies, the organization of Taklimakan Rally has decided to reduce the lenght of the two wheel’s stage. Therefore, the riders finished the stage at CP2, kilometers 203, while the racing cars raced the 491,15 kilometers as planned. Stage 6 of 2018 Taklimakan Rally has completely changed the overall standing in car category. The stewards have penalized three crews to have missed a way-point at kilometers 438. Another thirty minutes were therefore added to the race time of Christian Lavieille / Jean-Pierre Garcin (BAIC), Lu Bungling / Sha He (BAIC) and Liu Kun / Wu Dajun (Geely). The day was productive for the crew Han Wei / Liao Min (Geely) who won its third victory in 2018 Taklimalan Rally. The yellow buggy #105 is the new leader of the overall ranking before the #103 Zi Yungang/Wang Zengrong, its teamate in Geely Auto Coopertires team. The three BAIC led by Liu Yangui / Hongyu Pan, Lu Bungling / Sha He and Christian Lavieille / Jean-Pierre Garcin are now fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. In the bike category, Zhang Min (KTM) won the stage followed by Armand Monleón. The teamates of KTMR2R Rally team rode together during a big portion of the stage. Now leading the race with a large gap, the Spanish rider adapted his riding and did not take any risk. Thanks to his victory today, Zhang Min increases the gap with Zhao Hongyi in the overall classification. The fight for the second rank is still intense. The two riders are separated by around ten minutes. Provisional classification of stage 6 / Car 1. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, 4h29’29’’2. Zi Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 2’52’’3. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Hongyu Pan (CHN), BAIC, + 4’00’’4. Niu Bandin (CHN) / Fang Mingji (CHN), SMG, + 12’53’’5. Xu Aili (CHN) / Fu Xinming (CHN), Buggy, 16’54’’9. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, + 35’14’’ (30’ penalty)11. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus + 37’33’’|2. Lu Binglong (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC,  + 38’31 (30’ penalty) Provisional overall classification after stage 6 / Car 1. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, 19h20’54’’2. Zi Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 7’57’’3. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Hongyu Pan (CHN), BAIC, + 21’04’’4. Lu Binglong (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC, + 37’00’’5. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, + 41’33’’44. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus, + 98h37’43’’ Provisional classification of stage 6 / Motorbike 1. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, 2h21’48’’2. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, + 1’58’’3. Pablo Pascual (ARG), Zongshen, + 8’44’’4. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 10’36’’5. Wang Yun (CHN), Husqvarna, + 13’06’’6. Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 13’47’’ Provisional overall classification after stage 6 / Motorbike 1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 23h47’41’’2. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 1h30’40’’3. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 1h41’57’’4. Pablo Pascual (ARG), Zongshen, + 2h24’36’’5. Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 4h02’36’’

Stage 5 of 2018 Taklimakan Rally proposed a selective section of 323,08 kilometers long designed around Hami. The chinese crew Binglong Lu/He Sha (BAIC) reached the top of the overall classification. Differences are small in car category while five stages have already been completed out of the nine planned. Armand Monleón on his KTM increased the gap with his main rivals by winning his second victory in a row. STAGE 5 : HAMI > HAMI : 512,12 km  Liaison : 86,65 km | SS : 323,08 km | Liaison : 102,39 km The previous night was short for 2018 Taklimakan Rally competitors. The current high heat in the Hami area forced the organizer to change the schedule of the day. Therefore, the first bike left the bivouac at 5AM and the first car at 6.20AM. Competitors faced dunes crossing, fast tracks and still a very precise navigation. Taking advantage of its sixth rank this morning in the starting order, the chinese crew of BAIC team Binglong Lu/He Sha was the fastest today and grabbed the first rank of the overall classification. Liu Kun/Wu Dajun, first car of Geely Auto Coopertires team, finished second before Christian Lavieille/Jean-Pierre Garcin. Every day in the firsts ranks, but not winner yet, the French duo will have a terrific shot tomorrow since it will start third. The former leaders Han Wei/Liao Min had to open the route after their yesterday’s victory. They suffered  and finished fifth of the day. In the overall classification, the gaps are narrows. The four firsts are separated of only eight minutes. After a bad perfomance during the first part of the rally, Armand Monleón grabs his second victory in a row in riding alone during the whole stage. The Spanish rider reinforces his leadership position in the overall classification. The fight for the second rank is intense between Zhang Min and Zhao Hongyi, separated by less than one minute. The two Zongshen riders, Pablo Pascual and Eric Schiano are still in the right places, fourth and sixth respectively. Saturday June 9th competitors will complete the longest stage of 2018 Taklimakan Rally, 637,99 kilometers long including 491,15 kilometers in selective section. This very long stage might increase the gaps between the contenders to the final victory of car classification. Live from the Hami Bivouac Cars Christian Lavieille (FRA/BAIC) | 3rd of stage 5 / 4th of overall ,,We started fourth this morning and we lost time behind the Toyota of Chen Feng because of the fesh dust. We catch up our teamates Binglong Lu and Han Wei. We overtook them in the dunes. Navigation was not easy, and it was hard to create gaps. We drove then 70 kilometers ahead. Things was a bit easier for other competitors thanks to our traces. We are now getting closer in the overall classification. We will start third tomorrow. It’s a good position because the stage will be long.” Rémy Vauthier (CH/Optimus) | 17th of stage 5 / 47th of overall ,,Temperature was a bit fresher today, roughly 45°C ! Actually it is not unpleasant. The stage was very beautiful with so high dunes that we have the feeling we cannot climb it. So steep that we are impressed by the downhill. Navigation was quite tricky and we got lost a bit as in a real cross-country rally” Bikes Armand Monleón (ESP / KTM) | 1st of stage 5 / 1st of overall ,,I rode alone all day long. It was a  physical stage with few tricky windows. I rode in a good pace, not taking any risk but always in high speed. I took good navigation decisions and I had fun on the fast tracks. Now it’s time to rest a bit because tomorrow will be a long day.” Eric Schiano (FRA/Zongshen) | 9th of stage 5 / 6th of overall,,Long and hot day! The stage was varied: bumpy portions, not very easy crossing dunes and fast tracks in closing. My goal was to pace myself. I will now prepare the road-book assiduously and try to get some sleep.” Provisional classification of stage 5 / car 1. Lu Binglong (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC, 3h08’39’’2. Liu Kun (CHN) / Wu Dajun (CHN), Geely, + 18’’3. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, + 5’11’’4. Zi Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 6’20’’5. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, + 6’26’’17. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus + 42’15’’  Provisional overall classification after stage 5 / car 1. Lu Binglong (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC, 14h49’57’’2. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, + 1’28’’3. Zi Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 6’33’4. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, + 7’47’’5. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Hongyu Pan (CHN), BAIC, + 18’32’’47. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus, + 98h01’38’’ Provisional classification of stage 5 / motorbike 1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 4h14’25’’2. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 23’12’’3. Zhaker Yakefu (CHN), KTM, + 26’27’’4. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 27’43’’5. Pablo Pascual (ARG), Zongshen, + 42’51’’9  Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 1h09’59’’ >Provisional overall classification after stage 5 / motorbikes 1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 21h23’55’’2. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 1h32’38’’3. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 1h33’19’’4. Pablo Pascual (ARG), Zongshen, + 2h18’50’’5. Zhaker Yakefu (CHN), KTM, + 3h29’00’’6. Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 3h51’47’’

Concocted for “top competitors” to continue their preparation but also for amateurs who want to experience the “Dakar spirit”, the 3rd edition of the Dakar Series Desafío Inca will be held from September 14-16 in Peru, which will also host the next edition of the Dakar. A Golden opportunity to toughen up and contribute to the emergence of new competitors in a country that adores rally-raid.  Key points:  – The Dakar Series Desafío Inca will be the 3rd Dakar Series event of the year and will be held from September 14-16.  – It will be a unique opportunity to toughen up ahead of the next Dakar that will be contested entirely in Peru in January 2019.  – Enter on www.desafioinca.com  The countdown has begun. In less than eight months, next January, hundreds of competitors will start edition 41 of the Dakar that will be a ten-stage rally in the heart of Peru. Several competitors will participate in the Dakar Series Desafío Inca in September to fine-tune their preparation and get some valuable time in the dunes, and sandy Peruvian sectors.  Ideal conditions and extraordinary panoramic views The three-stage race will be an opportunity for the “top competitors” to fine-tune their set-ups on their machines and get acclimated to the conditions they will face on the Dakar. In addition to the extraordinary panoramic views – the Dakar Series Desafío Inca will be held in the Ica region, which is bordered by the Pacific Ocean – the competitors and assistance teams will benefit from a stationary bivouac, which will offer them an ideal setting for multiple exchanges and completing their preparation.  Alongside the “top competitors”, amateurs from the five Dakar categories (car, motorcycle, quad, Side by Side and truck) will get a chance to experience “the Dakar spirit”. An initiation held in the best possible conditions. The Dakar organiser will offer its experience in terms of organisation, logistics as well as constant support to these competitors.  Following in the paths of Hernández and Fuchs  The third running of the Dakar Series Desafío Inca (after the 2013 and 2014 editions) will be the final Dakar Series event after the Afriquia Merzouga Rally, held in Morocco last April and the Desafío Ruta 40 that will be contested in Argentina from August 25-31.  Prior to the 2019 Dakar, which will be run exclusively in Peru, the Dakar Series Desafío Inca has what it needs to seduce the numerous Peruvian competitors who also aspire to compete in the toughest rally-raid in the world. Like their compatriots, quad rider Alexis Hernández, who finished 5th last time out on the Dakar and rally driver Nicolás Fuchs who is a regular in WRC2 and who finished 12th in his first participation in the Dakar, there are many who want to represent the Peruvian colours.

Han Wei/Liao Min in car, and Armand Monleón in bike category are the main winners of the fourth stage of 2018 Taklimakan Rally. The new leaders of the overall classification have perfectly managed a very tricky stage.  STAGE 4 : SHANSHAN > HAMI : 454,91 km   Liaison : 82,86 km | SS : 301,72 km | Liaison : 70,33 km Stage 4 of 2018 Taklimakan Rally between Shanshan and Hami, 454,91 kilometers long, did not propose any dunes crossing unlike the three last racing days. However, difficulty remained high despite the lack of sand. The field of this selective section was covered of an incalculable number of tracks and change of ways. The route was very hard to read even for the most experienced navigators. Under an extreme heat, usual in Xinjiang province in this period of the year, the crew Han Wei/Liao Min performed the best. With victory in stage 4, the leading car of the Geely Auto Coopertires team grabs the first rank in the car overall classification. The yellow buggy #105 claims its second victory in 2018 Taklimakan Rally. It finished ahead of its nearest competitor, the first BAIC car of Liu Yangui/Hongyu Pan, despite its stage 3 misfortune, and the Toyota Hilux of Chen Feng/Wang Yicheng which complete the podium of the day. The French duo Christian Lavieille/Jean-Pierre Garcin, fourth of the stage and fourth of overall, stays on the lookout and gains time from most of his main rivals, even though they had to open the route during a big portion of the stage. In contrast, the day was way more difficult for the second European duo of the Keepower team, Rémy Vauthier and Jean Brucy, who did not achieve to reach the finish line in the limited time. In the motorbike category, Armand Monleón let his rivals to open the route from the first part of the selective section. While the other riders was trying to find the right way, the titledolher pushed hard to reduce the gap he collected since the start of the race in Ürümqi. The operation is excellent for the Spanish rider since he is becoming the new leader of the 2018 Taklimakan Rally after stage 4.  He has now a comfortable lead on his two main rivals, the Chinese riders Hongyi Zhao and Zhang Min. The Zongshen riders, Pablo Pascual and Eric Schiano, are now fourth and fifth in the overall classification. On Friday June 8th, competitors of 2018 Taklimakan Rally will compete in the first of the two loops planned around Hami, 512,2 kilometers long. The Dunes will already be back for stage 5.  Live from the bivouac in Hami (Xinjiang China Cars Han Wei (CHN/Geely) | 1st in stage 4 / 1st in overall ,,Today’s stage was pretty tricky, it was easy to make mistakes, We managed to finish with another stage win, and we are also back on top in the overall classification now. We have to stay focused. 2018 Taklimakan Rally is a long race. Everything can happen.” Christian Lavieille (FRA/BAIC) | 4th of stage 4 / 4th of overall,,A very nice stage with very hard navigation today. The stage had plenty change of tracks! We had to stay focused. Jean-Pierre did a great job. We lost roughly 3 minutes to find the right track 20 kilometers before the finish line, it seems the other cars did the same mistake than us. Our goal was to be faster than the firsts in the overall classification. We will start 4th tomorrow. We will do our best to have a good day and get out first of the stage.” Rémy Vauthier (CH/Optimus) | 66th of stage 4 / 49th of overall,,I thought there were only dunes in China ! We were warned during the briefing that the temperature was going to be very high, roughly 70°C ! Conditions are very difficult, but we love that ! At kilometers 100, the car finished on the roof because of a hole I did not see. We are OK. There are only material damages. We finished the stage, but ouf of the limited time. We  got the time penalty. It’s not the end of the world, we will try to negociate as much as we can the next stages.” Bikes Armand Monleón (ESP / KTM) | 1st of stage 4 / 1st of overall,,I finally did a stage without any problem! I started 5th this morning, and I took advantage of my position on the track to observe the other riders. I followed them, until they made a mistake in a oued. I took the right track, and then I pushed hard. The stage was very physical. All the job I have done these last weeks makes perfect sense in this kind of stage. I think I did the right thing today.” Zhang Min (CHN/KTM) | 8th of stage 4 / 3rd of overall,,Stage 4 has been very challenging. I made a mistake on kilometers 57, and got lost. It costs me one hour to get back on the right track. It’s good that I made it to the finish today.” Eric Schiano (FRA/Zongshen) | 12th of stage 4 / 5th of overall,,A very hard stage today. I got lost at kilometers 60, it costs me roughly 30 minutes. I had decided to ride slowly today anyway. Some days things are going well, some others everything is a bit harder. I’m in a good shape. My motorbike is fine. Tomorrow will be another day.” Provisional classification of stage 4 / car  1. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, 3h14’22’’2. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Hongyu Pan (CHN), BAIC, + 16’’3. Chen Feng (CHN) / Wang Yicheng (CHN), Toyota, + 1’20’’4. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, + 1’23’’5. Liu Kun (CHN) / Wu Dajun (CHN), Geely, + 5’22’’66. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus + 100h0’0’’ Overall provisional classification after stage 4 / car  1. Han Wei (CHN) / Liao Min (CHN), Geely, 11h36’20’’2. Lu Binglong (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC, + 4’58’’3. Zi Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 6’20’’4. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, + 12’20’’5. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Hongyu Pan (CHN), BAIC, + 13’47’’49. Rémy Vauthier (CH) / Jean Brucy (FRA), Optimus, + 108h59’44’’ Provisional classification of stage 4 / bikes  1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 3h53’36’’2. Zhaker Yakefu (CHN), KTM, + 43’19’’3. Shi Yong (CHN), KTM, + 49’16’’4. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 52’40’’5. Dem Jiang (CHN), Yamaha, + 1h08’28’’11. Pablo Pascual (ARG), Zongshen, + 1h54’03’’12. Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 2h02’21’’ Overall provisional classification after stage 4 / bikes 1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 17h09’30’’2. Zhao Hongyi (CHN), KTM,  + 1h03’44’’3. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 1h19’24’’4. Pablo Pascual (ARG), Zongshen, + 1h38’30’’5. Eric Schiano (FRA), Zongshen, + 2h49’48’’