Almost 300 km between Ouarzazate and Zagora, the first stage of the OiLibya Rally of Morocco has already been eventful. The selective sector has indeed been selective: both champions have already had problems !
This is undoubtedly the image of the day of the first leg in the bike category. While most of the bike squad had already reached the finish, suddenly on the horizon: a strange silhouette appeared, a KTM, that of the French amateur Bruno Bony, carrying two pilots. A closer inspection reveals that’s it’s Marc Coma who’s in control but the machine is registered in the Enduro Cup category! Yep, he broke down 20 km from the finish line, the Catalan champion; triple winner of the Dakar had to hitchhike back. Yet all started well for the Spaniard, pointing far ahead at CP1. If, in absolute terms, the problem is not catastrophic, it’s the rarity of the event only two months of the Dakar …
Bikes: Joan Barreda just as in the baja…
Marc Coma out, the laurels went the young Joan Barreda (Husqvarna 450 No. 12) who took the opportunity to show his technical superiority gained in motocross. The Valencian, last year, won a leg in Egypt before giving up on the second day of the Dakar, on Speedbrain Husqvarna, (born from the ashes of its older sister, BMW). His teammate, the Portuguese Paulo Gonçalves (Husqvarna 450 No. 10) completed the double act of the brand in front of the David Casteu (No. 6), Helder Rodrigues (No. 1) and Olivier Pain (n 9). Sixth, Dutchman Frans Verhoeven proves the Sherco 450 is still cool and ahead of the semi-official KTM Jakub Przygonski (No. 2) and Pal Anders Ullevalseter (No. 5) …
Enduro Cup: Eric Shiano and his Sherco 450 (No. 251) is in front of Thomas Bourgin Husaberg (No. 250), both drivers finishing in the top 15.
First quad to finish was Vincent Albira (Honda 201) followed by the Russian Dmitry Pavlov (Honda 264). Beautiful third place for the pride of Morocco Hicham Choufani (No. 270 Honda), just in front of the French Frédéric Alard (No. 265 Honda).
Cars: Ten Brinke … the surprise guest!
Cleaning the track on a path filled with pitfalls and technical difficulties, the Russian Leonid Novitsky (MINI X-Raid No. 300) was certainly not in the best position to afford himself a stage victory. We rather expected teammate Nani Roma (X-Raid Mini No. 301), at the forefront today. After all he was in the lead halfway then the Spaniard suffered major mechanical problems. It is feared that this Rally is, alas, already over for him.
Good news for the pack of private Mitsubishi Racing Lancers, now in the hands of four Dutch pilots. We waited for Eric Van Loon, the most experienced of them, yet it is Bernhard Ten Brinke (Mitsubishi Racing Lancer No. 305), completely new to Africa, but well navigated by Mathieu Baumel, who signs an unexpected stage win in front of Novitsky and the other Dutch Eric Wevers (Mitsubishi Racing Lancer No. 318), who however, suffered two punctures. Excellent top 6 :the Belgo-Moroccan, Jean-Jacques Radelet (Proto Oscar No. 327) in the wake of the MINI No. 307 of the Portuguese Leal Dos Santos and the BMW X3 # 304 of Chilean Boris Garafulic . Another major victim of the day, Argentina’s Orlando Terranova, in the new Toyota Hilux Pickup No. 302 ended his race in upside down, just before the half way mark. For him too, the OiLibya Rally of Morocco iover…
In the T2 category, reserved for cars similar to the series cars, the Spaniard Xavier Foj (Toyota No. 329) leads the way in front of the Land Cruiser No. 330 of the Frenchman Sandrini.
Trucks Biasion, De Rooy, Jacinto clings on…
In the truck category, the race is well and truly launched! Divided into two distinct areas, this special first saw the IVECO Team De Rooy take the initiative. Finally, it’s the Italian Miki Biasion signing the first scratch of the OiLibya Rally of Morocco, ahead of teammate Gerard De Rooy, who suffered a puncture. But Miki Biasion takes the rap of a penalty of 3 minutes for exceeding the speed limit and ends in second position for this stage. The Portuguese Elisabete Jacinto (man) did not, however, let her guard down. Keeping her main rivals in view, she just gave away a handful of minutes but tomorrow, the sands of the erg Chagaga …
