The Sardegna Rally Race is a true, “live” race. No pauses or moments of uncertain effect acting. The Rally invented by Bike Village is a perfect mix of racing and thriller, in a full cinemascope vision of the wonderful Sardinia island. The first day program includes a “ring” of 325 kilometers between San Teodoro and … San Teodoro, and two Special Stages 70 and 85. The column of mercury is in free climbing and riders impatient, when suddenly the brawl broke out. Throughout the day, the most thankless task, is that it touches the World Champion, Helder Rodrigues, which owes to the difficulty of navigation, what is a crucial role in the Rally in Sardinia. Rodrigues, who is eighth at the end of the first stage, was soon out of the picture. For another reason, in no hurry to go on offense, the Ace of Aces Marc Coma refuses to take the initiative and is happy with his third place as an observer in ambush. It is the hour of surprises, and the first leg of the Rally open to exploitation.
Time for the Hooker. 10 years of Rugby, in the National Youth and A2 series, Alessandro Botturi, 38 years old and a tonnage of the Body Guard, is a gentle giant. No sign of aggression can be read in this face. He is the emblem of the sports gentlemen. Then fifteen years of Enduro, following the primal to his country, in the mountains of Brescia, that is much more than a tradition. Nine Italian titles, two times World Team Champion, and he says proudly, 27 podiums at the World Enduro Championship. When motivation starts to wane, the Colossus of Lumezzane opens a new perspective: the Rally. It came from Renato Ferrari, an architect in Milan, who founded the Bordone-Ferrari Racing Team. History has just a year, and in this short amount of time Botturi debuted in Africa and was the best Rookie of the Dakar. The first victory in the Sardinia Rally Race 2012 Special catapults him forward, and at the end of the first day of competition comes the “historical” launch. Alessandro Botturi won his first stage of a World Rally Championship.
The second place for his team-mate, Jordi Viladoms, and the day is tinged with Blue. The “Senator” and former “water carrier” of Marc Coma has special skills of speed, and the race is congenial to the Catalan, which always manages to express a powerful potential. Twice third, Viladoms managed to contain the fury of Joan Barreda.
Andrea Mancini has fallen at the 50th kilometer of the first special stage. No physical damage but a situation now compromised. Matteo Graziani ends in ninth place, and is good for him who has started beyond the hundredth position. On the other hand, the wall of the three minutes gap is the watershed of dissatisfaction. Stephane Peterhansel, for example, was not into the top ten, and he also had to give way to Manuel Lucchese.
In conclusion, the Sardinia Rally Race has given a demonstration of how to creatively rewrite the script for a World Championship Rally. Today, Alessandro Botturi dismantled the traditional script of the Rally Raid and open a brand new chapter. Joan Barreda has silenced the critics who did not consider his skills as a navigator. Today the phenomena were forced to sell off, for a day at least, the role of protagonist. This atypical development, on the other hand, is a beautiful window on a scenario of surprises and great fight. In any case, the shwo of the Sardegna Rally Race, who now reaches the second stage and the bivouac of the marathon stage at Sa Itria. A spectacular night is also guaranteed.
