Winning today the 5th streak run between Ras El Oued and Tozeur, Elisabete Jacinto, driving a MAN TGS, goes on excelling during the 30th edition of the Tunisian Rally, third competition included in the Cross-Country World Cup. The Portuguese driving the MAN TGS from Team Oleoban / MAN Portugal spent 3h47m52s running the 295 kilometres of the selective sector, 2h14m12s less than the runner-up truck; therefore she had her fourth victory in a row.
With the Belgian Charly Gotlib and the Portuguese Marco Cochinho as her teammates, Elisabete Jacinto suffered however from an injured thumb during part of the streak, since she hit it hard on the steering wheel.
“I am already used to this happening to me in such technical streaks. There is a lot to be done with the steering wheel, and the reactions are sometimes violent. It hurts, but that may be overcome, and the fact that everything went on well with the race was an added incentive. Our MAN remains faultless. Charly’s navigation was excellent during a streak which was not in the least easy, and the outcome was very positive”, stresses Elisabete Jacinto.
Tomorrow takes place the last streak, named Grand Prix, with different courses for motorcycles and cars/trucks in a 60km circuit to be followed twice. There is a podium at the finishing line and closed parking in the bivouac. At the end of the day, people go back to their hotels, and there is a surprise party to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Rallye Oiliibya de Tunisie!
Car/Truck Streak Classification
1st Novitskiy/Schulz (BMW), in 2h56m34s; 2nd Roma/Perin (BMW), with 2m24s more; 3rd Schlesser/Zhiltsov (Buggy), with 13m40s more; 4th Garafulic/Lichtleuchter (BMW), with 28m44s more; 5th Tonetti/Lurquin (Nissan), with 29m44s more; 6th Zapletal/Ourednicek (BMW), with 34m07s more; … 9th Elisabete Jacinto/Charly Gotlib/Marco Cochinho (MAN), 1st among trucks, with 51m18s more.
Car/Truck General Classification
1st Novitskiy/Schulz (BMW), in 11h43m40s; 2nd Schlesser/Zhiltsov (Buggy), with 13m23s more; 3rd Roma/Perin (BMW), with 36m52s more; 4th Zapletal/Ourednicek (BMW), with 1h43m22s more; 5th Tonetti/Lurquin (Nissan), with 3h36m00s; 6th Garafulic/Lichtleuchter (BMW), with 3h52m49s; … 8th Elisabete Jacinto/Charly Gotlib/Marco Cochinho (MAN), 1st among trucks, with 5h30m16s more.
