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Orpi Maroc 2006 Special-Newssection
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This is the single-news section of the
marathonrally.com rally-live special of the Orpi Maroc rally 2006.
To see all news please use the link under the article or navigate
with the left main-navigation.
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Orpi Maroc: Nissan pull themselves up to first place in T2
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The Rally Orpi Morocco, fourth round of the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies, got underway this morning. This first leg was based around Erfoud and was divided into two timed stages, 137 km each. This week´s rally will see a much modified route, due to the horrendous storms which hit the south of the country last Saturday.
Christian Lavieille and Arnaud Debron, who suffered a puncture during the first loop, put all their effort into the second loop to eventually claim the lead of the T2 category this evening.
Difficult organisation conditions have left their mark on this edition of the Orpi Morocco rally. The bad weather which devastated the south of Morocco last Saturday, claiming many victims, forced NPO to draw up what is effectively a new route for the rally. Merzouga and its high dunes currently appear to rise up out of a lake, and this sector through the dunes has been cancelled. Working from day to day, the opening teams have been doing an incredible job in order to give the competitors a high-quality route.
Today therefore included two timed stages, separated by a two-hour service park. During the first stage, Christian Lavieille was to suffer a slow puncture, losing around five minutes: "This stage, which we went through twice, was a good warm-up. A real Morocco-style route, with fast sections, rough ground and plenty of changes of direction. We suffered a slow puncture on the first stage, and lost at least five minutes. In the afternoon, the pace was higher. We set the right rhythm from the start to the end. We overtook Isabelle Patissier half-way through, and then we kept up the pace. Going twice through the same route, you can naturally increase the speed, and you have no doubts concerning the navigation. As always, Arnaud did a good job, and I even think he had fun it´s quite obvious that this sort of event is more interesting for the co-driver than Portugal."
Arnaud Debron feels quite at home here: "Here, I feel I can be of some use! I really prefer it when you have to think a bit, and judge the environment in order to find the right track. The conditions are a bit special for this rally, due to the weather which has totally changed everything, and the road-book is a bit less precise than usual. Christian stepped up the pace on the second time through, which has allowed us to take the lead of the category this evening. But the rally is only just starting."
Tomorrow, they will head north towards Aïn Beni Mathar. But the route, which originally followed a series of wadis, will be somewhat topsy-turvy.
2006/05/31 I 23:55 CET I Editor: marathonrally.com/Dessoude
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