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Total
Pharaons Rally 2006 Special-Newssection
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This is the single-news section of the
marathonrally.com rally-live special of the Total Pharaons
Rally 2006. To see all news please use the link under the
article or navigate with the left main-navigation.
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Pharaons 2006: Hard fights between Shmakov and Monterde
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Divided in two acts, the great scene of the day returning to Baharija did not change anything to the general classification of the 9th edition of the Pharaons International Rally. This stage of transition, divided into two distinctive specials, saw the triumph of Marc Coma (KTM) in bikes and of the Russian Shmakov (Buggy Zil) in cars. If the Spanish pilot is reinforcing his advance in the general standing, the leader of the FIA Cross-Country World Cup only won few seconds upon the Spaniard Monterde (BMW X5), still strongly attached to the head of the cars general ranking. But from tomorrow, the caravan is rushing forward to the oasis of Siwa for two stages, which are promising spectacular development.
"The one who starts behind finishes first"! This adage has been perfectly respected in the bikes category during this fourth stage of the 9th Pharaons Rally. Positioned second yesterday, it is David Casteu (KTM), who started the second timed special of the stage in the first position, after having overtaken Carlo De Gavardo (KTM) in the first one. Leaving its main opponents fighting together, Marc Coma (KTM), leader of the rally since the second stage, spent the complete day resting on one’s laurels, while developing the team strategy with his faithful team-mate Jordi Viladoms. For the cumulated time of the two specials of the day - that is the Catalan, who realises the best operation in front of his colleague - accentuating his advantage in the general standing. Third of the cumulated stage ranking, David Casteu (KTM) is climbing slowly but surely toward the top positions, by obtaining the 6th position in the general classification, 37 minutes behind the Brazilian De Azevedo (5th). Quiet day also for the Chilean Francisco Lopez (Honda 450), who, despite of a first part made of extremely soft sand, managed to take benefit of a more technical second round to place his bike just behind the top pilots with their bigger engines. Tonight, for the first come-back to Baharija after for days of race, ‘Chaleco’ has a comfortable advance of 1h30 on Oscar Polli (KTM), his closest opponent in the 450cc category. Still in the same category, we have to mention that the French-Uruguayan Laurent Lazard (KTM), victim of carburetion problems in the second special of the stage, had to concede a lot of time and joined the bivouac late in the afternoon.
In cars, the competition is still raging for the head of the category. After having suffered the rule of the BMW from Jose Luis Monterde during the two previous days, Sergej Shmakov (Buggy Zil) took benefit of this stage to impose himself again. The fastest of the two timed specials, the Russian driver took finally two minutes back to the leader. But the Moscow-based pilot, now pointing at less than fifteen minutes from the Spanish leader and whose buggy’s gear-box had to be changed overnight between Thursday and Friday, is determined to increase again his pace during the next two stages. To be also mentioned, the excellent 4th place of the Israeli Yeoshua Heymann Raz (Mitsubishi Pajero), just ahead of Prisca Taruffi (Nissan Navara), who recovered from her adventure from the previous day. Arrived in seventh position, Christian Lavieille and Arnaud Debron (Nissan Pathfinder) took the best of their car on the sandy track. In T2 category, dedicated to the production cars, the duo from the Team Dessoude Nissan France is earning again ten good minutes to the Mercedes ML from Jean-Pascal Besson and get its ticket to the top 5 of the category.
Still far ahead in the trucks category, Giacomo Vismara and his impressing Iveco imposed himself again in the middle of the cars race. Started in 5th position this morning, the ‘giant’ of the track signed today the 8th time of the scratch, corresponding to his position in the cumulated general classification.
2006/10/06 | 15:37 CET | Editor: Pharaons Live-Team/Edoardo Bauer
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