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 | Sertoes Rally: Quads and bikes drive the crowd wild in Goiânia.
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The maxim in car racing that says "you can never win a race at the first corner, but you can lose it" also applies to off-road racing, even in a race as long and difficult as the Sertões International Rally. On Tuesday (10), we had the Super Prime, setting the starting order of competitors in the first stage. Throughout the day, about 30 000 people passed by the Flamboyant Shopping Center area to see the machines and riders, which will start this Wednesday, and travel 4486 km from Goiânia (GO) to Fortaleza (CE).
The audience in Goiânia was spectacular. The approximately 15,000 seats on the stands were full to accompany the super prime, which began with the quads around 8 pm. Soon after that, there was time for the bikes. The champion on two wheels in 2001, Thiago Fantozzi (KTM 450) praised the vibration of the crowd.
"The major difference is the energy of the audience watching the prologue. Within the track you can feel the vibration! It’s so cool! Dunas (Race and organizer of Sertões International Rally) is to be congratulated. The atmosphere Dunas created making the Super Prime here in Goiania for the ninth time it really pretty cool. The city embraced the rally," praised the competitor.
The fastest rider on two wheels was Felipe Zanol (Honda 450), which nailed 1min27s10 in the 1200-meter track. "It's my first participation in a rally. I'm used to racing enduro. The prologue track fit well to my riding style and I managed to make a good race. I will focus on navigation, not to get lost in the first day of rally and maintain a good pace," analyzed the competitor.
Among fastest quads in the prologue, was the champion of the class, Robert Naji Nahas (prototype), with a time of 1min31s20. With that score, the riders ensures the honor of being the first to leave for Caldas Novas (GO), at the opening of the ten stages of the 18th edition of the world’s second largest off-road race, behind the legendary Dakar Rally.
Champion of the category in 2007 and first runner-up in the latest edition, Carlo Collet (BRP 800) knows that a rally as long as the Sertões is not won in the prologue. "Of course it is good for the ego, but in a rally as Sertões the decision begins only after the fifth stage. The race has many days and one needs to manage the equipment, the body and mind, especially in the marathon stage. Even getting to the marathon stage 30 minutes behind the leader does not mean anything, because everything can change. I think I did a good race here in Goiânia. My equipment is not ideal for this type of circuit, for being too slow," he said.
The 18th edition of the Sertões Rally started on Tuesday (10), in the Super Prime arena set up in front of the Flamboyant Shopping Center, Goiânia (GO), and will travel 4486 km to the Beach Park in Fortaleza (CE), on August 20. The route this year will be composed by 95% of unedited trails and will have 52.7% of special tests, a record in the history of the race.
Unofficial results of the Super Prime in Bikes Category
01) Felipe Zanol I Honda 450 I 00:01:27
02) Zé Hélio I BMW 450 I 00:01:28
03) Ike Klaumann I Honda 450 I 00:01:29
Unofficial results of the Super Prime in Quads Category
01) Robert Naji Nahas I Prototype I 00:01:31
02) Tom Rosa I Yamaha 450 I 00:01:31
03) Francinei Souza Costa I Yamaha 700 I 00:01:32
2010/08/11 | 22:19 CET | Editor: MR/HS/SERTOES
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