Dos Sertoes Rally. 3rd stage
MARC COMA FINISHES IN THIRD POSITION AGAIN AND CLIMBS ONE
PLACE IN THE OVERALL CLASSIFICATION
The Repsol rider is getting back into form by the day and
is now fourth in the overall classification. Jordi Viladoms
also improves and finishes the day fifth
After the end of the third stage the Repsol riders are feeling
more and more comfortable on a terrain that they are not really
used to. Marc Coma finished today`s stage in third position,
a result that means he climbs up to fourth place in the overall
classification and proves that he is recovering his form day
by day after the obligatory rest after picking up an injury
in the Central European Rally.
Photos
Today`s stage, at the beginning a little technical and twisty,
crossed a zone with a lot of vegetation, quite difficult to
cover on such big motorbikes. After that the track got wider
and this allowed the two riders to pick up speed. In these
circumtances, Jordi Viladoms was able to improve. The Repsol
rider fitted “mousse” type tyres and these did
not give him any problems, allowing him to concentrate on
riding. Moreover, Viladoms was helped at the beginning of
the stage because the rider in front him made a mistake and
he was able to overtake him without losing time.
Tomorrow sees one of the toughest stages of the current Rally
Dos Sertoes, 480 timed kilometres between Niquelandia and
Parana. This will be a marathon stage, so in addition to the
tough test at the end of the stage there is no assistance.
Quotes
Marc Coma >>
“Today everything went well and even though I finished
third again I have climbed in the overall classification.
Now I am fourth. Today`s stage was quite long. At the beginning
we had a zone that was quite technical, but then it was faster.
It was a zone with a lot of vegetation, that became slow and
difficult as it was nothing like the style you need for riding
in the desert, it was more like an enduro. The navigation
was not difficult, but it was complicated keeping up a good
speed at the same time. Even so I am feeling much better by
the day; the knee is not bothering me and I am getting back
into some kind of form after not riding a bike for some time
and not having had a good first day.”
Jordi Viladoms >>
“The rider who started just in front of me got lost
just after the start, so I did not have to put up with a lot
of dust and I did not really have to overtake him, which is
always a dangerous difficult situation to be in.
This was the first day that I could go quite calmly, without
having to worry about the tyres, and that meant I could go
faster, concentrating better on what I have to do. And so
I was better able to keep a constant rhythm during the whole
special, something very important in this type of races. Tomorrow
we have the first marathon stage and it is bound to be difficult.
We will have to take a lot of care with the engine and make
no mistakes that may get us into trouble, as we do not have
any type of assistance.”
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