Defending Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge champion Nasser Al Attiyah is looking unstoppable again, winning Monday’s Stage 2 to increase his overall lead at the top to 23 minutes and 3.1 seconds.
Al Attiyah, the two-time defending World Cup for Cross Country Rallies champion (Toyota Hilux Overdrive), finished 11 minutes and 28 seconds ahead of the UAE’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi to win the 289.39km Nissan Patrol stage and consolidate his overnight lead of 11:35.1.
Sheikh Khalid (Peugeot 3008 DKR) has improved his position in second, increasing the cushion between himself and third to 34:01.3. He had a lead of 4:10.8 over two-time Abu Dhabi champion Vladimir Vasilyev (X-raid Mini All4 Racing), but the Russian got stuck in the dreaded dunes of Rub Al Khali and has slipped to fifth, while Czech driver Martin Prokop (Jipocar Ford F-150 Evo) has moved up to third after completing Stage 2 in the fourth-best time.
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“Today was much more difficult than yesterday,” said Sheikh Khalid, the Abu Dhabi Racing chairman. “It was a bit windy and there was a lot of dust that hampered visibility and as a result we lost some time. We also had some difficulty climbing the steep dunes as the sand was very soft. We then were forced to find another line.
“All in all, it was still a good day for us to finish second and hold on to our overnight position of second overall. But, the goal is to continue learning and gaining experience in this format of racing.”
Al Attiyah, who had won four of the five stages last year on his way to an emphatic triumph by over 32 minutes, agreed it was a difficult day out for the drivers and riders, but was happy with his performance.
“Today was a good day for us, though it was not an easy stage,” said Al Attiyah, winner of two Dakar Rally titles. “It was very difficult and hard. To win by a big gap and have a big lead from Al Qassimi is good.”
Vasilyev was not the only competitor to struggle in the dunes. Miroslav Zapletal and quad rider Camelia Liparoti also got stuck in the sands, while Emirati Khalid Al Jafla (Chevrolet Silverado) and Patrice Garrouste (Polaris RZR 1000) crashed, and riders Elio Aglioni and Jan Zatko had to be rescued as they struggled from possible dehydration.
The 2017 Dakar Rally bikes champion Sam Sunderland, however, had no such misfortune. His problem was his starting position for the day at the front of the group.
“You always lose time when you start in front,” said the Dubai-based Briton, who had started the day with a 5.7 second lead. “This race is strange with the strategy — you kind of swap times each day. Tomorrow I start back and it will be the opposite. You just have to take each day as it comes.
“It’s been really hot the past few days and it’s really unpredictable out there. The bike is good. I am happy. The team have done a great job.”
Sunderland is fifth in the overall classification, four minutes and 15.7 seconds behind current leader Paolo Goncalves, while Pierre Alexandre Renet, winner of Stage 2, has climbed up to third.
“It’s good to have a win at this rally,” Renet said. “The heat is really high and, with the sun, you do not see so easy. I guess it is the same for everyone.”
Poland’s Kamil Wisniewski, meanwhile, has maintained his lead in the quads class, though Dutchman Kees Koolen took the Stage 2 honours.
arizvi@thenational.ae
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