competitors dropping out like flies!
Kankkunen's front wheel is destroyed, Gordon almost ran out of fuel
etc...
11:50 Special Tichit Tidjikja cancelled
Due to the weather condition on the Mauritanian desert since
Thursday on the course of the rally, the organisation has decided
to modify the race. The bad visibility has forced most of the
helicopters to remain grounded.
At 10.00 am today, only 96 bikes, 59 cars and 27 trucks had
completed stage 7, and 31 competitors had officially retired from
the race.
The race organisation has therefore decided on the following
measures :
- Cancel stage 8 between Tichit and Tidjikja.
- The authorized time for stage 7 will be longer.
- The competitors will all head to Tidjikja in liaison.
11:25 Night watch
Mechanical worries, late arrivals, injuries, bad luck and
withdrawals
All you need to know about what happened on the
bivouac during the night.
22h35 Kabirov first
The first truck to make to the finish line in Tichit was Firdaus
Kabirov. Like many competitors, the Russian suffered fuel worries
but managed to adapt his driving to clinch the special victory. I
knew I didnt have a lot of fuel left, so I decided to reduce my
speed and it worked out. On the last part of the course, I never
went over 80km/h and 2000 rpm.
23h00 Fuel distribution
Quite a few competitors were stranded close to Tichit with no more
fuel left, the organisation therefore decided to send a vehicle
with two barrels to help out. David Castera, a former biker, now
working for the organisation took off with a local guide to find
the way through the Tichit pass, extremely difficult to find and he
helped out numerous vehicles including the truck of Gerard De Rooy,
stopped 11kms from the bivouac.
0h30 Magnaldis buggy in pieces
Thierry Magnaldi eventually made it to Tichit but his problems were
not over yet. All the front part of his buggy was severely damaged
in the last part of the stage. With no possibility to repair (this
is a marathon stage)!
1h00 Mayer pulled
The German Mitsubishi driver was also stopped 8 kilometres from the
finish line, out of fuel. Andrea Mayer finally carried on pulled by
a truck. Indeed, she was thankfully caught by the truck of Giacomo
Vismara, who used to take care of her assistance when she was on
two wheels.
1h10 Gordon home
I only have 1 litre of fuel left
», explained Robby Gordon when
hoping out of his Volkswagen Race Touareg. The American was forced
to drive very slowly for the whole last art of the stage. Winner of
the two specials on the rally, Gordon also gave rather bad news on
his team mate Juha Kankkunen: He is stopped and his front right
wheel is completely destroyed after a shock in the camel
grass.
6h15 Just a few
76 bikes have made it to Tichit, as well as 43 cars and 16 trucks!
Among the absentees are Schlesser, Vatanen and Tchaguine.
6h20 Etienne Lavigne troubled
The rally boss spent the whole night centralising the different
problems and thinking about the way to sort them out. The night
has been very very long but I also witnessed scenes of bikers so
happy to finish that they burst into tears. I have to admit that
some also insulted me because of the difficulties they went
through. What troubles me now are the competitors injured in the
desert like Patrick Martin, for example who has a shoulder fracture
and has a medical car looking for him. Three other distress signals
have been launched and we are awaiting the first hours of the day
to take off and look for them. We hope the weather will be better
and that the other helicopters will be able to fly...
