- Yazeed Al-Rajhi in the leading group
- Two MINI JCW Rally in the top 10 overall
Today’s second stage led the competitors to San Juan de Macrona. Joan Nani Roma and Alex Haro (both ESP) finished a fine second in their MINI John Cooper Works Rally. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (KSA) and Timo Gottschalk (GER) ended the 342-kilometer special stage in fifth place. Jakub Kuba Przygonski (POL) and Tom Colsoul (BEL) struggled with tire issues and came home 13th. Boris Garafulic (CHI) and Filipe Palmeiro (POR) were 18th. Argentinean Orlando Terranova was forced to retire from the stage due to severe back pain.
Roma had two reasons to feel satisfied at the end of his successful day. Last year, it was in this area of dunes that he crashed and was forced to retire from the Dakar. Second place on the stage also propelled him into third place overall. “The stage ended in the same areas as the one, in which I had my crash in 2018,” said Roma. “As such, it was a funny feeling to be at the start today. However, I kept calm and found a very good rhythm – that is the most important thing for me. From a driving point of view, it was easier for us today, as we started from further back and did not have to open the route.”
Al-Rajhi and Gottschalk were also in high spirits when they returned to the bivouac. “We did well today,” said the Saudi. “We caught Vasilyev after 80 kilometers, but it is very difficult to overtake in all the dust. I was then able to pass him in the dunes. We are now fourth overall and fifth is a good starting position for tomorrow morning.”
Kuba, on the other hand, did not have luck on his side today. At the start of the stage, he was twice forced to stop due to a flat tire. “After that, I was afraid that a tire would go on us, and that knocked me out of my rhythm. In the end, however, we did not lose too much time. We are still in touch. We will push hard tomorrow.”
Tomorrow’s stage takes the competitors to Arequipa. In total, 798 kilometers are scheduled, 331 of those against the clock – just slightly fewer than today
Rally Dakar – Result SS2
1. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) / Daniel Elena (FRA) Peugeot – 3h 26m 53s
2. Nani Roma (ESP) / Alex Haro (ESP) MINI JCW Rally – 3h 27m 01s
3. Bernhard Ten Brinke (NLD) / Xavier Panseri (FRA) Toyota – 3h 28m 13s
4. Giniel de Villiers (ZAF) / Dirk von Zitzewitz (GER) Toyota – 3h 28m 24s
5. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU) / Timo Gottschalk (GER) MINI JCW Rally – 3h 29m 26s
6. Cyril Despres (FRA) / Jean-Paul Cottret (FRA) MINI JCW Buggy – 3h 30m 07s
7. Harry Hunt (GBR) / Wouter Rosegaar (FRA) Peugeot – 3h 30m 17s
8. Carlos Sainz (ESP) / Lucas Cruz (ESP) MINI JCW Buggy – 3h 31m 33s
9. Vladimir Vasilyev (RUS) / Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS) Toyota – 3h 32m 29s
10. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Mathieu Baumel (FRA) Toyota – 3h 34m 30s
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11. Kuba Przygonski (POL) / Tom Colsoul (BEL) MINI JCW Rally – 3h 37m 54s
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18. Boris Garafulic (CHL) / Filipe Palmeiro (PRT) MINI JCW Rally – 3h 43m 17s
Rally Dakar – Overall result after SS2
1. Giniel de Villiers (ZAF) / Dirk von Zitzewitz (GER) Toyota – 4h 32m 45s
2. Bernhard Ten Brinke (NLD) / Xavier Panseri (FRA) Toyota – 4h 33m 13s
3. Nani Roma (ESP) / Alex Haro (ESP) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 33m 27s
4. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU) / Timo Gottschalk (GER) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 33m 35s
5. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) / Daniel Elena (FRA) Peugeot – 4h 34m 41s
6. Carlos Sainz (ESP) / Lucas Cruz (ESP) MINI JCW Buggy – 4h 35m 13s
7. Harry Hunt (GBR) / Wouter Rosegaar (FRA) Peugeot – 4h 35m 23s
8. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) / Mathieu Baumel (FRA) Toyota – 4h 36m 11s
9. Cyril Despres (FRA) / Jean-Paul Cottret (FRA) MINI JCW Buggy – 4h 36m 13s
10. Vladimir Vasilyev (RUS) / Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS) Toyota – 4h 36m 28s
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12. Kuba Przygonski (POL) / Tom Colsoul (BEL) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 41m 35s
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17. Boris Garafulic (CHL) / Filipe Palmeiro (PRT) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 51m 45s
