Friday review - Stage 4 - ASSA / REMZ EL QUEBIR: 455 km - Link: 0 km – Special Stage: 455 km - Link: 0 km
Once again, the first motorcycles have crossed the finish line near the bivouac of Remz El Kebir at the time planned by Manfred KROISS, the sports director of the AFRICA ECO RACE. An arrival more grouped with smaller gaps.
Stefan SVITKO's first victory in moto category
Maurizio GERINI's HUSQVARNA started in the lead this morning, but was caught up by Stefan SVITKO's KTM at kilometer 60, after which the two leaders rode together to cross the line with a one-second advantage for the Slovakian, who won with 00:02:01 over the Italian. The rhythm was maintained as Alessandro BOTTURI on his YAMAHA 700 moves up to third with 00:20:56 delay. In 4th wass Robbie WALLACE at 00:25:34. More at ease on his KTM, the British rider is ahead of the Frenchman Xavier FLICK who had a bit of a hard time today. The HUSQVARNA rider finished the stage 00:27:55 behind the winner and ahead of Pal Anders ULLEVALSETER's KTM by 00:01:13 and Pol TARRES' YAMAHA 700 by 00:02:51. For the first time we find seven riders finish in 30 minutes. The top 10 is completed by the YAMAHA 700 of Lucio BELLUSCHI in 8th, the HUSQVARNA of Massimiliano GUERRINI and the KTM of Stephan SAVELKOULS. The best performances of the day were the 15th placed HONDA of Francesca GASPERI and the 20th place of Shingo SUGIMARA more at ease on his HUSQVARNA.
In the provisional overall standings Maurizio GUERINI keeps the lead by 42 seconds on Stefan SVITKO. Xavier FLICK, leader of the MOTUL EXTREME RIDER challenge is well installed in 3rd with more than an hour in hand on Pal Anders ULLEVALSETER.
A French trio in cars
Philippe GOSSELIN and Christophe CRESPO had black hands when they got out of their Buggy OPTIMUS at the finish line of this 4th special stage. The Frenchmen had to change a cardan shaft 130 km from the end of the stage. In spite of the 30 minutes lost on this repair, the leaders of the car-truck general ranking won with 00:09:43 over their teammates Team David GERARD and Pascal DELACOUR. In 3rd is the CAN AM of Bruno ROBIN and Philippe CHAMPIGNE who, after their worries of the first two days, are getting good results. The Frenchmen also win the T3 category dedicated to the SSV, by beating Laurens MEIJER and Robbert VISSER and Jean DAGHER HAYECK and Patrick ANTONIOLLI.
Today, Saturday, October 22, the final Moroccan stage will bring the AFRICA ECO RACE caravan to Dakhla for a well-deserved rest day. But before that, the competitors will have to cover 690 km, 450 of which will be run on fast sandy tracks, but with a big chunk of navigation.
