With information from Isabela Rios, straight from Paracatu (MG)
The third stage of the 22nd edition of the Sertões International Rally was the longest on this Tuesday (26). With a special of 209.68 km and total distance of 360.45 km, the riders on two wheels had a long day, however, very enjoyable on the route between Catalão, in the state of Goiás, and Paracatu, in Minas Gerais. The Spaniard, Marc Coma, on his KTM, was once again the fastest of the day and managed to open a small advantage over the second place in the accumulated result, the Portuguese rider, Paulo Gonçalves.
The rider of the KTM Red Bull Factory Team gave the details of the strategy used to end the day with a time of 2h36min10. It was a long day. I tried to push to overtake the riders that were ahead of me, but it is always difficult to ride fast and not run so many risks. It is very difficult for me with the conditions there were today. Nevertheless, in the end, it was good with no mistakes. I could open up a distance over the other competitors, so it was a good day, commemorates Coma, also leader in the accumulated (5h18min37).
Another rider who rode hard was the Brazilian, Jean Azevedo. With a time of 2h37min28, he came in second place in the third stage, and he explained that it was an enjoyable day. Today was a long special, the first long day in the rally. There werent so many humps and it was very pleasurable to ride on. There were fast stretches, but there were curvy ones also. I liked it a lot. It was a good special, with no problems, assured the rider of the Honda Mobil Rally team, who holds the third best time in the accumulated, a little over three minutes and a half behind Coma.
The vice-leader in the accumulated result is the Portuguese rider, Paulo Gonçalves, who made the third best time this Tuesday, and he points out the competitiveness among the riders. It was a very good special. I knew that I would lose some time to the riders who were coming behind, but tomorrow I will start in third, and it will be a long day. It will be possible to recuperate part of the time that I lost today and continue in the dispute, he analyzes. The dispute is as we thought it would be. There are five or six riders in the run and at the end of the race it will be very interesting to know who will be the champion of the 2014 Sertões International Rally, ponders the best representative of the Honda HRC team.
Gonçalves companion and country mate, Helder Rodrigues made the fourth best time today, and is also in the fourth position in the overall. The day went well. I didnt have a fall, I didnt get lost. I tried to ride fast to the end, but the ground was a bit slippery. Today was a positive day for me. Tomorrow I think I will start in fourth place and considering what a long stage it will be, I think its a good position. We still have a bit of time to recuperate, he explains.
Wdnesday (27) will be even a longer day for the competitors. The route between Paracatu and São Francisco, both in Minas Gerais, will be 363,85 kilometers in the timed stretch, with 135,24 kilometers of initial liaison and another 86,21 of final liaison.
Follow the Sertões live and see the complete results here.
Check the best placed in the competition among the motorbikes:
Motorbikes 3rd Stage
1 #2 MARC COMA (KTM / KTM RED BULL FACTORY TEAM) 02h36min10s
2 #5 JEAN AZEVEDO (HONDA / HONDA MOBIL DE RALLY) 02h37min28s
3 #1 PAULO GONÇALVES (HONDA / TEAM HONDA HRC) 02h38min50s
4 #4 HELDER RODRIGUES (HONDA / TEAM HONDA HRC) 02h39min17s
5 #12 RUBEN FARIA (KTM / KTM RED BULL FACTORY TEAM 02h39min38s
Motorbikes Accumulated result
1 #2 MARC COMA (KTM / KTM RED BULL FACTORY TEAM) 05h18min37s
2 #1 PAULO GONÇALVES (HONDA / TEAM HONDA HRC) 05h21min56s
3 #5 JEAN AZEVEDO (HONDA / HONDA MOBIL DE RALLY) 05h22min12s
4 #4 HELDER RODRIGUES (HONDA / TEAM HONDA HRC) 05h24min37s
5 #3 JORDI VILLADONS (KTM / CASTEU ELF) 05h26min40s
Check the sequence of the 22nd edition of the Sertões International Rally:
27/08 – 4ª stage- Paracatu (MG)/São Francisco (MG)
Initial liaison:135,24 km
Special: 363,85 km
Final liaison: 86,21 km
Days total: 585,30 km
28/08 – 5ª stage- São Francisco (MG)/Diamantina (MG) – MARATHON
Initial liaison223,57 km
Special: 335,98 km
Final liaison: 85,89 km
Days total: 645,44 km
29/08 – 6ª stage- Diamantina (MG)/Diamantina (MG)
Initial liaison: 0 km
Special: 178,87 km
Final liaison: 25,42 km
Days total: 204,29 km
30/08 – 7ª stage- Diamantina (MG)/Belo Horizonte (MG)
Initial liaison: 54,38 km
Special: 125,88 km
Final liaison: 151,96 km
Days total: 336,96 km
12h00 to18h00: Arrival of the competitors
21h00: Prize giving Ceremony and Party
Este texto foi escrito por: Marcos Souza