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The second round of FIA International Cross-Country Cup for Baja was held on 20-23 July around Spanish capital, Madrid. Current leaders of the Spanish All Terrain Rally Championship and of the FIA Baja Cup, Marc Blázquez and Lucas Cruz had to retire from the Baja Espana event while heading for victory.
On SS1, in the first hour in the morning, driving their Nissan Navara T1, Marc Blázquez and Lucas Cruz rolled off the podium located in front of the Madrilenian Stage Santiago Bernabeu. With the advantage of leaving first after their dominance of the previous day’;s Superspecial, the pair of Official Nissan Motor Spain team competitors were quickest on the first section of 86 kilometres, which took them to the town of Soria.
After the regroup and Service Park, the Spaniards were again fastest as they drove the 114 kilometres of the next section, to Zaragoza. Without slowing their pace, the Official Nissan Motor Spain team crossed the finish line with an advantage of 8 minutes 35 seconds over the competitor who was classified second, Portugal's Carlos Sousa.
Marc Blázquez: "I am very satisfied with the result, and I liked the sections very much because I was able to adapt my style of driving to the conditions, allowing me to run very well.
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| Copyright © NISSAN ESPAÑA |
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In the first section we lost a little time; but in the second, we ran without any problems. I just had to be careful where there were a lot of stones in the road. Compared to the others, the car is working perfectly and now we will review our progress today before resting ahead of the hard stage in the morning."
For SS2, the stage was run two passes of the same stage layout, totalling 268 kilometres before arriving in Zaragoza in the province of Teruel, following the traditional route of this mythical race. After a fantastic performance throughout the previous day in which the Official Nissan Motor Spain team dominated all the sections incontestably, Marc Blázquez and Lucas Cruz this morning exited on the third day of the Baja Espana 2006. With more than eleven minutes' advantage over their nearest rivals, the strategy of both Spaniards was very clear: to mark a race pace that allowed them to maintain their gap over the rest of the field. The pair managed to do this until kilometer 171 of special number 3, frustration mounting when they were forced to retire due to clutch problems.
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| Copyright © NISSAN ESPAÑA |
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After this event, Marc Blázquez and Lucas Cruz remain at the head of the leader board in the All-Terrain Spanish Rally Championship. However, for them to take the crown, they will have to run strongly in the next races; being held in Portugal and Cuenca. Marc Blázquez: "It has been painful because all the equipment was working perfectly. We have two months to prepare before the next race, and we will work very hard to obtain the best result - as good as any we've obtained during the year".
The next round of FIA International Cross-Country Cup for Baja,"Baja Anta de Serrra 500-Portalegle" will be taken place on 12-15 Oct at Portugal.
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