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Kenjiro Shinozuka still second overall,
Isabelle Patissier and her Nissan Pathfinder move into the lead in T1...
RALLY OPTIC 2000 TUNISIA 2004 Rally Report
LEG 3 : Thursday April 8th - NEKRIF / EL BORMA
Special Stage 328 Km - Liaison 13 Km - Total 341 Km
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For the second day in a row, Kenjiro Shinozuka and Pascal are lying in second position in the overall classification of this 23rd Optic 2000 Rally of Tunisia. Isabelle Patissier and Bernard Irissou, with their Pathfinder, are now leading the T1 category. As for Paul Belmondo and Jacky Dubois, they set a superb 10th fastest time in their Nissan X-Trail.
A difficult and rough stage had been predicted, and all predictions came true. Technical and winding trails through canyons for the first part, before going off-road through the heart of the magnificent Borj Jneien wadi. On leaving the wadi, a fast route headed southwards, along the Libyan frontier towards the old petrol drilling station of Tiaret. Finally, they headed west, towards Algeria. To reach the finish line, around twenty kilometres from the bivouac, an off-road section in the El Borma erg gave the competitors a first encounter with the sand.
Like yesterday, Kenjiro Shinozuka set the 3rd time in this sector : "We drove very well, but 130 km from the finishline, we started having engine cuts in 4th gear. A small suspension problem also bothered us a bit; finally, we noticed that the air tube for the inflating system had been cut. The special stage was quite technical and it was not always clear how we should cross some of the dunes. Actually, we were caught out once, going over quite a steep dune. I am pleased to still be in second place in the overall classification, and I hope we will stay there..."
At the end, Pascal Maimon looked a bit dazed as he got down from the Pickup, complaining of a very sore collarbone: «Going over a rather steep dune, we landed on the nose quite violently, and the safety harness pushed hard against my collarbone. But everything is fine..."
Isabelle Patissier and Bernard Irissou then flew under the finish line. As calm as ever, Isabelle was joking and seemed rather satisfied to have got ahead of her main rival, Alexandre Debanne : « Over the first 200 kilometres, we were very vigilant. We had chosen sand tyres, and I did not want to risk getting any punctures. As soon as we reached the first dunes, the Pathfinder's power came to the fore, and we took advantage of that to overtake Debanne. We are now in the lead of the T1 category, which was the objective...«.
Bernard Irissou was also smiling : « We didn't have any problems, and moreover, Isabelle did not 'yell' at me at all today... If the positions could stay like this until the very end of the rally, I would be really happy." Bernard got back into the Pathfinder, looking determined : « We've still got a lot of work, we're nowhere near the finish line yet... »
Unlike Isabelle, Paul did not look happy. Although he set a magnificent 11th fastest time, he was still unhappy with his engine : "I am really handicapped by this lack of power. We have still not found the source of the problem, and that is infuriating. Moreover, the compressor from the inflating system broke..."
Jacky Dubois confirmed this : "Around 50 km from the finish line, the compressor stopped working. There can only be around 600 g left in the rear left tyre ... Apart from that , and the lack of power, everything went well. Paul is fantastic over the sand. I must admit he impressed me. He goes over it with precision and without any hesitation. Today's time, quite satisfactory, proves this well..."
François Cros, unlucky over the first stage when he lost a wheel on two occasions (sheered bolts), finished 18th in today's stage with his Pathfinder. He could surprise some people
before the end of the rally...
Tomorrow, sand, sand and more sand... the El Borma loop has become legendary, and has been the scene of some of the most beautiful episodes of the Rally of Tunisia... Watch this
space... |
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RESULTS
Overall Classification after SS 3 NEKRIF/EL BORMA
Thursday April 8th 2004
[ Special Stage 328 Km - Liaison 13 Km - Total 341 Km ] |
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| Pos. |
Dos. |
PILOT / CO PILOT |
Make |
Time/Gap |
| 1 |
200 |
PETERHANSEL-COTTRET |
MITSUBISHI |
08h33'17" |
| 2 |
202 |
SHINOZUKA-MAIMON |
NISSAN |
+00h44'40" |
| 3 |
218 |
HENRARD-LOW |
VOLKSWAGEN |
+00h58'06" |
| 4 |
215 |
MAGNALDI-BORSOTTO |
HONDA |
+01h05'27" |
| 5 |
203 |
ALMUTAIWEI-GUEHENNEC |
BMW |
+01h12'26" |
| 6 |
229 |
LANSAC-JACQUEMARD |
PRO-TRUCK |
+01h27'47" |
| 7 |
272 |
IVANOV-DORONINE |
NISSAN |
+01h27'55" |
| 8 |
207 |
MONTERDE-TORNABEL |
MITSUBISHI |
+01h30'49" |
| 9 |
211 |
RICHELMI-GARCIN |
SMG |
+01h36'35" |
| 10 |
205 |
KOMORNICKI-MARTON |
MITSUBISHI |
+01h44'57" |
| 11 |
221 |
PATISSIER-IRISSOU |
NISSAN |
+01h46'20" |
| 14 |
214 |
BELMONDO-DUBOIS |
NISSAN |
+02h02'07" |
| 15 |
268 |
BERKUT-ANTON |
NISSAN |
+02h03'11" |
| 16 |
209 |
OLIVEIRA-DOMINELLA |
NISSAN |
+02h03'52" |
| 19 |
269 |
MISIKOV-SHATINSKY |
NISSAN |
+02h28'57" |
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| the time for 2nd and below are the gap from the 1st |
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