Kolomý ´s Chase from Thirteenth to Sixth Rank

In the eleventh stage Kolomý managed to utilise the potential of Tatra 815 Buggyra and accept the tempo of the quickest on the swift roads in Argentine. The result was sixth rank in the finish and support for the seventh overall rank. Today Kolomý wants to go even more quickly!

The extremely quick stage from Salta to Thermas de Río Hondo was controlled by the Dutch pilots Stacey and De Rooy. Martin understood this stage as a chase in which he managed to move up to the sixth final rank from the starting thirteenth position. He successfully overtook two Kamaz trucks and one Maz and did not have to release the accelerator for the whole day. But the differences in times were minimum and thus the result of this stage did not change anything in the overall ranking. Two stages before the end Martin firmly holds excellent seventh interim rank.

"Fantastic, the vehicle worked and all could see it. The start was again together with cars and so I was afraid a little that they would throw dust and slow us down. Eventually the whole day was a nice chase in which we overtook one truck after another. Here were also a couple of fords on the way and so the spectators could really enjoy the day. I am the more happy about this stage because of tomorrow when we will start from a better position more towards the front of the field. Behind us there will be really quick pilots and so we will be driven forward by them and I hope in a good result of all this," said Martin Kolomý in the bivouac after achieving the sixth best time with minimum loss of three minutes ad seventeen seconds behind the leader of the day.

After successful finish of the measured section Kolomý complained a little about the setting of the chassis and so the mechanics of the Tatra Buggyra Racing team were occupied again for the whole evening. "Yesterday we worked on the truck till the morning to prevent the problems in the previous stage from recurring. We checked everything several times and preventively changed some of the parts. We were successful and the result from the race is fantastic also thanks to that. Now we worked a little on the chassis setting for the nature of the road tomorrow will be the same as today and we want Martin to be able to go even more quickly," revealed the programme of he past two days the technical director Robin Dolejš.

Regarding the nature of the remaining two stages the struggle for the podium seems virtually decided already. The quick roads with minimum vertical distance cannot be expected to change the final ranking too much. The ranks below the podium are also more or less given. The only problem may be represented by the length of today ´s stage which together with the transfer amounts to over one thousand kilometres, which makes it the longest stage of the whole Dakar Rally. The measures section is similar to the yesterday ´s one and so if no technical problems bother the crews the differences between the times may be expected to be minimum again. But Dakar is unpredictable and so anything may happen.

The return from Chile to Argentina must have been noticed by everybody. The fans in Argentina simply adore Dakar and the pilots are their heroes for whom they are willing to wait for long hours in the sun by the road to see them pass. As if the time has stopped. On the day when the rally passes the given locality the people living there celebrate it as a national holiday. "The atmosphere here in Argentina is incredible. It is really admirable how the local people live it up. The fans are lined up not only along the measured section but also along the transfer road for the assistance vehicles. When you arrive at the bivouac they hardly let you pass, it nearly makes your flesh crawl," described the Thursday stage the team manager of the TATRA Buggyra Racing team Jan Kalivoda with enthusiasm.

Results - Stage 11 1. Stacey (NLD) Iveco 2:08:11, 2. De Rooy (NLD) Iveco +1:10, 3. Nikolaev (RUS) Kamaz +1:56, 6. Kolomý (CZE) Tatra +3:17, 7. Loprais (CZE) MAN 3:49, 17. Vrátný (CZE) Tatra +10:00,

Rankings after Stage 11: 1. Mardeev (RUS) Kamaz 38:24:13, 2. Nikolaev (RUS) Kamaz +11:11, 3. Karginov (RUS) Kamaz +47:44, 4. Loprais (CZE) MAN +1:21:53, 7. Kolomý (CZE) Tatra + 4:04:19, 14. Vrátný (CZE) Tatra +9:20:44

For more information search for www.buggyra.com, Translation: www.buggyra.com