Kolomý Repairs Intercom, Valtr Relishes
Stage eleven of this year´s race took the pilots out of the sand dunes where this rally´s overall results were probably finally decided. But the Thursday stage was no easier on the varying and fesh-fesh surface.
"I think if I survived today I will survive everything, and also in life. This stage was not more difficult than the previous ones, but too long already for what we had to face in the previous parts of the race. The worst thing was that we could see the finish but still with about 30 kilometres across the local quarry ahead of us, for the spectators to see something. In a word - horrible," said Jarda´s navigator Josef Kalina in the finish. The crew of Valtr, Kalina and Stross eventually ranked seventh and moved up to the eighth overall rank. "I am glad we have maintained our tempo. Our unique Tatra chassis worked absolutely today. I like these vehicle-breaking and technical sections and so I did enjoy it today. A nice stage," said Jarda Valtr in the bivouac in San Juan.
Martin Kolomý with Kilian brothers reached the finish with a ten-second loss after his team mate and so his was the eighth rank. We had to stop at the very beginning of the day to repair our intercom. The reason was I fell into a couple of holes for I could not hear my boys at all and gesture did not work at all in the dust cloud. Luckily the only problem was broken wires and so we could continue soon," commented Martin Kolomý on the first problems of the stage. These were not the only problems the pilot of Bruntál had to face today: "For the last twenty kilometres we were again troubled by a stone in the steering system. However, we only learned that here, on the road we thought our pump was broken. The reason is that the steering did not get stuck completely this time. But it was very unpleasant nevertheless, for in one river bed under a bridge we were heading towards a pillar and it was hard to divert the truck. But luckily I eventually managed to direct the truck in another direction, I do not know how but I did. So we are in the finish after all and I am glad the repairs were so easy."
"Half enjoyment and half boredom it was today. I like curves and horizons but I hate the thrasher on the plains and in water beds. Nothing too bad but nothing too interesting either today," said Kolomý´s navigator René Kilian.
Tomáš Ouředníček was also successful in his car category, ending the stage with forty fourth rank and moving back to the top fifty in overall ranking. "Water n the car was so hot that we could not drink it. We asked the fans along the road and one of them brought us ice. Then we asked for another portion of ice after a couple of kilometres. There is nothing like a cold drink in conditions like these! We are not absolutely satisfied with the results but at least we have finished the stage and reached the bivouac," sighed Tomáš Ouředníček in relief.
On Friday the crews taking part in the Dakar Rally will cover the last but one stage number twelve from San Juan back to Villa Carlos Paz. The stage includes 267 timed kilometres.
More on web site: www.buggyra.com.
