Sardegna Rallye Race – Stage 1 Marc Coma : two birds with one stone !
Between San Teodore and Arborea, the menu for this 1st stage of the Sardegna Rally Race : 77 competitors (bikes and quads) and 406 km, with two special stages, the first a long 122 km, the second a shorter 65 km. Both the specials were different in character, but both demanded perfect navigation.
Marc Coma, aboard his KTM 530, won both specials and therefore finds himself this evening in the lead overall. And that despite leaving San Teodoro this morning in 16th place, the place he ‘won’ thanks to his 16th fastest time on yesterday’s prologue, which decides the start order. “I rode cool,” admitted the Spaniard, “the recent rain stuck the dust to the ground which made overtaking easier. I noticed that everybody was riding fast right from the start, which wasn’t the case last year.”
In the first 122 km special Marc found himself being chased by his ex-team mate at KTM, Jordi Viladoms (2nd and 4th) now aboard a Husqvarna 450, who is this evening in second place, 1 minute 50 seconds behind the leader.
Looking relaxed, last year’s winner, Cyril Despres, considered today « a good warm up”. Even if he is nursing a large gash to his left forearm (seven stitches) that caused him to miss “a good weeks training”. The Franco-Andorran nevertheless managed third place overall, 4 min 30 from his eternal rival Marc Coma.
The Italian Paolo Ceci (KTM), 4th leads Frenchman David Casteu (Sherco Elf) who is never short of words. “What a fantastic route! I really enjoyed the ride and picked up where I left off in Tunisia.” His team mate Mikael Pisano had a less enjoyable day and was forced to retire after his engine swallowed some water following a river crossing.
Anther notable retirement was that of Chaleco Lopez, the recent winner of the Tunisia Rally, who was forced out when his Aprilia ran out of fuel. “A stone pierced a fuel tank and so now I pull out and return to Chile after three months in Italy…”
Tomorrow, stage 2, between Arborea and Teulada, a marathon stage of 332 km – and a superb bivouac tomorrow evening.
Fuente: Sardegna Rally Race 2010 Press Release
Foto: Sardegna Rally Race 2010 Press Release
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