Abu Dhabi: Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah is edging closer to his second victory in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge powered by Nissan, but Russia’s Vladimir Vasilyev is refusing to give up his pursuit of a third successive cars triumph in the event.
Partnered by French co-driver Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux, Al Attiyah won Tuesday’s 280-kilometre Al Ain Water Stage, his third stage win in a row, to extend his lead to 15 minutes and 19 seconds over Vasilyev and Konstantin Zhiltsov, who climbed one place on the leg in their Mini All4Racing.
Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al Rajhi and German co-driver Timo Gotschalk in another Mini slipped one place to third, and are another six minutes off the pace, although the nature of this demanding event means it would be wrong to discount any of the leading challengers with two days remaining.
Poland’s Jakub Przygonski, Finn Mikko Hirvonen and American Bryce Menzies in three other Minis completed the top six in the second round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies, as the previous day’s wind and rain was replaced by more typical desert weather.
While a succession of competitors became stuck in soft sand, it was a better day for the UAE’s Shaikh Khalid Al Qasimi, who put some earlier misfortunes behind him and rose two places in his Abu Dhabi Racing Mini to finish the stage in seventh position.
And it was a spectacularly improved showing in the bikes category for Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues, who won the stage after mechanical problems 24 hours earlier saw him almost drop out of contention and required the sweep team to return him to the bivouac.
With the top three again riding virtually in tandem for much of the stage, Australian first leg winner Toby Price reclaimed the overall lead, although his advantage over KTM teammate, Dubai-based Sam Sunderland, is a slim 57 secs, with Chile’s Pablo Quintanilla just 18 secs further back.
The UAE’s Mohammad Al Beloushi maintained his fourth position despite a crash on the stage, with Spain’s Txomin Arana Cobeaga and talented woman rider Laia Sanz completing the top six.
Reaching the end of the Al Ain Water stage, Al Attiyah said: “It was a good day. I got into good rhythm early on. There are some sharp dunes but the Toyota worked really well, and the navigation was perfect.”
Taking place under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western region, the 26th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge powered by Nissan is organised by the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, the national motorsport authority.
