Abu Dhabi: Russian Vladimir Vasilyev grabbed a slender lead in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Powered by Nissan on Monday after defending drivers’ champion Nani Roma of Spain plunged from contention following a bout of motion sickness.
Partnered by Konstantin Zhilstov in a Mini, Vasilyev was fastest on the 269km ADNOC Special Stage 2 and completed it holding a 44-second advantage over the Polish crew of Marek Dabrowski and Jacek Czachor in a Toyota Hilux.
Overnight leader Roma, with French co-driver Michel Perin, saw his hopes of back-to-back wins disappear when he fell ill early in the stage, requiring medical attention before continuing and ending the day almost three hours off the pace in his Mini.
In the battle of the bikes, Spain’s Marc Coma snatched the lead from his new KTM teammate Sam Sunderland, finishing the stage with an advantage of 1min 25sec from the Dubai-based English rider.
Lying third in the cars category at the end of the leg was Poland’s Adam Malysz in a Toyota Hilux, with Czech driver Miroslav Zapletal fourth in a Hummer followed by the UAE’s Yahya Al Helei, who was third fastest on the day in his new Nissan Pick Up.
Vasilyev, who is attempting to become the second Russian driver to win the Desert Challenge following Leonid Novitskiy in 2010, said after the stage: “It was really okay today, despite the dunes being difficult with so many drops that we had to go slower.”
The Minis of Vasilyev and reigning Dakar Rally champion Roma are among six prepared by the powerful X-raid team. Bitterly disappointed at the end of the leg, Roma said: “It wasn’t a good day for me. I just started to get sick from the motion of the dunes before the first passage control and had to stop and get some medical assistance. The doctor gave me a few pills, then I was okay.
“I have this problem in the Desert Challenge a lot. I will just keep on going for the last three legs.”
Living up to his reputation as a top-class desert rally driver who can compete with the best in the world, Emirati Al Helei said: “I drove hard today, passing seven or so cars, but I hit a ridge hard so my suspension is not good and after that I had to drive slower.
“This year it is not our rally. The sand is just too hard for us because of the rain. If it was soft we would have a better chance. You can even drive with two-wheel drive out there. Our springs are too soft for the sand. Maybe if we had harder springs we would have a better chance.”
Polish rider Jakub Przygonski crashed 190km into the stage, injuring his back and breaking his right upper arm. He was taken by helicopter to Madinat Zayed Hospital, where he was assessed by doctors and found to be stable.
