Bougourouslan, September 6th 2009-09-06
Nasser Al Attiyah, the new Volkswagen recruit, feels comfortable with his off-road Race Touareg. Today he got one more victory for the team. The Qatari pilot won the first special in 01 hour 10 minutes and 15 seconds and left behind his three teammates. Gerard de Rooy took the lead over all the local Kamaz in the truck race.
During interviews in Kazan Al Attiyah noticed how important the victory was for him. In BMW X-Raid, his previous team, Nasser was well known with his will for victory and it looks like on the new place his fighting spirit even increase. Today, on a high speed stage Nasser left behind Mark Miller easily and, in spite of dusty tail, pass ahead Carlos Sainz and Giniel De Villiers. After six special stages in Brazil Nasser scores a new victory in Russia!
On this stage Giniel De Villiers decided to drive more quietly after a 8 months break since his Dakar victory. In addition he got into a hole in the very start of the stage and got some electronical problem with his car. That way, the Dakar winner finished the stage with 4th result.
In the same time the 5th place of the day showed an exciting battle Aleksey Berkut twice champion of Russia in rally, and French Christian Lavieille. The Frenchman eventually took a 25’’ lead over the Russian with a strong finish.
Philippe Gache wanted to be part of that 5th row battle as well but mechanical problems threw back the pilot-engineer from the Top 5.
The team KAMAZ-master wasn’t successful today on their own soil. After a deceiving Dakar 2009, where he was just 3rd, Gerard De Rooy has done his best to gain revenge here, in Russia with his completely new Iveco truck. Everything went well and he won the stage. Russian Vladimir Chagin finish just after De Rooy and ended up the best among the KAMAZ-master. Ales Loprais finished 3rd, 4 minutes and 54 seconds after De Rooy, and proves the ability of his Tatra to fight for the overall victory.