100% new !
The first serious special stage : 540km of tracks, fast to start with, crossing sandy valleys with blue stone embankments and passing through M'Hamid, Gate of the Desert, the starting point of the great desert plateau of DRAA.
The second half of the stage running through the dried river bed of the DRAA, which has been specially opened for the event, becomes much slower, twistier, rockier. "You will have to pace yourself and avoid going off". A tough leg which ends with 135km of tarmac.
The day's difficulty : the length of the leg. No plane mechanics allowed.
TODAY
Foum El Hassan
Five motorcycle riders were involved in
accidents today:Boursier, Hebert, Roma,
Jobe,and Dosch were immediately atteded
to by doctors who follow the race by
helicopter. The five incidents all took
place in the first half of the race.
None of the five have given the doctors
cause for concern.The five have abandoned
the race.
Ari Vatanen has kept his grip, but his Citroen team mates are closing the gap.First of the Mitsubishis home was Jean Pierre Fontenay who finished fourth.
Peterhansel extended his lead in the motorcycle section with a six minute lead over adversary, Heinz Kinigadner.KTM boss Kinigadner was second while Peter's Yamaha team-mate Edi Orioli was third.
