Press Release
11_2018
A strong storm hit the first day of the Baja Portalegre making many tracks unworkable.
After the first two SS, Peña Campo & Tornabell Cordoba are fourth in the absolute provisional. Tomorrow two long special stages will decide the winner of the T3 World Cup.
Portalegre – Portugal (October 26th) – It was the rain the main protagonist of this first day of the Baja Portalegre 500: the bad weather made the race tracks in Alto Alentejo even more demanding than expected for the crews at the start of this last stage of the 2018 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup.
After the fourth time achieved in the prologue and the same at the SS2 « Avis-Portalegre », the Spaniards José Luis Peña Campo and Rafael Tornabell Cordoba, on Polaris RZR 1000 (#613), are now about 8 minutes from the provisional leader Santiago Navarro. « Today’s track was very fast and we did well up to the last 20 km when, due to the heavy rain, the terrain becamealmost impractical, causing us to lose almost 8 minutes – comments Peña Campo – For tomorrow there is no water and it should be better even if there are scheduled two long special stages with very little assistance. We will certainly do our best!”.
Authors of an
excellent race, Marco Piana and Sébastien Delaunay, have
conquered the
third best time in the prologue by cutting the finish line in just under 4’58 » and taking the Polaris on the second step of the SS2 podium. Unfortunately, also due to the heavy rainstorm, a mistake a few kilometers from the end made the crew #649 of Xtreme+ run off-track, thus losing precious time to get back on track. To separate Piana from Navarro, after the first two SS, however, are only 3’36”.
After recording the fifth time in the prologue concluded in 5’08 », Vincent Gonzalez, sailed by the French Loic Minaudier, has faced the second special of this edition of the Baja Portalegre 500 bringing the Razor to third place in the ranking, result that sees him now third of the provisional absolute.
Despite the great difficulties in crossing a swollen water course due to the heavy rains, Graham Knight and David Watson managed to complete the special and tomorrow they will leave again for the last day of the Baja Portalegre.
Saturday, October 27th, the crews will be engaged in two special stages, one of 191,75 km and the other of 211,75 km: at the end of these 400 km you will know the name of the winner of the World Cup title of T3.
Press Office Xtreme Plus Team Sonja Vietto Ramus sonja.vietto@gmail.com