KTM Factory rider Marc Coma finished stage 8 of the Dos Sertoes Rally on Friday in third place to hold onto his third placed overall with just two stages to go.
It was another very long day on the track between Palmas and Minaçu covering a total of 666 km
including 312 km timed special after which coma trails the leader Paolo Goncalves of Portugal by
34 minutes and six seconds. Cyril Despres is in second place.
Coma was out first today aft winning the stage on Thursday the first part of the track was very fast before becoming very technical and with navigational challenges. He finished in four hours, 06.58 with Despres and coming in five minutes 43 seconds in front of him.
Saturday is the penultimate stage of this near 4100 km journey through Brazil, with another long 549 km and a 264 km timed special between Minaçu and Goianésia Goianésia Minaçu. The rally ends back in the state capital of Goiania.
Coma said he was happy with how the stage went on Friday given that he was tasked with opening the track for the other riders. “We have no technical problems and we managed the navigation. There are still two days but after tomorrow's stage, more than 260 kilometers, and we say that the rally is almost complete. However, anything can happen, especially in a rally as long as this.”
Coma’s factory teammate Jakub Przgonski moved up from seventh to sixth in the overall standings after finishing eighth in the stage.
Barring some major difficulties the podium should be decided between Goncalves, Despres and Coma. The KTM rider is looking to pick up decisive points to retain his World Cross Country World Championship title, having won the earlier rallies in the series. He currently has a 13-point lead over Goncalves and there is one rally left in the series – the Pharaoh’s Rally in Egypt (Sept 28- Oc. 5)
Stage Eight: Palmas – Minaçu total 666 km
including 312 km timed special
1, Cyril Despres, France, Yamaha 4:01.15
2, Paolo Goncalves, Portugal, Speedbrain 4:04.58
3, Marc Coma, Spain, KTM 4:06.58
4, Michael Metge, France, 4:13.27
5, Ike Klaumann, Brazil, Honda, 4:14.30
6, Jean Azevedo, Brazil, Honda, 4:16.29
7, Kuba Przygonski, Poland, KTM 4:18.03
8, Fausto Mota, Portugal, Yamaha, 4:20.58
9, Ricardo Martins, 4:23.49
10, Raul Lima, Brazil, 4:35.38
Overall after Stage 8
1, Goncalves, 25:42.37
2, Despres, at 7 minutes 13.7
3, Coma, at 34:05.9
4, Azevedo, at 59: 20.0
5, Klaumann at 1:01:47
6, Przygonski at 1:20:13.0
