Difficult and complicated are the words that spring to mind when describing the M’Hamid to Cheggaga fourth stage of the OiLibya Rally of Morocco which played out over an abundance of sand dunes and rocky track. It was also a stage demanding a skilful command of navigation, one that left Joan Barreda riding the entire special unaccompanied. As yesterday’s stage winner, the Spaniard was forced to open the track - and there at the front he stayed until the finish line. Nevertheless, his flawless navigation throughout the 226 kilometres of special only served to help guide his adversaries as they went in pursuit of the tracks left by the Honda CRF450 RALLY.
Barreda ended up finishing in fifth place, behind Team HRC buddy, and incumbent world champion Paulo Goncalves in fourth place, who had set off from behind the Spaniard. ‘Speedy’ lies in second overall position, just one and a half minutes behind the leader, and will be well-placed to attack in tomorrow’s stage which winds up in Marrakech.
The stage was a tough one for everybody including Helder Rodrigues, who finished in seventh place on the day and is in fourth on the overall leader-board. Rodrigues will be fighting to get back into a podium position as the rally goes into its final two days. Jeremías Israel continues to get used to the new machine and today completed the stage in eighth place after a slight navigational error at the start before arriving at the dunes.
The stage gave Laia Sanz the opportunity to keep gaining experience as she clocks up more mileage on the Honda CRF450 RALLY, finishing the stage in fifteenth place and resisting well the physically demanding dunes of Cheggaga. The champion moves up to thirteenth place on the overall leader-board.
Paulo Gonçalves: It was the hardest day so far. I was lucky that Barreda opened the way and at a cracking pace. I managed to finish without losing too much time – my main aim. I’m pleased because team Team HRC is doing a great job. Tomorrow will be difficult – very different with a mountainous track of over 300 km and we will have to be focussed to keep our chances open.
