Vídeo:Rómulo Branco na Baja Espanha Aragón 2012

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Cyril Després vence Desafio Litoral

Cyril Despres, KTM’s 4 x Dakar winner went out an did the business required on Saturday to take stage and overall victories on the final day of the new six-day Desafio Rally in Argentina, part of the Dakar Series.

On a day that was a mere short dash of some 80 km compared to the other competition days, the French-born rider finished his week’s outing with a win in the final stage just short of a minute behind local rider Mario Gomez with KTM rider Jakub ‘Kuba’ Przgonski in third. That was enough to put Despres and Przgonski 1-2 on the overall podium Gomez picked up the minor podium place.

Despres’ factory teammate, albeit from a different discipline, Taddy Blazusiak, KTM’s Extreme Enduro and EnduroCross specialist, finished a creditable ninth in the final stage. For the Polish rider it wasa heroic nineteenth overall in what could be described as a baptism of fire into the world of rally sport. Currently on a long break from the US EnduroCross competition, Taddy decided to ‘stay on two wheels’ and join his friend Cyril on this latest South American adventure. Completely new to the sport and the finesse of managing the navigation and the road book, Taddy went out and gave it a very good shot. His overall result also reflects the fact that he did not finish stage two after crashing and aggravating an old shoulder injury and on Stage Five he proved to be a very good teammate when he offered his wheel to Cyril after he had wrecked a tire, allowing the leader to keep going and secure the victory.

Going into the final stage Cyril was quietly confident but underlined that ‘anything can happen’ in the last dash for the finish and while the final day was the shortest in terms of kilometers, it was by no means a pushover. The first part of the stage was fast track punctuated with tricky hairpin bends and others that were slow with very different radiuses. They wove their way through a complex maze of palm trees, estuaries and bridges over rivers that flow into the Paraná. To wrap up the day’s rider they tackled a section of loose surface very typical of the Litoral region.

This Dakar series event was not only a good opportunity for Despres, Prozgonski and Blazusiak to keep in shape in the mid season, it was also an excellent opportunity for South American riders to measure themselves against several of the world’s best.

Results Stage Six

1, Cyril Despres, France, KTM at 40 minutes 13

2, Mauricio Gomez, Argentina, Yamaha at 0.51 seconds

3, Jakub Przgonski, Poland, KTM, at 1.01 minutes

4, Javier Pizzolito, Argentina, Honda at 2.05

5, Pablo Rodriguez, Argentina, Honda at 2.48

6, David Tieppo, Beta, at 3.48

7, Guiral, Honda, 4. 42

8, Salvattiera, Honda at 5.11

9, Taddy Blazusiak, Poland, KTM, at 10.26

10, Ortiz Yamaha, at 5,21

Overall results after Stage Six (of six)

1, Despres, 13 hours 56.54

2, Przgonski 14:01.39 


3, Gomez at 14:49.09

4, Rodriguez, 15:30.32
5,

Pizzolito, 15:32.46

6, Israel, at 15:41.26

7, Ortiz, 17.10.06

8, Guiral, 17.13.20

9, Laurent Lazzard, Uruguay, Yamaha, 17.53.04

10, Jorge Aguilar, KTM, 18.05.30

19, Taddy Blazusiak, Poland, KTM 24:46.51 (including a DNF in Stage Two)

Foto: Chaco A.

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X-Raid, com Orlando Terranova e Paulo Fiúza, vence Desafio Litoral

• Orlando Terranova/Paulo Fiúza win with the BMW X3 CC

• Nani Roma and Michel Périn secure three special-stage wins

The Argentinean off-road rallying enthusiasts are virtually over the moon as their compatriot Orlando Terranova has won the Dakar Series event Desafio Litoral. The Argentinean secured this win together with his Portuguese co-driver Paulo Fiúza at the wheel of a BMW X3 CC, with Nani Roma (ESP) / Michel Périn (FRA) finishing second, in their MINI ALL4 Racing. By coming third, BMW X3 CC driver Boris Garafulic from Chile and his French navigator Gilles Picard completed the outstanding X-raid team result.

In nearly every special stage, the battle for the win turned out to be a duel between Terranova and Roma. The Argentinean got the upper hand in the first special stage but on day two, Roma struck back and finished first. Then, the third special stage had to be cancelled due to adverse weather conditions as the safety helicopters weren’t allowed to take off. And without these helicopters, holding such an event is not permitted. The fourth special stage, however, cost Roma dearly. The Spaniard encountered gearbox problems and lost some 30 minutes. On the following days, he again proved to be the quickest but nonetheless, closing the gap to Terranova slightly was the best he could do. Garafulic and Picard secured top-three positions throughout the rally and consequently also finished third in the overall rankings.

“I’m delighted that our three cars did well and made it to the finish,” said X-raid Team Principal Sven Quandt. “Orly delivered in great style but you also could see that the old engine of the BMW X3 has got a slightly higher horsepower output. And he benefited from this advantage, in some sections. But in the ‘courage stages’, Nani in the MINI ALL4 Racing came out on top.”

Final overall results:

1. O. Terranova (ARG)/P. Fiúza (POR) BMW X3 CC – 12h 48m 06s

2. N. Roma (ESP)/M. Périn (FRA) MINI ALL4 Racing – 13h 14m 45s

3. B. Garafulic (CHI)/G. Picard (FRA) BMW X3 CC – 14h 28m 02s

4. O. Gandara (ARG)/M. Jeromin (ARG) Toyota – 16h 03m 38s

5. R. Recalde (PRY)/C. Zarza (PRY) Higer – 16h 14m 32s

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24 Horas de TT de Fronteira limitadas a 90 equipas

A prova de Fronteira é vítima do seu próprio sucesso e na edição deste ano o ACP apenas aceitará 90 equipas inscritas.

As 24 Horas de TT Vodafone – Vila de Fronteira encerram mais uma vez uma época desportiva de todo-o-terreno.

Dado o enorme interesse que a prova tem gerado nos últimos anos e devido ao reduzido espaço para montagem de boxes, o ACP tem que limitar a participação a 90 concorrentes. Assim, as 90 primeiras inscrições terão garantida a participação na prova, enquanto os restantes interessados ficarão em lista de espera e preencherão o lugar de alguma hipotética desistência. Alertamos para a necessidade da inscrição ser formalizada o mais cedo possível.

A disponibilidade de boxes extra só será equacionada a partir do dia 11 de Novembro e os interessados deverão manifestar o seu interesse no acto da inscrição.

Tendo como base os 17 km do Terródromo da Vila de Fronteira, iremos contar certamente com a adesão dos pilotos portugueses, bem como a presença dos espectaculares carros oriundos do campeonato de francês de resistência e o imenso público que, ano após ano, vai crescendo em número ao longo do circuito.

Fonte: todoterreno.pt

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220 Inscritos na edição de 2012 do Rali dos Sertões

As inscrições para a edição de 20 anos do Rally dos Sertões encerraram no último dia 20. Ao todo, serão 220 inscritos entre carros, caminhões, motos, quadriciclos e UTVs (que estreiam na competição como categoria experimental). Serão competidores de oito países disputando a edição histórica de 20 anos: Austrália, Brasil, Chile, Colômbia, Estados Unidos, França, Portugal e Venezuela. Do total de competidores desafiando o Sertão brasileiro, cinco são mulheres. Três nos carros, uma nas motos e uma nos UTVs.

No grid que parte de São Luis (MA) no dia 19, estão 63 motos, 47 carros, 12 UTVs, 10 caminhões (quatro pesados e seis leves) e nove quadriciclos. A surpresa é o número de UTVs inscritos. "Por ser uma categoria experimental e que será disputada pela primeira vez é um número expressivo para uma competição dentro do Brasil", disse Sabrina Proença - responsável pela Secretaria de Prova da Dunas Race.

Nos UTVs, vários campeões do Sertões em anos anteriores disputarão o primeiro campeonato da categoria, como Carlo Collet (pentacampeão nos quadriciclos) e Robert Nahas. Entre os favoritos está Bruno Sperancini e a categoria terá ainda a primeira mulher no mundo a correr de UTV, a colombiana Martha Marino.

Nos carros, esta edição tem tudo para ser inesquecível: está confirmada a vinda do francês Stéphane Peterhansel, o mito do rali cross country. O piloto desbravará o Sertão pela primeira vez e entra, com seu MINI All4 da X-Raid, na briga com os brasileiros tidos como favoritos: Guilherme Spinelli e seu Mitsubishi Lancer, o cearense Riamburgo Ximenes no BMW X3 CC, Marcos Moraes e seu T-Rex, além de outras equipes que também correm por fora na luta pelo título mais cobiçado do sertão.

A disputa nas motos também promete ser emocionante: Jean Azevedo retorna à categoria depois de anos competindo entre os carros, mas o paulista não terá vida fácil, já que o mineiro Felipe Zanol vem de dois vice-campeonatos e busca seu primeiro título, sem contar o Dario Julio (Darinho) e o catarinense Ike Klaumann, que pode surpreender.

André Azevedo, Edu Piano e Guido Salvini entram como favoritos nos caminhões pesados; nos caminhões leves, a briga deve ser entre Rafael Martinez-Conde e Amable Barrasa ; o cearense Tom Rosa vê como vantagem o terreno mais arenoso neste ano e tenta outro título nos quadriciclos, mas para isso terá de superar Marcelo Medeiros, Nei Costa, entre outros.

Veja a lista completa de inscritos no site www.sertoes.com.

O Rally dos Sertões acontece entre os dias 18 e 29 de agosto de 2012, com largada de São Luis (MA) e chegada em Fortaleza (CE).

Acompanhe o rali:

Ao vivo:

http://www.sertoes.com

http://www.webventure.com.br/sertoes

Acesse o Rally dos Sertões no Facebook:

http://facebook.com/sertoesoficial

Siga o Sertões no Twitter:

www.twitter.com/sertoesoficial

YouTube - Canal Rally dos Sertões:

www.youtube.com/dunasrace

Fonte: todoterreno.pt

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Elisabete Jacinto sensibiliza jovens para a Segurança Rodoviária

As comemorações do Dia Europeu de Segurança Rodoviária contaram este ano com a presença da piloto Elisabete Jacinto que, na acção que teve lugar na Praia da Torre, em Oeiras, deu o seu contributo no sentido de sensibilizar os mais jovens para o tema da segurança rodoviária.

A iniciativa, levada a cabo pela Autoridade Nacional da Segurança Rodoviária (ANSR), contou com diversas atividades entre os quais simulacros onde se criaram situações de capotamento e encarceramento. Estas pretendiam, acima de tudo, demonstrar a importância da utilização do cinto de segurança alertando para a necessidade de ter uma atitude defensiva na estrada.

Para Elisabete Jacinto o balanço desta ação foi muito positivo: "acho que estas iniciativas fazem todo o sentido e felicito a ANSR por as levar a cabo.

É preciso consciencializar as pessoas de que a segurança nas estradas depende, sobretudo, de nós. É importante dirigir este tipo de alertas aos jovens pois é deles que depende uma possível mudança de mentalidade do condutor Português. Tomando consciência do perigo são eles próprios que começam já a alertar os pais para atitudes mais defensivas . Enquanto piloto tento transmitir-lhes que, para se andar depressa nas corridas, há toda uma técnica de condução a aplicar que esta tem de ser treinada. Dispomos também de mecanismos de proteção a que o condutor comum não tem acesso. Por isso há que ter sempre uma atitude defensiva.”

A temática que assinalou o Dia Europeu da Segurança Rodoviária foi "Envolvimento ativo dos jovens na Segurança Rodoviária"

e contou com a presença de diversas personalidades, nomeadamente, o Presidente da Autoridade Nacional de Segurança Rodoviária, Eng. Paulo Marques, o Director da Unidade de Prevenção Rodoviária, Eng. Carlos Lopes, e vários responsáveis das entidades locais do Concelho de Oeiras.

O Dia Europeu da Segurança Rodoviária é uma iniciativa da Comissão Europeia, constituindo-se como um momento de reflexão e uma oportunidade de visibilidade para a problemática da segurança rodoviária, tendo em vista contribuir para uma maior segurança dos cidadãos e para uma verdadeira cultura de responsabilidade nas estradas.

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Cyril Després mantém liderança do Desafio Litoral após a penúltima Etapa

KTM’s multiple Dakar Rally winner Cyril Despres hung on to the overall lead on the penultimate stage of the Desafio Litoral Rally in Argentina on Friday. He finished fourth in the stage and now has a narrow three minutes 44 seconds lead over KTM rider Jakub Przgonski of Poland going into Saturday’s short final stage of around 75 km.

But his result today was thanks in part to good teamwork in the KTM factory team. Despres destroyed a tire with about 40 km to go in the day’s second timed section and was helped out by KTM’s Taddy Blazusiak who swapped wheels with the Frenchman to allow him to finish the stage and stay within striking distance of the overall victory. Taddy then rode the rest of the timed section and the remaining 100 km back to the bivouac on the damaged wheel, thus preventing his teammate from losing too much time.

“I was pretty sure I could have finished on the wheel but Taddy swapped with me and I was able to get on with the race,” Despres said from the bivouac. “It means he is going to be starting quite far back in the field tomorrow and that will make it hard for him. Now I have a small advantage going into the last stage but in this sport you never know what is going to happen. For sure its never over till its over.”

Taddy, KTM’s Extreme Enduro specialist is in Argentina for his first ever taste of rally sport during the long summer break in the US EnduroCross Championship. He has done well during the rally but failed to finish in in the second stage after a crash that aggravated an old shoulder injury and damaged tire apart, also did well to arrive back at the bivouac today.

“I was happy with my riding today,” he said. “It was very fast and I had a good rhythm. It’s very different to Enduro riding but it was going well for me. Also there was not too much navigating to do today and in this respect I still have a lot to learn. But when I saw Cyril had trouble with his tire, it was natural that I should give him my wheel as he had a good chance to have the chance to take the win. After all, that’s what teammates are for."


Results Stage Five

1, Mauricio Gomez, Argentina, Yamaha 2:38.41

2, Pablo Rodriguez, Argentina, Honda at 2.52

3, Jakub Przgonski, Poland, KTM, at 3.44

4, Cyril Despres, France, KTM at 5.44

5, David Tieppo, Beta, at 6.25

6, Javier Pizzolito, Argentina, Honda at 7.08

7, Taddy Blazusiak, Poland, KTM, at 10.26

8, Laurent Lazzard, Uruguay, Yamaha, 11.39

9, Frederic Judez Rivas, Yamaha, 12.42

10, Jorge Aguilar, KTM, 12.52

Overall results after Stage Five

1, Despres, 13 hours 16.41

2, Przgonski at 3.44 minutes


3, Gomez at 1:02.24

4, Rodriguez, 1:30.50

5, Pizzolito, 1:33.47

6, Israel, at 1:35.10

7, Ortiz, 3:07.51

8, Guiral, 3:11.46

9, Lazzard, 3:41.48

10, Jorge Aguilar, KTM, 4:02.37

Foto: Chaco A.

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Després vence etapa 4 e aumenta liderança na classificação geral do Desafio Litoral

KTM’s rally supremo Cyril Despres had a good day at the office on Thursday taking his second stage win in the new Desafio Litoral Rally and extending his overall lead to almost six minutes in this new six stage-rally in Argentina, part of the ‘Dakar Series’.

KTM riders filled the top three places in the stage with Poland’s Jakub Przgonski finishing one minute 31 behind Despres and KTM factory teammate Taddy Blazusiak in third and trailed the leader by about nine minutes. While Despres, a four-times Dakar winner is one of the world’s greatest exponents of the sport and Przgonski is also a top rally rider, Blazusiak is KTM’s Extreme Enduro and EnduroCross specialist. He is in Argentina experiencing rally for the first time to ‘stay on two wheels’ during the US EnduroCross Championship’s summer break.

Despres and Przgonski are also 1-2 in the overall standings with two stages to go but Taddy crashed out in Tuesday’s stage and is just going along for the experience. Wednesday’s Stage Three was scrapped due to heavy fog that made it impossible for the accompanying rescue helicopters to be airborne.

Speaking after Thursday’s stage Despres said he felt he was back in terrain similar to the Dakar. “Today the track was flatter and sandy. We were no longer on the hard pack red earth and on the narrow jungle trails like in the first two stages. That red earth could be very unpredictable and slippery like ice,” he said. “The average speed today was 120 km/h so it was also very fast. The distance between Przgonski and me was not that big but I felt I was controlling the race. I’m feeling good and confident, the bike is going well and I’m looking forward to the next two days.” Cyril is riding his Dakar-winning KTM 450 Rally bike.

It was also a good day for Taddy, especially as when he crashed out on Tuesday he had somewhat aggravated an old shoulder injury. “When I first started riding this morning I was in quite a lot of pain, but it got better as the day went on,” he said. “Today was a good day and for sure the riding is getting better. I still have a lot to learn with the road book and navigation, which is not easy at such high speeds but now it’s becoming more automatic and I am having fun.” Taddy is riding a KTM 450 series model rally bike similar to the one used by KTM Enduro Factory Rider Johnny Aubert in the 2012 Dakar Rally, also his first venture away from the rigors of Enduro racing.

Riders had an unexpected ‘rest day’ on Wednesday after the cancellation of Stage Three but they had a long hard ride on Thursday with a Dakar-like race distance of 427.10 km over two stretches and separated by a liaison of 216 km. Thursday’s stage from Bella Vista to Correntes was the longest and most demanding of this six-day event.

It now looks like the rally will be decided between Despres and Przgonsi who have put significant distance between them and the rest of the field. Up until today Chilean KTM rider ‘Chaleco’ Lopez was also in the running but he had technical problems today and lost too much time to be able to catch the leaders in the remaining two days.


Results Stage Four (Stage Three was canceled because of adverse weather

1, Cyril Despres, France, KTM 3:28.17

2, Jakub Przgonski, Poland, KTM, at 1.31


3, Taddy Blazusiak, Poland, KTM, at 8.51

4, Mauricio Gomez, Argentina, Yamaha, at 13.17

5, Jeremias Israel, Honda, at 16.00

6, Juan Salvatierra, Bolivia, Honda, at 16.27

7, Javier Pizzolito, Argentina, Honda at 20.30

8, Pablo Rodriguez, Argentina, Honda at 21.06

9, Juan Ortiz, Argentina, Yamaha at 29.56

10, Adrian Sansaloni, Argentina, Beta 43.03

Overall results after Stage Four (of Six)

1, Despres, 10 hours 32.16

2, Przgonski at 5.44 minutes 


3, Gomez at 57.08

4, Israel, at 1:14.11

5, Pizzolito, 1:32.23

6, Rodriguez, 1:33.42

7, Ortiz, 3:00.07

8, Demian Guiral, Argentina, Honda, 3:04.24

9, Sansaloni, 3:16.21

10, Laurent Lazard, Uruguay, Yamaha, 3:41.48

Foto: Chaco A.

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