The Portuguese pilot Elisabete Jacinto finished the fourth stage of the Morocco Desert Challenge, a demanding journey with many sand passages and dunes, in second place in the truck category. The Bio-Ritmo® team took 4h40m31s to complete the 276 timed kilometers of the selective sector that was held between Oum Jrane and Merzouga.
The Portuguese trio formed by Elisabete Jacinto, José Marques and Marco Cochinho finished the stage that took place today with a difference of about 28 minutes for the Dutch Martin Van Den Brink who, at the command of a Renault, was the fastest among the T4 and is currently the leader of this category.
Elisabete Jacinto is now going to the fifth stage of this African marathon in third place in her class with a short difference of 13 minute for the second place, which is occupied by the Dutchman Gert Huzink, and with a comfortable advantage of about 50 minutes for the Belgian Igor Bouwens, who continues to occupy the fourth position among the trucks.
Although the course of this fourth stage imposed many difficulties, the Portuguese team managed to overcome all obstacles: « today’s stage was very varied, but it was also very difficult. The first part of the sector was fast and we managed to do it quite well. The second part was slower. We crossed two Ergs, the Ouzina and the Chebbi. In the first one we caught some very high dunes, but we passed them without any complication. When we reached the Erg Chebbi we had to make about 20 kilometers of dunes that were truly difficult to overcome. For several times, we almost got upside down. One time I even thought we would roll forward. The crests of the dunes were very high and the rear seemed to want to jump forward. But fortunately it went well and we are proud of the work we did today, « revealed Elisabete Jacinto on arrival in Merzouga.
The Morocco Desert Challenge is set to dispute its fifth round tomorrow in Merzouga. Once again the Erg Chebbi dunes will be part of the menu of a day where sand and dunes will be the main key words. The stage will count with 215 timed kilometers starting and arriving at the camp that is situated near the Moroccan city of Merzouga.
Anabela Martinho,