MDC SS5: Elisabete Jacinto maintains overall position

Elisabete Jacinto © Jorge Cunha

Elisabete Jacinto completed today the sixth stage of the Morocco Desert Challenge, one of the most demanding days of the entire rally where were completed 306 timed kilometers in a route that included another passage through the majestic dunes of Erg Chebbi and another one in the Erg Znaigui.

 

The journey held between Merzouga and Boudnib was not easy for the Bio-Ritmo® team, who, after having made 30 kilometer in the dunes, had a mechanical problem with the shock absorber support, which forced them to stop an hour to resolve the situation. Nevertheless the Portuguese finished the special in the 16th place among the T4, a result that allows them to maintain the seventh position of the overall classification of trucks.

Elisabete Jacinto, José Marques and Marco Cochinho have completed another stage at the Morocco Desert Challenge and are now two days away from completing another rally: « today’s special wasn’t easy. We had to run about 30km in the Erg Chebbi, wheich was a very complicated course that gave us a lot of work, but we were able to pass it without any problems. Soon after we found another section of dunes that we also surpassed well. Unfortunately we had a problem with the support of the shock absorbers and we had to stop to solve the situation which delayed us a lot. With all this we lost almost an hour. However, we managed to finish another stage and tomorrow we set off with the aim of regaining positions », said the Portuguese driver on arrival at the bivouac.

The penultimate stage of the Morocco Desert Challenge will be held tomorrow between Boudnib and Matarka. It will be disputed 410 timed kilometers in this seventh special that follows north by the plains of Hamada and the plateau of Rekkam. After the sandy tracks of southern Morocco, in the north the riders will find deserted valleys, stone and mountain paths but the landscapes remain fabulous.

Anabela Martinho,

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