The 42nd DAKAR has started! On Sunday, the participants covered the distance of the first stage from Jeddah to Al-Wajh. Saudi Arabia hosts the legendary rally marathon for the first time that gives a special atmosphere to the race.
The distance of the first day special stage from Jeddah towards Al Wajh was 319 competitive kilometers. Such a significant length of the route cannot be called typical for the starting stage. The more difficult it was for absolutely all the DAKAR rally participants – in a new country, on unfamiliar territory, they immediately faced a serious challenge. But all drivers and riders are on an equal footing – none of the favorites has the advantage of knowing the local route features.
The special stage opening the 2020 race began with winding roads in canyons and dry river beds. From the very start, the field tackled the first dunes and bumps with small sandy hills and soft sand. However, the racers had a short-term opportunity to take a breath – the 19-km neutralization zone, where they had to drive on tarmac surface. Then there was a new segment of the race distance – speed sections on the sandy plateau, where terrain association was complicated by a large number of regular and parallel tracks. After that, the track went to canyons and dried riverbeds again, where the co-drivers faced very difficult navigation. And at the very finish of the first stage, a sandy impassability with a lot of vegetation and wider, faster canyons began.
José Luis Peña and Rafael Tornabell (N 408) have concluded the first stage of the Dakar Rally 2020 in 12th place, with a time of 4 hours, 30 minutes and 58 seconds, half an hour apart from the winner of the day, Aron Domzala.
Jose Luis Peña: “We have seen many people with punctures so we have chosen to take care of the tires and the car, which has behaved sensationally. We have gone to our rhythm to finish the stage that today was the important thing, ”said the Cantabrian pilot.
In this first stage the crew Polaris CST (N 424) Eric Abel and Christian Manez know that the race is long and they decided not to take risks. The track was difficult because there were many stones, many of the cars had problems with the tires. But Eric and Christian say they are happy with their tires that adapted to the terrain of stones and sand. They know that there are still many ways to go.
It was not an easy start for the English crew Graham Knight and David Watson (N 418). With the mind racing Graham drove too fast through a stoney section punctured 2 tyres and bent the rear trail arm. There was more to come sadly, they tried to drive carefully as they had no more spare tyres but not carefully enough, as they hit a rock and snapped the front ball joint and then later on near the end after having repaired the front end they only went and punctured again on a rock and had to borrow a spare wheel as they’d used all theirs earlier. In total they probably lost about 1.5 hours. However they finished and the Dakar dream is still alive.
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