RALLYE DE TUNISIE : COMA GAGNE L'ÉTAPE - CHALECO TOUJOURS EN TÊTE

Communiqué Aprilia.

Chaleco stays on top of the general classification

Francisco Lopez opened the road today in the hardest stage of the Oilibya Rally of Tunisia until now. His Aprilia RXV 4.5 stood there with him to accomplish the task. The Chilean rider is third on the stage and keeps the head in the overall classification.

NEKRIF – Today, the third stage of the Rally of Tunisia was a loop around Nekrif. The selective section of 265 km was made to measure riders’ ´skills in the sand under windy conditions. Bikes started one hour earlier to avoid high temperatures on the tracks, but even in these conditions, Lopez stays with on top.

The Chilean had the hard task of opening the race track fighting with the wind in form of sand storm that moved his bike to the side due to its strength, involved in a cloud of dust. Even if he started finished first, Marc Coma did the best time in the timed section.

As Lopez arrived, followed by Helder Rodriguez, both riders discussed about the difficulties of this day, and how they switched places opening the road today, and how this task demands the rider to focus in each note on the road book.

Francisco Lopez finished the timed section in 3h09´42´´, which was the 3rd best time of the stage, 4´59´´ from the stage winner Marc Coma, and 17´´ from the second of the day, Helder Rodriguez. Nevertheless, Lopez maintains his leadership in the overall ranking and in the 450cc as well.

Tomorrow, the rally caravan will arrive to Ksar Ghilane, where it will stay for two nights before the end of the race. The fourth stage will be a 280 selective section after only 15 km of road connection. Tracks will be rather fast and undulated and the hard test of the day will be crossing a soft sand erg.

Francisco Lopez: “I had fun today, I had to open the track most of the time, and also before the finish. The wind was very strong and the last portion with the dunes was even harder with the wind. I was worried because the wind was so strong that the bike moved to the side, but I´m here at the finish and my Aprilia didn´t have a problem during the stage”