Pharaons Rally : Al Rajhi, Salvatierra and Sonik are the new Pharaons

PRESS RELEASE

24 may 2014


GIZA – After an intense week made of desert, high temperatures and hard tracks, the arrival to the Giza pyramids is really a moment of relief for the Pharaons Rally 2014 survivors.
Emotions, some tears of joy, many souvenir photos with the fantastic Pyramids on the background.

No particular surprises has shaken the general ranking, so Yazeed Al Rajhi, Juan Carlos Salvatierra and Rafal Sonik were crowned as new pharaons, in car, bike and quad categories.
Nasser Al Attiyah tried in every way to attack Saudi, he overtook him at km 50, but Yazeed had only to control by distance Qatar pilot dust, and lost only three minutes on track.

Surprise among cars arrived thanks to third podium position that until yesterday was firmly occupied by Polish Marek Dabrowski. Ex motorbike pilot broke his Toyota rear drive shaft reaching the final line with three hours delay and obviously lost the desired result, getting then seventh position. Third position went to Dutch Erik Van Loon/Wouter Rosegaar Mini, that arrived before World Cup leader Vladimir Vasilyev.

Adham Mostafa/ Hakam Rabie were the best Egyptian team reaching the finish line.

Few surprises even in bike category, where Juan Carlos Salvatierra won today the last stage of a rally he literally dominated. Nicolas Cardona, fourth in today stage, arrived after him with a delay of 44 minutes.

Third podium position was decided during the last Rally km even in the motorbike category.
Polish Rafal Sonik succeeded in overtaking Stefano Chiussi, third until yesterday, that because of the dislocated shoulder had to keep a lower rhythm. Italian is however Over 450 category winner. Fifth position for Venezuelan Rafael Eraso, in front of Stefano Turchi and Paolo Sabbatucci.

INTERVIEWS

Yazeed Al Rajhi: “It has been a great day and a really wonderful competition. My team helped me a lot, so as my copilot Timo, that made a great job. He always checks how I feel and is able to give me the right incitement. I don't have a lot of experience in Cross Country Rally and for that reason I'm very proud for having fought against Dakar winner. It has been a week made of great satisfactions, like the one of having reached him yesterday. Today, it was hard to keep concentration, during the last 50 kilometers I was just thinking about giving gas in order to keep in view his dust.”

Nasser Al Attiyah: “Today, it was not possible to recover eight minutes in such a fast stage. Yazeed made a good challenge. Overall, it has been a very hard competition, with different difficulties. Next year I will come back with buggy! It has been a completely new rally to me, and it reminds me about Dakars in Africa, I am really happy to be here at Pharaons! I saw the Pyramids a lot of time, but being in front of them today is really special.”

Erik Van Loon: “A very fast day, a bit dangerous sometimes, We lost some time but we saw that Dabrowski had some troubles. We had some small trouble at the beginning of the rally, but then things started to go better during the last two days. Third position was our aim.”

Juan Carlos Salvatierra: “It's incredible to be the Pharaons winner and to think that my name is together with Coma, Despres, Barreda ones...Its the more beautiful satisfaction in my agonistic career. It has been a great experience to open the track every day. Now I'm much more confident with navigation.
I've learned really a lot in this competition and today I've just tried not to make mistakes and not to fall down in order to reach these wonderful Pyramids.”

Nicolas Cardona: “I'm happy, to get the second position In a Rally like Pharaons with all its history, gives me even more incentives to go on with competitions. I've learned a lot during this week and I've tried to win until the last day, but Salvatierra's bike is faster. In fact I would like to change mine in order to be much more competitive.”

Rafal Sonik: “A too fast stage, and quad is 20 km/h slower than bikes. I was worried about Stefano Chiussi to reach me, but it not happened. I was still looking behind me and I've tried to push as much as I could. Bu the end I was loosing oil from engine, so it was fine to reach the finish line. I'm happy to be here, I arrived second for two times among quads, now victory has finally arrived.”

PHARAONS RALLY: Yazeed controls Al Alattiyah, Salvatierra keep Cardona at distance BAHARIJA

PRESS RELEASE
22 may 2014

 – The show of Libyan Egyptian desert performed today during third Pharaons Rally 2014 stage, that ideally related Dakhla and Baharija Oasis with a special stage of 289 km among the wonderful landscapes pilots found around each corner.

Cars fight is becoming interesting, with Nasser Al Attiyah who's trying to regain the gap collected during the first day from Yazeed Al Rajhi.

Qatar “prince” won the stage again today, but Saudi had a delay of 1’23’’ only. More than nine minutes instead, the delay of Dutch Erik Van Loon, third in Baharija finish line.

Vladimir Vasilyev was performing a good trial and seemed to be going through today's victory, but the upper suspension arm breaking made him loose almost one hour for repairing. The fight at the top is among Mini All4Racing and Toyota Overdrive, as confirmed by Marek Dabrowski fourth place, that ended in front of Miroslav Zapletal and Yuriy Sazonov's two Hummer.

In the general ranking Al Rajhi still has more than seven minutes over Al Attiyah, but two stage are still missing before pilots can see Giza Pyramids, so nothing is taken for granted.

Third place in general ranking goes to Polish team with the ex motor bikers Marek Dabrowski and Jacek Czachor.

Among bikes, situation seems to clearly rough out in favor of Bolivian Juan Carlos Salvatierra that won today the third consecutive stage. Once again he was before Venezuelan Nicolas Cardona, just for one minute today.

Salvatierra can sleep soundly as he can count on an advantage of over half an hour on Cardona.

Third overall in bike/quad category, Polish Rafal Sonik, defending World Champion, does not seem to have any foes among quads, having his direct competitor, Stefano Dalla Valle a delay of five hour.
Behind him Italians Domenico Cipollone and Stefano Turchi.

Nicolas Cardona: “Today's stage has been very calm for me. It was fast but not so complicated in navigation. Landscapes here are amazing. I have to carefully drive in order to Reach Pyramids in a good position. My Yamaha is not very fast, so I have to be careful and safeguard mechanics.”

Rafal Sonik: “Today I've run a stage without technical problems in the more beautiful desert I know. There were some “whale back” dunes and it has been the more beautiful.
It's one oh those days that give you an answer about why you run rallies. I do not know why official pilots did not come to Egypt, maybe because is far from home, but being in such places make me feel privileged.

Nasser Al Attiyah: “It has been a good day, we tried to push at the maximum level. Until CP1 we had gained a good advantage on Yazeed, then he recovered, we do not know how. Tomorrow we'll try again, no strategy, just full gas. It has been the most beautiful day of the rally, with lots of sandy areas and very technical plateau.”

Miroslav Zapletal: “It has been the first day without problems, because during the first stage we had overheating problems with the gearbox, and yesterday two navigation mistakes cost 40 minutes. The stage today was very fast and sometimes stony, but we amused a lot.”

Yara Shalabi: “I ride since one year and the half and I wanted to attend last year Pharaons Rally, so I'm very happy to be here this year. During yesterday stage I had turbo problems and I could not exceed 80km/h, so we had to ride dunes during the night .
We looked after waypoint until 1a.m., then we slept in the desert and reached the bivouac this morning only, just before starting. Stage today has been beautiful , half with very soft sand , really amusing and the other half stony. Tomorrow we will have lots of dunes, that I like a lot.”

RALLYE DES PHARAONS : Al Attiyah et Salvatierra premiers à Dakhla

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE DU RALLYE DES PHARAONS

DAKHLA – Une autre journée étouffante au Pharaons Rally, qui a laissé la vallée du Nil pour se diriger vers le Désert du Libye, dans l'oasis de Dakhla qui a accueilli le premier bivouac après les nuits passées en hotel. L’atmosphère du Pharaons a commencée pour le bon avec une difficile épreuve spécial de 362,76 km adressée après un transfert de 244 km et partie cette matin à 11 heures.

Températures plus hautes que 47 degrés qui on fait la journée très difficile avec beaucoup de problèmes de déshydratation surtout pour les motocyclistes.

Les voitures on souffert beaucoup des crevaison, comme le trois qui son passées au gagnant l'étape de aujourd'hui Nasser Al Alattiyah o les deux qui sont passées au leader de la générale Yazeed al Rajhi.

Al Attiyah a gagné avec deux minutes sur le copain de maison de voiture Vladimir Vasilyev et avec peu moins que quatre minutes sur le saoudien Yazeed Al Rajhi, qui reste à la tete de la classification avec deux minutes sur Vasilyev et neuf sur Al Attiyah.

Entre les motos Juan Carlos Salvatierra et Nicolas Cardona semblaient en ce moment les seuls qui peuvent se jouer la victoire. Aujourd'hui aussi a gagné le bolivien avec sa Speedbrain, avec 14 minutes et demi d'avantage sur le vénézuelien. Troisième absolu Rafal Sonik qui naturellement a été le premier quad au ligne d'arrivé. Derrière lui Stefano Chiussi et Rafal Eraso.

Demain la direction sera vers Nord pour joindre Baharija, l’oasis de 3000 momies, où on restera deux jours avant l'étape finale qui portera au Giza Pyramides.

INTERVIEWS

Nasser Al Alattiyah: “Trois roues de secours et trois crevaisons. Les premières deux dans les premiers 80 km, puis sur des plateaux pleins de pierres. Il a été un peu stressant et on a du avoir le maximum d'attention. La troisième crevaison est arrivée à 120 km de la ligne d'arrivé. Nous avons perdu beaucoup de temps mais cependant on a étonnement été les premiers.”

Yazeed Al Rajhi: “Une bonne journée, mais il n'a pas été facile d'ouvrir la piste. On a souffert pour deux crevaisons et on avait deux roues de secours seulement, situation qui nous a préoccupes un peu.
Après la première crevaison Vasyliev nous a passé, puis on s'est échangé la position 5 ou 6 fois. Enfin on est arrivés devant lui.”

Vladimir Vasyliev:” La chose la plus importante est qu'on est arrivés a la fin de cette étape difficile et qu'on n'a pas eu des problèmes en suivant notre rythme. Nous nous sommes amusés en donnant bataille à Yazeed et il a été très difficile de sortir des dunes, qui était vraiment très doux, à la fin de l'étape. En plus la climatisation ne marchait pas et il faisait très chaud dans la voiture.”

Juan Carlos Salvatierra: “Il a été la droite journée pour mettre en pratique tout le travail fait avec mon entraîneur dans les derniers quatre ans. J'ai trouvé un bon rythme calme et prudent pour ne pas faire des erreurs. J'ai gardé ma concentration en regardant tous les détails du roadbook. Je suis seulement tombé une fois, mais sans conséquences.”

Nicolas Cardona: “Aujourd'hui la navigation n'a pas été si difficile comme le premier jour, à part une partie rocheuse où j'ai eu difficulté en trouver un waypoint. J'ai cherché de ne pas faire des erreurs comme le premier jour. Le climat a joué un rôle important, la sable était très doux et l'aire était chaude comme un sèche-cheveux en face. En plus ma moto ne voyage à plus que 120n km /heure.