RALLYE DE TUNISIE : CHALECO LOPEZ TOUJOURS EN TÊTE DE LA COURSE

Communiqué Aprilia

Tunisia: Lopez flies in the longest day

The fourth stage of the Rally of Tunisia, Chaleco keeps focused and finishes only thirteen seconds from the stage winner, Marc Coma. In the general classification, the Chilean has twenty three minutes over Przygonski and the Spanish champion. Tomorrow, the penultimate stage of the rally with 180 km

KSAR GHILANE – “The longest day” was called the fourth stage of the Rally of Tunisia that started heading north from Nekrif to the small oasis of Ksar Ghilane. A brief connection followed by the special section of 280 km, fast in the first part, crossing amazing landscapes like the canyon of Oum Zougar. Then, sand and small dunes, the oil pipe to get to the second past and the hardest due to the soft sand.

Lopez started third from the bivouac of Nekrif this morning, and he joined Rodrigues at CP1 and then he has launched a persecution to reach Coma. Right before CP2, the Portuguese left the stage due to a broke fork, so “Chaleco” arrived alone to the refueling, only one minute behind Marc Coma.

From here on Lopez added the "turbo" and, despite a fall on dangerous small dune - which made him lost about thirty seconds - and at CP3 he took back almost all the advantage from the Spanish. “Chaleco” and his Aprilia RXV 4.5 arrived to the finish in Ksar Ghilane with a total time of 3h10'52, only thirteen seconds higher than that of Marc Coma, who won the stage.

Lopez is in a desirable position, since he has lost virtually nothing from the excellent Spanish rider and tomorrow he will start behind Coma. But most important, Lopez has further increased the advantage over other rivals. With Rodriguez out of the game, “Chaleco” is on top of the general classification, more than 23 minutes ahead of Polish Jakub Przygonski and Marc Coma is third. His main rival in the 450 class is David Casteu, 33 minutes away.

The stage of tomorrow, with 180 km selective section, will be a loop around Ksar Ghilane, and the dunes of the "Grand Erg Oriental" will add some more action to the race.

Francisco Lopez: “It was a perfect stage, hard, stony in the first part, then, lots of oueds to go through before the refueling and the beginning of the dunes. You had to be careful with navigation because there were many dangers at the same time. After the refueling I fell in a small dune, nothing bad, but I lost some seconds. Then, I stayed focused and I lost a few seconds over Coma.”

SPECIAL STAGE RESULTS

Marc Coma (Ktm) in 3h10’39’’
CHALECO LOPEZ (APRILIA RXV 4.5) a 0’13
Jakub Przygonski (Ktm) a 6’30
David Casteu (Sherco 450) a 12’38
Jacek Czachor (Ktm) a 14’37
OVERALL CLASSIFCATION

CHALECO LOPEZ (APRILIA RXV 4.5) in 12h22’32’’
Jakub Przygonski (Ktm) a 23’11
Marc Coma (Ktm) a 23’31
David Casteu (Sherco 450) a 33’30
Marek Dabrowski (Ktm) a 58’12

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”

DEUXIÈME VICTOIRE D'ÉTAPE POUR CHALECO SUR LE RALLYE DE TUNISIE !

Communiqué APRILIA
3 may 2010

SECOND STAGE, SECOND VICTORY

Francisco López wins the second stage of the Rally of Tunisia with his Aprilia RVX 4.5. A fuel problem almost took this second victory from the Chilean, but his right way of managing the race allows him to continue on top of the bikes.

NEKRIF – For the second stage of Tunisia´s Rally, the caravan keeps going South in Tunis. This time, the selective section of 289 km took all riders from Douz to Nekrif , a finish at only 300 meters from the bivouac where Chaleco arrived first.

Not too sandy but stony this second stage which caused mousse problems for the bikes, among them Marc Coma, but Chaleco managed to run in a way that allowed him to keep his first position, opening the track as he heads the bikes classification.

The Chilean arrived to CP1 with Marc Coma ten minutes before any other rider. Then Coma took the head of the trails but a broken mousse 40 km before the finish, and Chaleco continued carefully because of the stones were heating the right tank, which could have caused major problems for his race.

Lopez sign his second stage victory with 3h20’10’’, followed by Helder Rodrigues, 3’14’’ behind him while David Casteu occupied the third place of the day, 9’39’’ from Aprilia´s winner.

Tomorrow, the special stage will be a loop of 265 km that will start 18 kilometers from the bivouac in Nekrif. There were be canyons, sand, narrow path in summits, small dunes and sand spits crossing that can enlarge the gap between the riders.

Francisco Lopez: “We arrived to the refueling ten minutes ahead of all riders. I had a problem in the right tank that is broken. Marc continued to open, and 50 km before the finish his mousse was destroyed, so I rode quietly because all I wanted was to get to the finish. I think today the classifications has changed a lot.”

CHALECO ET APRILIA EN TÊTE DU RALLYE DE TUNISIE

Communiqué Aprilia.
2 may 2010

Chaleco and his Aprilia shining in Tunisia

Chaleco wins the first stage of the Rally Oilibya of Tunisia, second step of the Cross Country World Championship, with his Aprilia and opens the race by heading the 450 cc. class.

DOUZ – After the cancellation of the Super Special yesterday in Tunis because of the many public that was on the race track, the Rally of Tunisia got serious with its first stage, and the longest of the rally which allowed the Chilean rider to show his skills with a stage victory.

Starting in the 21st position this morning, Lopez has managed to achieve the best time with his Aprilia in a stage where navigation was very demanding, while the high temperatures and the dust didn´t want to make things easy for the riders.

Chaleco finished this first selective section of 180 kilometers in 2h41´48, followed by Polish rider Jakub Przygonsky by 1´56´´while Spanish rider Marc Coma obtained the third time, 3´27´´ behind Lopez.

Now all riders must finish the stage with a road connection of 165 km to get to Douz under Tunisia´s hot sun.

From tomorrow, there won´t be any long road connection, and riders will take the start 5 km from the bivouac for a special of 289 kilometers. Sand, technical twisty roads and a fast undulated road will be at the menu.

Francisco Lopez: “It was a very fun stage, very demanding navigation wise, very hot and dusty too. This first stage was different from what we saw in Dubai. Many changes of direction, a little bit technical and interesting.”