After the cancellation of the 6th special stage yesterday because of the absence of the helicopters which stayed in Dakhla due to bad weather conditions, the race was back on track on the AFRICA ECO RACE 2019. This first real Mauritanian stage between Northern Station and Chami is long of 481km, was going fine until the arrival of the first two autos. Unfortunately, while passing the chronometer line, the buggies N°202 et 211 crashed into each other. If the four competitors miraculously came out without any serious injuries, the two buggies are totally destroyed. This spectacular accident which happened only 2 km from the bivouac, shook the AFRICA ECO RACE caravan. We must say that the results of the day were not the priority at the time, even though this accident will seriously change the ranking.
JACINTO settling her leadership in the truck category
Faultless once again today, Elisabete JACINTO, Jose MARQUES and Marco COCHINHO finish 5th in the auto/truck category at 27’59’’. The MAN of the Portuguese is ahead of Belgium Igor BOUWENS, Tom DE LEEUW and Ulrich BOERBOOM’s IVECO by 9’30’’, as well as Tomas TOMECEK and his TATRA by approx. 20 minutes. In the general ranking, Elisabete is 6th in the auto/truck ranking and 1st of the desert beasts. With over 2 hours ahead of Noël ESSERS, Marc LAUWERS and Johan COONINX, followed closely by Igor BOUWENS with 6’14’’.
Tomorrow the AFRICA ECO RACE will take the direction of Atar with a special sector of 445 kilometers. The competitors will find their first dunes crossing quite challenging and landscapes as only Mauritania can offer at the end of the stage.
