Monday 20 April 2015
First leg: Losail – Sealine
Link section: 50.34 km – Special: 201.94 km – Link section: 0.94 km – Total: 253.22 km
When the riders left the Losail circuit after a passage on the podium, the wind was blowing. This first stage was not very long and the competitors would reach the Sealine bivouac after only 201 km of Special. Jeremias Israel (Honda) — known in Qatar by his mother’s family name Esquere — who did not take part in the Desert Challenge and was therefore not classified found himself starting out first ahead of his companion in misfortune, Jordi Viladoms (KTM). In Cross Country Rallies, setting out first is not an advantage as the one out in front is always slower than those following in his tracks. The Chilean was alone until he was caught up by Viladoms at 20km. “It was very difficult to be in front, said the Catalan, as the wind sweeping across the sand made it virtually impossible to see the track. I finished 7th, which is not bad considering I was in front until CP2. With the new rules, strategy has become very important, especially the first day.”
In the end, the Special was won by Marc Coma who will be the first to be able to choose his starting spot, which will the 6th, of course (new rules). “The first day is necessarily a bit complicated and I only started to get the feel of this rather special desert one year ago. I made a small mistake during the race but who doesn’t make mistakes? The first day is very important because of the new rules about the choice of places, and as it was a good day for me, the next four should be too.”
In second position, we find Joan Barreda (Honda): “It’s never easy to open the track but I am satisfied with my work despite a few mistakes in the last kilometres”.
Sam Sunderland (KTM) came third ahead of the Chilean, Pablo Quintanilla (KTM), Paulo Goncalves (Honda), Mohamed Al Balooshi (KTM), Jordi Viladoms, Ruben Faria (KTM), Matthias Walkner (KTM) and Jeremias Israel.
Mohammed Abu Issa won the first battle of the four quads in contention for the FIM Cross Countries Rallies Title. He won the special with a 59 second lead over Poland’s Rafal Sonik after catching up with the trio of quad riders in front of him around km 15. “I hope I can widen my lead tomorrow, as I will be setting out alone, but I will have to concentrate on the navigation as I wasn’t sharp enough today.”
Tomorrow the motorcycles will be leaving the Sealine bivouac at 5h45 for a first loop of some 400 km. Nelson Sanabria was looking a bit tense this morning as he only got his quad back late last night and had to pass the controls at the crack of dawn this morning, although he had been planning some practice last week. However, he was able to take the start.