adminCollin Matiza Sports Editor—
DEBUTANT Conrad Rautenbach (pictured right) of Zimbabwe found the going tough during the second stage of the 2017 Dakar Rally on Tuesday, finishing the day in 14th place after his Toyoya Hilux lost its power steering in the mud, but he managed to make it into the service park.
Rautenbach, who came out of retirement to compete in this year’s Dakar Rally, survived to fight another day in the toughest race on earth when he managed to complete the 275km timed section between Resistencia and San Miguel de Tucuman in northern Argentina, coming home 00:12:58 behind stage winner Sebastien Loeb of France who won it in 2hr 06min 55sec for his fifth career stage victory in the gruelling event.
The 32-year-old two-time African rally champion and his South African co-driver Rob Howie were, however, satisfied with their overall performance on Tuesday after having finished in 15th place on Day One of the event the previous day.
“It (Tuesday) was quite a long tough day for us. We lost the power steering in the mud and then also the car overheated but we managed to get to the end and we lost quite a lot of time but we got it to the end and the guys are fixing it now and I’m confident for tomorrow that the car will be strong again and hopefully we will have a better day.
“There’s quite a lot of surprises you know, it’s a totally different thing doing off-road racing and we had to pass like about 20 motorbikes and quad bikes on the stage today and that was hard work. And just the length of the stages, it’s all totally different, everyday is totally new for me so I’m just trying to learn as much as possible.
“Strategy wise, we are just trying to get to the finish and just learn as much as possible and not to make any silly mistakes.
“I’m just trying to get a good rhythm, get a good pace and get to the finish and that’s the (main) aim,” Rautenbach told The Herald from San Miguel de Tucuman late on Tuesday night.
After his car lost its power steering in the mud and overheated later on, Rautenbach could not keep up the pace with the front-runners who were led by Frenchman Loeb.
According to reports from San Miguel de Tucuman, decorated Frenchman Loeb scorched to victory in the second stage of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday to send the nine-time rally world champion clear in the overall standings.
Loeb completed the 275km timed section between Resistencia and San Miguel de Tucuman in northern Argentina in 2hr 06min 55sec for his fifth career stage victory in the gruelling race.
Last year he finished ninth overall.
Tuesday’s performance on Day Two of the race was enough to lift him clear in the overall classification as he saw off Qatari opening-day winner Nasser Al Attiyah by 1min 23sec and fellow Peugeot man Carlos Sainz of Spain by 2min 18sec.
That gave Loeb a 28sec overall lead over Attiyah and he led Sainz by 1min 56sec going into yesterday’s Day Three.
Australia’s KTM rider and defending champion Toby Price meanwhile took the overall race lead on the motorbikes as he landed the day’s stage honours.
Price (29) covered the 275km in 2hr 37min 32sec, ahead of Austrian Matthias Walkner and Spaniard Paulo Goncalves.
Both of the Aussie’s pursuers are now more than two-and-a-half minutes adrift in the overall standings.
Price finished the opening day in 17th position.
This year’s Dakar Rally takes competitors into high altitudes during 9 000km of racing, culminating in a grandstand finish at Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 14.
STAGE 2 RESULTS
CARS
1. LOEB (FRA) ELENA (MCO) PEUGEOT 2:06:55
2. AL-ATTIYAH (QAT) BAUMEL (FRA) TOYOTA +1:23
3. SAINZ (ESP) CRUZ (ESP) PEUGEOT 00:02:18
4. DE VILLIERS (ZAF) VON ZITZEWITZ (DEU) TOYOTA +2:19
5. ROMA (ESP) HARO BRAVO (ESP) TOYOTA +3:22
6. AL RAJHI (SAU) GOTTSCHALK (DEU) MINI +5:01
7. PETERHANSEL (FRA) COTTRET (FRA) PEUGEOT +6:47
8. HIRVONEN (FIN) PERIN (FRA) MINI +8:24
9. VAN LOON (NLD) ROSEGAAR (NLD) TOYOTA +9:09
10. DUMAS (FRA) GUEHENNEC (FRA) PEUGEOT +9:09
SELECTED
11. PRZYGONSKI (POL) COLSOUL (BEL) MINI +9:55
12. DESPRES (FRA) CASTERA (FRA) PEUGEOT +10:26
13. TERRANOVA (ARG) SCHULZ (DEU) MINI +12:42
14. RAUTENBACH (ZWE) HOWIE (ZAF) TOYOTA 00:12:58
CARS — OVERALL CLASSIFICATION
1. LOEB (FRA) ELENA (MCO) PEUGEOT 2:33:31
2. AL-ATTIYAH (QAT) BAUMEL (FRA) TOYOTA +0:28
3. SAINZ (ESP) CRUZ (ESP) PEUGEOT 00:01:56
4. DE VILLIERS (ZAF) VON ZITZEWITZ (DEU) TOYOTA +2:05
5. ROMA (ESP) HARO BRAVO (ESP) TOYOTA +2:56
6. AL RAJHI (SAU) GOTTSCHALK (DEU) MINI +5:12
7. PETERHANSEL (FRA) COTTRET (FRA) PEUGEOT +7:26
8. HIRVONEN (FIN) PERIN (FRA) MINI +8:49
9. VAN LOON (NLD) ROSEGAAR (NLD) TOYOTA +9:36
10. DUMAS (FRA) GUEHENNEC (FRA) PEUGEOT +9:58
SELECTED
11. DESPRES (FRA) CASTERA (FRA) PEUGEOT +10:45
12. PRZYGONSKI (POL) COLSOUL (BEL) MINI +10:47
13. TERRANOVA (ARG) SCHULZ (DEU) MINI +13:11
14. RAUTENBACH (ZWE) HOWIE (ZAF) TOYOTA +14:02
BIKES — STAGE 2 RESULTS
1. PRICE (AUS) KTM 2:37:32
2. GONCALV0ES (PRT) HONDA +3:51
3. DE SOULTRAIT (FRA) YAMAHA +4:06
4. SUNDERLAND (GBR) KTM +4:19
5. QUINTANILLA (CHL) HUSQVARNA +4:48
6. SVITKO (SVK) KTM +4:54
7. BRABEC (USA) HONDA +5:40
8. BARREDA BORT (ESP) HONDA +6:25
9. FARRES GUELL (ESP) KTM +7:26
10. FAGGOTTER (AUS) YAMAHA +7:50
SELECTED
42. THOMAS (ZAF) HUSQVARNA +31:14
98. TERBLANCHE (ZAF) KTM +1:09:00
107. EVANS (ZAF) KTM +1:14:25
BIKES — OVERALL CLASSIFICATION
1. PRICE (AUS) KTM 3:07:17
2. GONCALVES (PRT) HONDA 00:02:54
3. SUNDERLAND (GBR) KTM 00:03:23
4. DE SOULTRAIT (FRA) YAMAHA 00:03:41
5. QUINTANILLA (CHL) HUSQVARNA 00:04:26
6. BRABEC (USA) HONDA 00:04:29
7. SVITKO (SVK) KTM 00:04:45
8. BARREDA BORT (ESP) HONDA 00:05:32
9. PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) SHERCO TVS 00:06:46
10. FARRES GUELL (ESP) KTM 00:06:49
SELECTED
41. THOMAS (ZAF) HUSQVARNA 00:34:02
97. TERBLANCHE (ZAF) KTM 01:18:36
103. EVANS (ZAF) KTM 01:22:46
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