Rallye dos Sertões - Day 2

"Gringos" rule on bikes in a cautious-paced day. On quads, Poslish Sonik wonThe 21st edition of Rally dos Sertoes had a smooth start for competitors, who left Goiania and finished in Pirenopolis (GO). On bikes, foreigners dominated the grid with their 12-competitor legion among the 46 entrants. Today the best rider was Paulo Gonçalves (Speedbrain 450 Rally), first runner-up in the FIM World Championship, followed by Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM), leader. Third best rider was Frenchman Michael Metge (Yamaha). The best Brazilian rider was the Minas Gerais based Nielsen Bueno (Honda) - who won the Super Prime yesterday -, in 5th place. According to the organization, tomorrow the rally starts for real, towards Uruaçu, in a 287-Km special.There will be a total of 4,115 Km, from which 2,488 of timed sections in nine days of race."It was a very short day, I got acquainted with the roadbook, with the Brazilian rally style. I was not used to cattlegrids, but I liked a lot", said Gonçalves.Coma, who is directly dueling with the Portuguese in the dispute for the World Championship was also cool. "It was a good first day, some rocks, tiral, some fast sections, but it was tranquil overall".Two times champion of Sertoes (2006 and 2011), Frenchman Cyril Despres, debuting in Yamaha Racing and 4th best time of the day, praised the stage: "It was better than what I expected, a very nice special, I just lost a little time with a closed fence in Km 197, and I had to stop and open. I am happy to be back", he highlighted. The race is worth double points for the FIM Cross Country World Championship in categories bikes and quads.On quads, Polish Rafal Sonik (Honda TRX 700), winner of Sertoes in 2010, won the firs stage and praised the precise indications. "The road book was perfectly marked, almost impossible to miss, but I made a mistake myself. You know exactly what to expect. Today stretch was very smooth", he said.Brazilian Marcelo Medeiros (Yamaha Raptor), champion in 2012, finished second and "suffered" with the dust. "A very good day, I ate Jean Azevedo's dust, but Jean missed and I passed. During the trial I let him pass once again, and ate his dust, losing some time", he said.On UTVs, which debuted in the competition last year, the duo Regadas Filho/Andrews da Costa (Polaris RZR XP 900 EPS) won. "It was a perfect first day. The UTV went well, navigation 100% perfect. There was a heavy trial, which demanded care. We have to be more responsible in the first day".Tomorrow, after a fast liaison, the special starts with slow, farm roads and continues by medium-speed sections, varying trails with the amazing view of the crests and hills. The race enters a sugarcane plantation region, where the speed increases with a very good ground. After this, the special slows down once again until the end. Communication FGCom - www.fgcom.com.br - 

Source: http://www.fim-live.com/en/media/news/news-detail/article/1375187607-rallye-dos-sertoes-day-2/

Kent Andersson George Andrews