Iveco and De Rooy still leading after gruelling fifth stage
"The battle started immediately at the beginning of the stage. Fairly soon we faced the dunes, which
were challenging. We were stuck at one point, and while struggling to get going again, the rear axle
shaft was broken, making for a complicated situation early in the stage which forced us to navigate
on loose terrain with only three wheel drive and the risk of the entire differential breaking down. We
decided to still make the attempt because the repair would have taken at least half an hour and that
was longer than we could allow for.” This is Gerard de Rooy’s description of the lengthy and
challenging fifth stage of the Dakar.
Due to the large amounts of dust and sand, the radiator of the Iveco Powerstar accumulated a great
deal of both, causing issues that lead to it being completely closed off and the engine overheating.
There was no other solution, but to stop and let the engine cool down.
of 11:01 minutes. Iveco team drivers Pep Vila came in sixth, Hans Stacey in eighth and Jo Adua in
21st position with a time backlog of 1:07:54 hours.
The second part was relatively calmer and the majority of the teams kept their positions. After a
special of 343 kilometres, Sotnikov (Kamaz) was the fastest with a time of 4:47:46 hours with a 2:56
minute advantage over his teammate Karginov. De Rooy placed third, reducing his time difference to
12:07 minutes. Villa finished in seventh place with a time gap of 28:52 minutes, just two seconds
slower than Kuijpers (MAN). Stacey was eighth in the rankings with a time deficit of 33:28 minutes.
De Rooy and his Iveco still lead the rankings with an advantage of more than half an hour over the
second place competitor. Until yesterday, it was Marcel van Vliet was (MAN) behind him, but it is now
Karginov (Kamaz). For now it seems to be a battle between Iveco and Kamaz through the
challenging terrains of South America, but the road ahead is still a long one.
After yesterday’s the exhausting Special, the stage from Tucumán to Salta will be a relatively calm
and short route for the trucks that will have to first face a 242 kilometre connection followed by a 156
kilometre Special before heading directly to the bivouac, along a 152 kilometre connection where the
drivers will have a well-deserved rest day.
Special 5 Rankings
were challenging. We were stuck at one point, and while struggling to get going again, the rear axle
shaft was broken, making for a complicated situation early in the stage which forced us to navigate
on loose terrain with only three wheel drive and the risk of the entire differential breaking down. We
decided to still make the attempt because the repair would have taken at least half an hour and that
was longer than we could allow for.” This is Gerard de Rooy’s description of the lengthy and
challenging fifth stage of the Dakar.
Due to the large amounts of dust and sand, the radiator of the Iveco Powerstar accumulated a great
deal of both, causing issues that lead to it being completely closed off and the engine overheating.
There was no other solution, but to stop and let the engine cool down.
"When we were finally on the road again,” continued De Rooy, “we missed a waypoint control marker
which stipulates that the driver must transit within a radius of 300 meters to avoid a time penalty. To
make matters worse, 50 kilometres before the end of the first part of the stage we punctured again.
At that point, we decided to not change the flat tyre but to keep going while maintaining tyre pressure
with a compressor until we reached a neutral zone where we then changed the tyre. Overall, it was a
very difficult way to begin the fifth stage."
which stipulates that the driver must transit within a radius of 300 meters to avoid a time penalty. To
make matters worse, 50 kilometres before the end of the first part of the stage we punctured again.
At that point, we decided to not change the flat tyre but to keep going while maintaining tyre pressure
with a compressor until we reached a neutral zone where we then changed the tyre. Overall, it was a
very difficult way to begin the fifth stage."
A problematic day for many truck competitors as demonstrated by De Rooy’s words which are hardly
ever heard from a seasoned professional such as himself, who is often at his best during the
toughest stages. After a 211 kilometre Special, it was Sotnikov (Kamaz) who managed to place first
with 3:14:03 hours followed by Karginov (Kamaz) and De Rooy who had accumulated a time backlog
ever heard from a seasoned professional such as himself, who is often at his best during the
toughest stages. After a 211 kilometre Special, it was Sotnikov (Kamaz) who managed to place first
with 3:14:03 hours followed by Karginov (Kamaz) and De Rooy who had accumulated a time backlog
of 11:01 minutes. Iveco team drivers Pep Vila came in sixth, Hans Stacey in eighth and Jo Adua in
21st position with a time backlog of 1:07:54 hours.
The second part was relatively calmer and the majority of the teams kept their positions. After a
special of 343 kilometres, Sotnikov (Kamaz) was the fastest with a time of 4:47:46 hours with a 2:56
minute advantage over his teammate Karginov. De Rooy placed third, reducing his time difference to
12:07 minutes. Villa finished in seventh place with a time gap of 28:52 minutes, just two seconds
slower than Kuijpers (MAN). Stacey was eighth in the rankings with a time deficit of 33:28 minutes.
De Rooy and his Iveco still lead the rankings with an advantage of more than half an hour over the
second place competitor. Until yesterday, it was Marcel van Vliet was (MAN) behind him, but it is now
Karginov (Kamaz). For now it seems to be a battle between Iveco and Kamaz through the
challenging terrains of South America, but the road ahead is still a long one.
After yesterday’s the exhausting Special, the stage from Tucumán to Salta will be a relatively calm
and short route for the trucks that will have to first face a 242 kilometre connection followed by a 156
kilometre Special before heading directly to the bivouac, along a 152 kilometre connection where the
drivers will have a well-deserved rest day.
Today’s route goes north along the famous Ruta 40 Argentina where competitors will have to tackle
gravel and rocky terrains, certainly not the easiest of surfaces for vehicles and their crews.
gravel and rocky terrains, certainly not the easiest of surfaces for vehicles and their crews.
Special 5 Rankings
1. DMITRY SOTNIKOV KAMAZ 4h47m46s
2. ANDREY KARGINOV KAMAZ +00:02:56
3. GERARD DE ROOY IVECO +00:12:07
4. ARTUR ARDAVICHUS TATRA +00:21:03
5. EDUARD NIKOLAEV KAMAZ +00:24:45
6. RENE KUIPERS MAN +00:28:50
7. PEP VILA ROCA IVECO +00:28:52
8. HANS STACEY IVECO +00:33:28
9. ALES LOPRAIS TATRA +00:42:04
10. ANTON SHIBALOV KAMAZ +00:43.22
2. ANDREY KARGINOV KAMAZ +00:02:56
3. GERARD DE ROOY IVECO +00:12:07
4. ARTUR ARDAVICHUS TATRA +00:21:03
5. EDUARD NIKOLAEV KAMAZ +00:24:45
6. RENE KUIPERS MAN +00:28:50
7. PEP VILA ROCA IVECO +00:28:52
8. HANS STACEY IVECO +00:33:28
9. ALES LOPRAIS TATRA +00:42:04
10. ANTON SHIBALOV KAMAZ +00:43.22
Overall Rankings
1. GERARD DE ROOY IVECO 21h17m26s
2. ANDREY KARGINOV KAMAZ 21h49m26s
3. EDUARD NIKOLAEV KAMAZ 22h27m07s
4. DMITRY SOTNIKOV KAMAZ 22h37m25s
5. HANS STACEY IVECO 22h38m29s
6. ANTON SHIBALOV KAMAZ 22h54m58s
7. ALES LOPRAIS TATRA 222h56m33s
8. PEP VILA ROCA IVECO 23h08m18s
9. MARCEL VAN VLIET MAN 23h17m54s
10. RENE KUIPERS MAN 23h28m51s
11. JO ADUA IVECO 24h39m14s
2. ANDREY KARGINOV KAMAZ 21h49m26s
3. EDUARD NIKOLAEV KAMAZ 22h27m07s
4. DMITRY SOTNIKOV KAMAZ 22h37m25s
5. HANS STACEY IVECO 22h38m29s
6. ANTON SHIBALOV KAMAZ 22h54m58s
7. ALES LOPRAIS TATRA 222h56m33s
8. PEP VILA ROCA IVECO 23h08m18s
9. MARCEL VAN VLIET MAN 23h17m54s
10. RENE KUIPERS MAN 23h28m51s
11. JO ADUA IVECO 24h39m14s