LIWA, ABU DHABI // Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah is in pole position to secure his second Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge title today after an incident-laden afternoon forced several contenders to retire with less than 24 hours remaining.
The 2008 champion has led this week’s five-day race since stage two and holds a 19-minute advantage over Vladimir Vasilyev, winner here last year.
Al Attiyah, who triumphed at this year’s Dakar Rally, said caution was the name of the game yesterday. “There were a lot of big holes, so we needed to manage the terrain,” he said. “I am happy to finish without any drama and safely. We don’t even see dunes like this in Dakar. The Desert Challenge is one of a kind and we are always learning.”
Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, making his debut in a FIA Cross Country Rally was running in fourth place overall when his Toyota Helix broke its gearbox, while fellow Emirati Yahya Al Helei, winner of Stage 1, landed a jump heavily, leaving his co-pilot requiring emergency evacuation and X-rays on his lower back.
“We were unlucky, but to have technical problems is par for the course in motorsports,” Sheikh Khalid said. “Overall, looking back over the past three days, the experience has been very positive. Bearing in mind it is my first time competing in this kind of rally, to be only three minutes off a podium position on the start of day four was a very good result.”
Team HRC’s Paulo Goncalves, winner of last year’s race in the bikes category, was also forced to retire with mechanical issues.
Resultantly, KTM are set to claim the entire podium with Marc Coma leading Sam Sunderland and three of the next four riders also competing in Austrian orange. “I feel sorry for Paulo as he had a bike problem, but this is life and rallying,” Sunderland said. “If there’s anyone you have to lose against, you want it to be Marc – he’s a great rider. Hopefully, we can get a KTM 1-2-3.”
The final 234-kilometre stage five takes the rally to its finish, arriving at Yas Marina Circuit at about 4.30pm today.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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