Stage 12: Jiayuguan – Alashan
Road connection: 183.5 km – Special stage: 425 km – Road connection: 58.42 km – Total: 666.92 km
The sand wind started yesterday morning at Dunhuang and chased the race up to Jiayugyan, forcing the race direction to cancel yesterday’s special stage. This morning, on their way to take the start of the special stage to Alashan, competitors were praying to take the start of the 425 km special stage, and the sun finally came up.
The first part was fast, on dried river banks, a great moment to show off driving skills and a moment of focused navigation for the co-drivers, with difficult change of direction that they were able to see at the very last minute. Further down the special, the landscape were amazing with lakes in between… Magnificent!
ERIC MOZAS/RAFAEL TORNABELL #135 – 25th of the Special Stage in 6h46’38: “Before the dunes, it was quite fast. When we arrived to km 230, we lower our tires’ pressure … until 345 km, which mean 115 km of dunes! We did not get stuck in the sand, not even once, and we didn’t have any punctures either. The buggy works like heaven, it is literally a machine made to win, and for the gentlemen drivers, very easy to drive with an immense potential. When we are in the dunes, I put first gear and it climbs up easily, and I switched to second or third gear going downhill. In the broken tracks, we get through faster than the 4×4, it is a very efficient car in the sand, it was amazing! The last part was more technical with a difficult navigation. It was a wonderful day, the most beautiful stage of the rally!
Tomorrow, competitors launch the Silk Way Rally’s 13th stage, from Alashan to Wuhai, a journey of 724 km with a timed section of 367 km.
