Stage 4: Kostanay – Astana
Road connection: 144.24 km – Special Stage: 223.72 km – Road connection: 322.34 km – Total: 720 km.
The Silk Way Rally competitors faced her second racing day in Kazakhstan. The heavy rains fallen over the past day had broken a bridge and a water pass along the special became a river. Instead of the 365 km foreseen for the competition, the timed section was cut to only 223.72 km.
This morning, the start mixed cars and trucks, and the 2WD crew left the humid bivouac on the 45th position. The camp was wet because of last night’s rain, and so was the beginning of the special stage, which started on the mud.
Arriving to Astana, the terrain configuration changed… Dry air that feels like the desert, and the thermometer jumps over 30°C.
ERIC MOZAS/RAFAEL TORNABELL #135 – 53rd of Special Stage in 2h34´52 – 36th overall (provisional classification): “The beginning of the special stage was on the mud, explains Eric Mozas. The mud was heavy and it took out the car hood, the carter protector and the back wheel arches. The water pump was also disconnected and we had no water to clean our windshield… the car really suffered and we lost about fifteen minutes fastening the hood with straps. Once the mud passed the mud, we went through almost invisible tracks in the middle of the fields, where navigation was relatively complicated. Unfortunately, because of the hood we were not able to drive at our pace. Without the wasted time, we would have finished like yesterday, 26th. It was a bit frustrating and also, it was very hot in the cabin. When we arrived to Astana, the police had a check point where we stopped, and had to take a tour around the city, following cars with their flashlights. For what I was able to see, Astana is a beautiful!”
Tomorrows stage will contain 568 km, and another 235 km of road connections to complete stage 5 in Balkash.
Malheureusement, nous n’avons pas pu rouler à notre rythme car le capot se soulevait… Sans le temps perdu, nous aurions été classés comme hier, 26es. C’était donc un peu frustrant et en plus, il faisait vraiment très chaud dans l’habitacle.
Arrivés à Astana, la police avait monté un check point, ils nous ont arrêtés et nous avons fait le tour de la ville, encadrés par des voitures avec gyrophare. De ce que j’ai vu, Astana est une ville superbe, vraiment très belle !
Demain, la spéciale sera très longue, 568 km, précédée d’une liaison de 235 km pour arriver à Balkash.
