July 8, 2017
Stage 1: Moscow – Cheboksary.
Road connection: 572.71 – Special Stage: 61.43 km – Road connection: 92.81 km – Total: 726.95 km
Yesterday, party was in the air and the buggy 2WD, with Eugenio Amos and Sebastien Delaunay took the official start of the SWR on the traditional podium at the Red Square with lots of excitement.
But this morning, the race started and imposed its schedule. At 3:30 am, the 2WD buggy left the assistance park in Luzhniki to drive to the starting point of the first special stage, a 60-km warm-up in the Russian steppe to arrive to the first bivouac in Cheboksary.
This small village, capital of Chuvashia, Russian Federation Republic, it is located near the Volga, in the middle of its forest. The economic activity of this small village is carried by a tractor factory for mining exploitation, the opera and the theatre offer shows in Russian and the local language. At night and during weekends, the Zaliv (bay), is organized like a port, with its docks and cafés, offering a great place for a stride.
As it rained, for safety, Luc Alphand did the opening for the special stage again, and at 9 am, it was confirmed that part of the serpent road was impossible to go through.
At the time our 2WD buggy, wearing #115, Amos/Delaunay entered the timed section and a relatively short storm hit the region. They started in the 11th place and the 2WD buggy finished 12th in 54’31. “It rained about 80 percent of the special stage, explained Eugenio Amos. I managed to limit damage and didn’t slide, because, even if there was not much mud, the track was very slippery. With this said, we had lots of fun!”
Tomorrow, the race continues its route to the east with a 785-km stage between Cheboksary and Ufa in Russia.
Follow the 2WD #115 crew live : http://www.silkwayrally.com/en/main.html
