Coma Second Overall after Marathon Stage in Sardegna Rally Raceadd Headline
OutdoorHub 06.11.14
In what was an eventful day for riders in the Sardegna Rally Race marathon stage, Marc Coma brought his KTM machine safely to the overnight bivouac at San Leonardo to be second overall behind Italy’s Alessandro Botturi.
Coma, a Red Bull athlete is now six minutes behind the leader in the overall standings but also has four clear minutes advantage on third placed Gerard Farres. KTM factory teammate Ruben Faria was placed tenth overall at the end of the day. Jordi Viladoms has retired with a bruised hand.
The support team is not allowed any contact with its riders during the marathon stage. As no mechanical support is allowed overnight, riders must also nurse their motorcycles and preserve tires, which have to last through to the end of Wednesday’s stage, the penultimate of this year’s edition.
Race officials reported that many of the leading riders made navigation errors or had mechanical issues and this has shaken up the order of the overall standings. After Monday the top four riders were closely positioned at the close of the stage and were led in by Portugal’s Paolo Goncalves, Botturi and Coma in third place. Joan Barreda, the leader after Sunday’s stage was in fourth place. The Sardegna Rally race has more the characteristics of enduro racing than the classic rally.
At the end of Tuesday’s stage, Goncalves was 15.41 behind the leader and Barreda had dropped to ninth and trailed by some 26 minutes. This was an indication that anything can happen in the marathon stage and usually does.
Riders have two more stages to complete, San Leonardo to San Teodoro on Wednesday and a loop to and from San Teodoro to complete the five-day rally on Thursday. The Sardegna Rally Race over 1600 km is the fourth of six legs that make up the FIM World Cross Countries Rally Championship.
Overall results after Day 3
First half of the marathon stage with 2 timed specials 90 km and 122 km
1, Alessandro Botturi, ITA, Husqvarna 9.53.45
2, Marc Coma, ESP, KTM, at 6 minutes
3, Gerrard Farres, ESP Gas-Gas at 9.52
4, Paolo Goncalves, POR Honda at 15.41
5, Helder Rodrigues, POR Honda at 16.18
Other KTM
10, Ruben Faria, POR, KTM at 30.47
DNS Jordi Viladoms, ESP KTM
Stage Result (first timed special)
1, Barreda
2, Coma, KTM
3, Botturi
4, Goncalves
5, Farres
Other KTM
10, Faria, KTM
Stage Result (second timed special)
1, Botturi
2, Farres
3, Rodrigues
4, Coma, KTM
5, Andrea Mancini ITA, Beta
Other KTM
6, Faria KTM
Follow the results on www.bikevillage.it
