MKR Technology team and Martin van den Brink made it. After issues with the rear differential in the 8th stage, the crew of the North Bohemian truck managed to reach the bivouac in time and start the next 9th stage as well. This time, the hybrid truck from Židovice had a great day, and crossed the finish line in fifth best time.
“We’re giving it all. Everyone in the team is giving it more than 100 percent. Fatigue is huge, but no is giving up, and so we reap the fruit. Overnight we managed to prepare all trucks for the next stage. We had a lot of work on the axles and Pascal‘s chassis. When we finished everything, late in the morning Martin arrived partially repaired and we could start to work on his truck. For us it is important that all trucks are in the game and can still fight for a good stage position. Today, Gert has proved that thanks to our work can do well, so his fifth place with only two crew members in the cabin is absolutely great. We have a great spirit here and it is a joy to work in these conditions,” said Mario Kress, head of the MKR Technology design team, who sent four Renault Trucks to this year’s 42nd edition.
And it was Gert Huzink with the most watched and first ever hybrid truck in a renowned competition, who arrived at the finish in Haradh in the fifth best time. Huzink lost less than ten minutes to the winner Karginov. The Russian with KAMAZ is still on fire. Having won the fourth stage in a row there is no doubt who is the leader of this year. Huzink’s fellow pilots, Dutch riders – Pascal de Baar finished twelfth, Fireman Richard de Groot finished eighteenth and on 21st place with a loss of three quarters of an hour came the unluckiest rider in the last stage – Martin van den Brink.
In the overall ranking, Karginov increased his lead to almost forty minutes. The second rider Shibalov, is now down 40 minutes and Belarus Viazovich is third. The best crew of the North Bohemia Renault quarte is the piloted by Richard de Groot on fourteenth position.
There are three stages left in Dakar. The tenth episode with its five hundred and thirty kilometers is the third longest timed trial of this year. In total, the crews will have to cover the route from Haradh to Shubaytah, which is over six hundred kilometers. On top of that, it is a marathon stage, where the crews can only help each other. Dunes at the end of the stage will make it even harder.
Results – 9th Stage – Wadi Al Dawasir – Haradh (410km):
1. Karginov (RUS) Kamaz 3:33:42
2. Viazovich (BLR) MAZ +3:19
3. Nikolaev (RUS) Kamaz +9:24
4. Loprais (CZE) Praga +9:42
5. Huzink (NED) Renault +9:58
12. De Baar (NED) Renault +15:40
18. De Groot (NED) Renault +32:13
21. van den Brink (NED) Renault +43:57
Overall:
1. Karginov (RUS) Kamaz 38:05:25
2. Shibalov (RUS) Kamaz +38:35
3. Viazovich (BLR) MAZ +1:08:36
4. Loprais (CZE) Prague +2:14:09
5. Sotnikov (RUS) Kamaz +2:49:29
14. de Groot (NED) Renault +8:10:17
23. van den Brink (NED) Renault +34:14:34
24. Huzink (NED) Renault + 40:48:40