Cross-Country Rally

Peterhansel Wins Silk Way Rally 4th Stage For X-Raid

Silk Way Rally, Russia

Edited: Jul 14, 2011, 3:03 AM

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Stephane Peterhansel Records His Second Silk Way Rally Stage Win For Monster Energy X-Raid Team

Story Highlights

Poland’s Krzysztof Holowczyc sets second fastest time
X-raid team holds first and second in overall rankings

ASTRAKHAN (Russia): The Monster Energy X-raid Team recorded the first and second fastest times on the fourth leg of the 2011 Silk Way Rally, a punishing loop stage around Astrakhan, on Wednesday.

The French duo of Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret set the fastest time of the day in the team’s MINI All4 Racing and moved up to second place in the overall classification. Poland’s Krzysztof Holowczyc and Belgian co-driver Jean Marc Fortin recorded the second quickest time in their BMW X3 CC and maintained the overall lead in the grueling cross-country rally.

Alexandr Mironenko and Sergey Lebedev, Monster Energy X-Raid Team

Photo by: X-Raid Team

The team’s second BMW X3 CC, crewed by Alexander Mironenko and Sergey Lebedev, suffered a minor setback and the Russian duo slipped to fifth in the rankings.

Peterhansel began the special stage behind his Polish teammate and quickly passed the former European Rally Champion. Holowczyc remained in close attendance, but got stuck for several minutes towards the end of the special and lost time to the stage-winning Frenchman.

Peterhansel eventually won the special by nine minutes. “It was a very long sandy stage with many off-road sections,” said Peterhansel. “Especially when you are traveling off-road, you must be very careful. The Silk Way Rally only lasts one week, but the stages are much longer than the Dakar.”

Holowczyc was content with the runner-up spot. “It was nice to drive behind the master (Peterhansel – nine-time Dakar winner),” said the Pole. “I hope he is not angry with me. The stage lasted for six hours and the navigation was very difficult. To see the way was not so easy!”

Krzysztof Holowczyc and Jean-Marc Fortin, Monster Energy X-Raid Team

Photo by: X-Raid Team

Mironenko lost time in a hole on the stage and was forced to wait for assistance. The crew made emergency repairs to the car and then the Russian was delayed again in soft sand. This was truly a day that we want to forget as quickly as possible,” said Mironenko. He finished the special in an unofficial 17th position.

"For Stéphane and Krzysztof the day went very well,” said Monster Energy X-raid team boss Sven Quandt. “It was too bad that towards the end Krzysztof was stuck. Stéphane is now second in the standings, but Alexander lost some positions. The drivers must recover well now because there is a long day tomorrow.”

Tomorrow’s (Thursday) timetable begins with a 55km road section to the start of a 689km special stage in the direction of Stravopol. This will be followed by a short liaison of 21km to the overnight halt. Navigation across the vast Russian steppes will not be easy and water crossings and mountains will be prevalent towards the end of the stage.

by: BMW X-Raid

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