De Villiers stands out

« It was very fast at the beginning, then more rocky towards the end. After a puncture, I attacked a little to catch up with my comrades, but without taking any risks, because I controlled the race », Estimates Nasser Al Attiyah. Although hampered by the dust of the three other VWs in front of him, Giniel De Viliers quickly caught up with the peloton, and won the special by seven seconds. The South African is satisfied with his day, unlike Carlos Sainz, who does not display a frank smile. “ We got lost four times », concedes the Madrilenian, who sees Al Attiyah inexorably widening the gap in the lead.

Behind the untouchable Race Touareg, the feat came from Kabirov's Kamaz truck, which set the fifth time, only 23 minutes behind. The intense fight between the Kamaz, the Iveco of the De Rooy team and the Tatra pushes their drivers to attack as much as possible? Another remarkable performance, that of the Basque Errandonea who places his SMG-V8 buggy in fifth place among cars.

Now seventh overall, Errandonea brings relative satisfaction to the SMG team, which learned of the definitive shutdown of Philippe Gache?s buggy, due to a mechanical problem. Another disappointment in the French clan, Christian Lavieille was reported to have broken down, with a broken gearbox. If fifth place seems definitively lost, the Nissan Pickup is not yet on the retirement list.

Tomorrow, Thursday September 10, the Silk Way Rally will cross a border again, in order to enter Turkmenistan. A very long stage (698 km, including a special of 514 km), awaits the competitors whose ranks are seriously starting to thin out?