Giniel de Villiers: “we had a click”

Since his title in the 2009 Dakar, Giniel de Villiers has never won more than one stage victory in a Dakar. His success on Wednesday therefore bodes well for the future, as we approach the halfway point of the event. But the South African has already fallen far behind. “From the start, things didn’t go our way,” he admits.

It's the least we can say. On the evening of the fourth stage, the official driver Toyota already had two hours spent and was in a poor 22nd position. “But then we had a click. »

At the best of times. De Villiers and his Spanish co-driver Alex Haro avoided the many traps of this fifth stage, fatal to Sébastien Loeb, Lategan or Mathieu Serradori. “Some sectors this morning were very difficult to navigate but we didn't make too many mistakes,” smiles De Villiers.

“We had to deal with a slow puncture. The dunes were very difficult too. It was probably better to drive slower this morning to be 100% sure we were on the right course, because it was very easy to get lost. We managed to get some work done, it was a very clean stage. I hope we take more steps like this.”

What can the South African play? His victory allows him to jump in the general classification, from 22nd to 12th place. He can still dream of a top 5, but should above all try to stay in contact with his teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah on the track, to help him if necessary.