Dakar 2020 // SS4: Peterhansel claims another stage win for X-raid
01/08/2020
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Sainz still overall leader
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Peterhansel now third overall
Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) and Paulo Fiuza (POR), in the MINI John Cooper Works Buggy, have given the Bahrain JCW X-raid Team another reason to celebrate. Following Carlos Sainz’s stage win yesterday, they took victory on leg four from Neom to Al-`Ula. This is the third success for a car built by X-raid at this year’s Dakar. Sainz and Lucas Cruz (both ESP) finished third in the MINI JCW Buggy today.
Jakub “Kuba” Przygonski (POL) and Timo Gottschalk (GER) came home eighth in the MINI John Cooper Works Rally. Two places behind followed Orlando “Orly” Terranova and Bernardo “Ronnie” Graue (both ARG), who also drive a MINI JCW Rally. The two MINI JCW Rally crews Denis Krotov (RUS) / Dmytri Tsyro (UKR) and Yasir Seaidan (KSA) / Alexey Kuzmich (RUS) finished their MINI JCW Rally in places 16 and 18.
Peterhansel and Fiuza took the lead early in the stage. They progressed without any major issues, which allowed them to keep the opposition at bay through to the finish. Today’s stage win sees the duo climb to third place in the overall standings. “I am very pleased with the stage win,” said the Frenchman. “Today was our best day so far as we did not make many mistakes and only briefly strayed from the right route. We had to stop once for a puncture. The final 60 kilometres were a real test: soft sand with big stones and difficult navigation.”
After yesterday’s win, Sainz and Cruz had to open the stage today. At first, the other competitors were able to benefit from their lines. However, the MINI JCW Buggy crew called on all its experience in the final few kilometres to finish third. “The final 100 kilometres were the toughest I have ever encountered in my Dakar career,” said Sainz. “It was extremely rocky and the route was very difficult to find. Getting through a stage like that without any major problems is like a victory. I am so happy to have reached the finish.”
Przygonski and Gottschalk took a slightly more cautious approach on the rocky terrain and ultimately finished ninth. “We started second and only had Carlos ahead of us. It felt as though we were opening the stage,” the Pole explained. “With the buggy, he takes a different line than us. At first, there were such big stones on the route that we were perhaps a little too slow. However, after two punctures, it was more important for me to get through to the finish than to speed.”
Tomorrow’s fifth leg takes the competitors to Hail. After an 80-kilometre liaison stage, the drivers face a 353-kilometre special stage. Here, they can predominantly expect sand, dunes and more rocks. They then have a further 130 kilometres to the bivouac.
Dakar Rally – Result SS4*
1. S. Peterhansel (FRA) / P. Fiuza (POR) MINI JCW Buggy – 4h 04m 34s
2. N. Al-Attiyah (QAT) / M. Baumel (FRA) Toyota – 4h 07m 00s
3. C. Sainz (ESP) / L. Cruz (ESP) MINI JCW Buggy – 4h 11m 52s
4. Y. Al-Rajhi (KSA) / K. Zhiltsov (RUS) Toyota – 4h 16m 04s
5. M. Serradori (FRA) / F. Lurquin (BEL) Century – 4h 17m 51s
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8. J. Przygonski (POL) / T. Gottschalk (GER) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 23m 57s
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10. O. Terranova (ARG) / B. Graue (ARG) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 26m 56s
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16. D. Krotov (RUS) / D. Tsyro (UKR) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 37m 08s
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18. Y. Seaidan (KSA) / A. Kuzmich (RUS) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 40m 29s
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20. A. Dorosinskiy (RUS) / O. Uperenko (LVA) MINI ALL4 Racing – 4h 46m 07s
21. V. Zala (LTU) / S. Jurgelenas (LTU) MINI JCW Rally – 4h 50m 31s
Dakar Rally – Overall result after SS4*
1. C. Sainz (ESP) / L. Cruz (ESP) MINI JCW Buggy – 15h 12m 12s
2. N. Al-Attiyah (QAT) / M. Baumel (FRA) Toyota – 15h 15m 15s
3. S. Peterhansel (FRA) / P. Fiuza (POR) MINI JCW Buggy – 15h 23m 54s
4. Y. Al-Rajhi (KSA) / K. Zhiltsov (RUS) Toyota – 15h 35m 22s
5. O. Terranova (ARG) / B. Graue (ARG) MINI JCW Rally – 15h 35m 25s
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10. Y. Seaidan (KSA) / A. Kuzmich (RUS) MINI JCW Rally – 16h 42m 37s
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12. V. Zala (LTU) / S. Jurgelenas (LTU) MINI JCW Rally – 16h 50m 50s
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17. D. Krotov (RUS) / D. Tsyro (UKR) MINI JCW Rally – 17h 23m 29s
18. A. Dorosinskiy (RUS) / O. Uperenko (LVA) MINI ALL4 Racing – 17h 32m 47s
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34. J. Przygonski (POL) / T. Gottschalk (GER) MINI JCW Rally – 21h 46m 08s
*18:00 local time tbc
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