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| Rallye de Tunisie / FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies - Round 2 of 6 |
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| 1 - 11 April 2005 |
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VICTORY FOR THE MITSUBISHI PAJERO / MONTERO EVOLUTION
Alphand claims maiden Tunisia victory
Masuoka 3rd overall
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Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution
Luc Alphand / Gilles Picard |
The Mitsubishi Motors Repsol ATS Studios Team claimed victory in the Optic 2000 Rallye de Tunisie, the second round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies. Luc Alphand and Gilles Picard took their first win with the Mitsubishi team, while team-mate and former double Dakar Rally winner Hiroshi Masuoka, co-driven by Pascal Maimon, finished in a fine third position.
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Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution
Luc Alphand / Gilles Picard |
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The Tunisian round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies is one of the toughest on the calendar, offering a wide contrast of sand dunes, soft terrain and fast gravel sections. The event started with the customary documentation and scrutineering in Nice, France, on April 1st and 2nd and took in a short four-kilometer Prologue stage - in which Hiroshi Masuoka and Luc Alphand finished second and third respectively - before boarding the ferry for the overnight voyage to Tunis, on the African continent. The real competitive sections, seven in total, then took the crews from the remote deserts in the south to the finish close to the holiday island of Djerba today (Monday April 11).
On Tuesday (April 5), the crews contested the first of the long competitive sections, although adverse weather conditions and mud forced the organizers to shorten the section. Luc Alphand and co-driver Gilles Picard were however the pace-setters and the former world downhill ski champion claimed stage victory and the outright lead of the event in the Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution. Fortunates changes on Wednesday (April 6) however, and when they lost their way and got stuck in soft sand, the duo slipped to third overall. The competition hotted up again in the fourth leg on Thursday (April 7), when Alphand re-took the lead from team-mate Masuoka after setting a blistering pace and the fastest section time over the quick camel grass stage. He and Gilles Picard maintained their advantage in the fifth competitive section from Sabria to El Borma on Friday, despite sustaining a flat tire 100 kilometers from the stage finish.
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Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution
Hiroshi Masuoka / Pascal Maimon |
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Saturday’s sixth leg (April 9) - a loop around El Borma - was scheduled to be the toughest of the rally, with a treacherous section through several dune complexes. Seventy kilometers was however canceled, on the grounds that the course opening car struggled through the dunes. Luc Alphand, who finished second in this year’s Dakar Rally, nevertheless claimed second in the section, consolodating his lead. During the penultimate day of competition (April 10), he set fastest time in the section from El Borma to Djerba to take an impressive lead into the final leg on Monday (April 11). And, third fastest through the section was more than enough to secure victory, Alphand’s first FIA World Cup success in only his second event with the team.
"It is a great feeling to win", said Alphand. "I feel a great release. There has been a lot of pressure for two days. You know the win is possible, but until you cross the line anything can happen. I tried to drive a safe last stage.
"It is a different feeling to winning in skiing", he added. “Those are powerful moments over two minutes. Here it is a team effort and I am sure it will take a few hours to sink in that we did a great job this week. I am pleased for everyone associated with the team".
Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution team-mates Hiroshi Masuoka and French co-driver Pascal Maimon claimed second and the same position overall after the second day of competition on Tuesday (April 5), but by Wednesday (April 6) and the end of the third leg, the Japanese driver had claimed the outright lead from his team-mate. The double Dakar Rally victor took the stage victory in the 240 kilometer section from Chebika to the windswept salt flats near Zarzine when Alphand lost his way and got stuck in soft sand, 50 kilometers from the end of the section. Fortunes once again swapped on Thursday, when Masuoka got stuck twice and finished third in the section and dropped back to second overall. Like his team-mate, Masuoka lost time on Friday with a puncture, having hit a rock 20 kilometers into the section. The Japanese nevertheless managed to retain his second position overall, despite losing two and a half minutes.
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Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution
Hiroshi Masuoka / Pascal Maimon |
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In the penultimate long section on Saturday (April 9), Masuoka and Pascal Maimon had a heart-stopping moment when the throttle stuck open heading to the dunes and they were unable to slow their Pajero / Montero Evolution. Despite the scare, the crew finished fourth in the section to maintain second overall. In the penultimate leg however, (April 10), Japan’s Hiroshi Masuoka endured a disappointing day, losing his way and having to stop to change a puncture. As a consequence, he finished fifth in the section and dropped down the leaderboard into third, behind Bruno Saby. In Monday’s final section, Masuoka and Maimon pledged to try and overhaul the VW driver, but were unable to regain the lost time.
"I drove hard today, but I could not get back three minutes", said Masuoka, who finished third overall. "It is not too bad. We have a podium place and Pascal and I are now on a better level. Now we must work hard together on the two Morocco tests, maybe another event in September and prepare for the Dakar again next year".
Adding to his comments, Team Director Dominique Serieys said: "This is a first win for Luc and it is a perfect day for the whole team. We are working in a smooth way and progressing well towards the goal of staying ahead of our rivals".
The third round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies is the Rallye Orpi Maroc, which takes place between May 24-29.
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FINAL OVERALL CLASSIFICATION |
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Driver / Co-driver |
Nat. |
Car |
Gr/Cl |
Total Time |
Difference |
| 1 |
Luc Alphand / Gilles Picard |
F |
Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution |
1.1.1 |
19.00.55 |
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| 2 |
Bruno Saby / Michel Perin |
F |
Volkswagen Touareg |
1.1.2 |
19.12.35 |
11.40 |
| 3 |
Hiroshi Masuoka / Pascal Maimon |
J/F |
Mitsubishi Pajero / Montero Evolution |
1.1.1 |
19.13.50 |
12.55 |
| 4 |
Jutta Kleinschmidt / Fabrizia Pons |
D/I |
Volkswagen Touareg |
1.1.2 |
19.24.32 |
23.37 |
| 5 |
Jean-Louis Schlesser / François Borsotto |
F |
Schlesser-Buggy |
1.1.1 |
19.31.35 |
30.40 |
| 6 |
Jean-François Guinot / Manfred Kroiss |
F |
Volkswagen Buggy TDi |
1.1.2 |
22.26.29 |
3.25.34 |
| 7 |
Philippe Gache / Jean-Pierre Garcin |
F |
Buggy SMG |
1.1.1 |
24.09.55 |
5.09.00 |
| 8 |
Maris Saukans / Didzins Zarins |
LT |
OSC Oscar |
1.1.1 |
24.10.38 |
5.09.43 |
| 9 |
Christian Lavieille / Arnaud Debron |
F |
Nissan Patrol |
1.1.1 |
24.52.48 |
5.51.53 |
| 10 |
Laszlo Palik / Gabor Darazsi |
H |
Nissan Pick-up |
1.1.1 |
25.03.36 |
6.02.41 |
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| Nationalities: D=Germany /
F=France /
H=Hungary /
I=Italy /
J=Japan /
LT=Lithuania /
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