The ninth special stage leading from Azougui to Akjout offered 391 kilometers and was again driven at full throttle. During the evening briefing, the sports director of the competition, René Metge , drew attention to the difficult navigation, and the course of the stage proved him right.
The ninth stage started where the seventh special stage ended, and from the first meters the throttle was on the floor. After problems from the previous day, Tomeček only started as the fourteenth car, which was not an ideal position on dusty roads.
Tomáš Tomeček describes the start of the stage with the words: " From the start, we tried to drive at a faster pace and gradually overtook several cars. Láďa reported precisely one navigational change after another. In several places, the cars in front of us made navigation errors, which helped us to overtake. "
Tomečko's navigator Ladislav Lála continues from this moment on: " On a flat and extremely dusty section, thanks to an alternative navigation strategy, we overtook Kovacs' Scania and also started commuting with MAN Elisabete Jacinto. Unfortunately, the dune field today was only short, but even so we were able to gradually overtake the Portuguese truck and both Kamazes. "
From the last dunes, there were a few tens of kilometers left to the finish line, and we drove again with the gas on the floor. " This type of stage doesn't suit us very well, " Tomáš Tomeček comments on his feelings about today's special stage and continues in one breath. " In the end, Elisabete and the hybrid Kamaz went ahead of us. It didn't make sense to take any chances and drag out seconds, so we kept close behind them. Most of the stage was driven at full speed, often the beeping of the limiter, which would not let us go over 150 km/h, could be heard in the cabin. I am of course satisfied with today's result. It's just a pity that we were delayed so much yesterday, but there are still two stages to the finish and anything can happen. "
Navigator Lála evaluates today's stage with the words: " Tomas drove absolutely brilliantly today. The car did not sustain any major damage. After crossing the finish line, we stopped the diesel leak from one broken hose. Crazy things must happen under the car during a special stage ."
The crew arrived at the bivouac in Akjoujt relatively early in the afternoon and the mechanics could start working on the car in peace and in the light. Similar to the previous days, the bivouac is guarded by Mauritanian army vehicles. " When I went to the desert in the evening, I first came across a car with a machine gun aimed at the bivouac and then a soldier just lying in the desert, " mechanic Jaroslav Žerdík describes his experience with securing the whereabouts of the racing caravan.
On Friday, the 342-kilometer long stage from Akjoujt to Toueila awaits the competitors. It is the penultimate stage on the territory of Mauritania . In addition to two dune fields, the organizers promise traditionally demanding navigation and driving with gas on the floor.
Source: Tomáš Tomeček
