Al Attiyah, Walkner lead after winning 2nd stage
qasr al sarab (uae) — Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah found himself alongside Austrian KTM Red Bull Factory team rider Matthias Walkner at the top of the leader board of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, powered by Nissan, after the second 289km Nissan stage of the event through the Rub AlKhali on Monday.
The Toyota driver claimed the fastest time on the day’s stage, held in punishing heat across the mighty dunes of the UAE. Al Attiyah’s stage win meant he extended his lead over Abu Dhabi Racing’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi to 23min 03sec heading into the night halt at Qasr al Sarab.
“Today was a good day for us. It was not an easy stage. The stage is called Nissan. It is very difficult and hard. We just need to take care. To win by a big gap and have a big lead from Al Qassimi is good,” said Al Attiyah.
Sam Sunderland’s starting position meant that the overnight leader
The goal is to continue learning and gaining experience in this format of racing Khalid Al Qassimi
was hardly going to win the day’s stage and the Dakar champion ceded time to his rivals in the motorcycle category. Husqvarna’s Pierre Alexandre Renet began the day fifth on the road and pressed on to take the stage win from Monster Energy Honda’s Paolo Gonçalves.
New overnight leader Walkner was third quickest. “I did not know that I was leading,” said the Austrian after the finish. “Saying that, tomorrow they take the gap back. Hopefully I can finish on the podium. Tomorrow, the guys will take three or six minutes and the lead is changing again. It has been a good two days and I feel more confident riding in the dunes. I get into it and I enjoyed it.”
Khalid said: “Today was much more difficult than yesterday. It was a bit windy and there was a lot of sand thrown up that hampered visibility and as a result we lost some time.
“We also had some difficulty climbing the steep dunes as the sand was very soft. We then were forced to find another line.
“But all in all, it was still a good day for us to finish second and hold on to our overnight position of 2nd overall. But, the goal is to continue learning and gaining experience in this format of racing.”
Sunderland said: “You always lose time when you start in front. I opened all the way for nearly 300km (the stage) and only Pablo (Gonçalves) and Matthias physically caught me. Of all the riders here, that meant it was a good day. This race is strange with the strategy, you know. You kind of swap times each day. Tomorrow I start back and it will be the opposite. You just have to take each day as it comes. It’s been really hot the past few days and it’s really unpredictable out there. The bike is good. I am happy. The team have done a great job.”
Stage winner Renet was upbeat: “Yes, really happy. Today I start five, so it’s easier for me because I have the line and the tracks. It’s good to have a win at this rally. The heat is really high and, with the sun, you do not see so easy. I guess it is the same for everyone.”
Al Attiyah began the gruelling loop stage with a cushion of 11in 35.1sec over Abu Dhabi Racing’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi and the Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux driver pressed home his advantage from the front for the second day in the cars.
Czech driver Martin Prokop produced another useful performance in the Jipocar Ford F-150 Evo to set the fourth quickest time behind Qatar’s Mohammed Abu Issa and the former WRC star leapt into third place in the overall rankings.