PRESS RELEASE 8 / 2019 TAKLIMAKAN RALLY
Keriya (Xinjiang/China), May 29th 2019
HOTAN > KERIYA : 548,19 km
Liaison : 222,55 km
SS : 288,92 km
Liaison : 114,33 km
LAVIEILLE AND MONLEÓN : THE UNTOUCHABLES !
In the wake of the second rest day in the 2019 Taklimakan Rally, the 85 cars / trucks and 21 motorcycles / quads still in the competition reached Keriya after a stage of 548.19 kilometres. Christian Lavieille and Jean-Pierre Garcin (BAIC) were once again the fastest in the four-wheels category. Armand Monleón (KTM) continues his faultless path, while another two stages have to take place before the end of the competition.
It was a particularly complicated stage that awaited the Taklimakan Rally competitors this morning in Hotan. The special stage was long, 288.92 kilometres, and especially difficult because of the many parallel sandy tracks - at times hardly visible - along the route of the day. Thus, many competitors lost precious minutes trying to find the right track.
In the auto category, the duel is still tight between Christian Lavieille / Jean-Pierre Garcin (BAIC) and Liu Yangui / Sha He (BAIC), but once again, it turned in favour of the French duo, ahead of their teammates by 51'' only. "Overall, our day went well. We had to turn around though, probably like everyone else! Jean-Pierre did a great job", summed up Christian Lavieille upon arrival. Xu Ailli / Weng Zhigang (Geely) lost more than 45' today and finished thirteenth, still enough however to maintain their third place in the overall ranking. The Top 5 of the day is completed by Wang Hai / Li Pengcheng (BAIC) and Zhang Min / Qin Xu (Geely). With two days left before the end of 2019 Taklimakan Rally, Christian Lavieille and Jean-Pierre Garcin (BAIC) are now ahead of their teammates Liu Yangui / Sha He (BAIC) by 18'48 '' in the overall ranking.
Nothing stood in Armand Monleón's way (KTM) in the motorcycle category. The Spanish driver remains undefeated in the 2019 Taklimakan Rally. "The navigation was very tricky. I still had a lot of fun today. The wet and buoyant sand at the end of the special allowed me to really go for it", said the three-time defending champion who is from now on well on his way to add a fourth crown to his track record. Zhang Min (KTM) finished second and he occupies that same spot in the overall ranking. The third place of the day goes to Fang Mingji (KTM). Yakenan (KTM), fourth, firmly remains on the last step of the podium.
Tomorrow, the Taklimakan Rally competitors will rub along with the last big chunk of the 2019 edition. This penultimate stage of 388.35 kilometres, which includes 187.1 kilometres of selective section and goes around Keriya, should freeze the overall ranking, with only 34.38 kilometres left for Friday's stage to conclude the 2019 Taklimakan Rally for good.
#NewHorizon #TaklimakanRally
CARS
Provisional classification stage 7
1. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, 4h13'30''
2. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC, + 51''
3. ZI Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 3'53''
4. Wang Hai (CHN) /Li Pengcheng (CHN), BAIC, + 6'36''
5. Zhang Ming (CHN) /Qin Xu (CHN), Geely, + 11'40''
Provisional overall classification after stage 7
1. Christian Lavieille (FRA) / Jean-Pierre Garcin (FRA), BAIC, 24h01'54''
2. Liu Yangui (CHN) / Sha He (CHN), BAIC, + 18'48''
3. Xu Aili (CHN) / Wen Zhigang (CHN), Geely, + 1h57'43''
4. ZI Yungang (CHN) / Wang Zengrong (CHN), Geely, + 2h41'59''
5. Zhang Ming (CHN) /Qin Xu (CHN), Geely, +2h42'41''
MOTORCYCLES
Provisional classification stage 7
1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 4h55'23"
2. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 30'28''
3. Fang Mingji (CHN), KTM, + 30'56''
4. Yakenan (CHN), KTM, + 31'30''
5. Wang Yun (CHN), Yamaha, + 38'07''
Provisional overall classification after stage 7
1. Armand Monleón (ESP), KTM, 21h09'55''
2. Zhang Min (CHN), KTM, + 2h25'07''
3. Yakenan (CHN), KTM, + 5h42'03''
4. Fang Mingji (CHN), KTM, + 6h30'42''
5. Wang Yun (CHN), Yamaha, + 7h59'39''
PHOTOS : HUZI / SONG YONGCHUAN
