Pharaons Rally: KTM’s Viladoms Wins Stage 2

2012 Pharaons Rally Stage Two Results

The second stage of the Pharaons Rally didn’t see any significant changes in the motorcycle category.

Even if the day’s special stage was increasingly difficult as it wore on, both in terms of terrain and navigation, the top riders all took it in stride.

Jordi Viladoms (KTM – Bordone Ferrari) ran a nearly perfect stage today. We say nearly because the Catalan rider started very strong in the first part, before losing a little concentration later on.

As he explained in his usual calm and direct way: “The second part of the stage was faster than the first. I left the refueling point with a thirty-second lead on the others, but Barreda and Goncalves were able to catch me. I was impressed by their speed, as their bikes were going at least 10 km/h faster than mine. That distracted me a little bit.”

That said, Jordi still won the 307 km stage with an advantage of 1’12” over Jakub Przygonsky (KTM – Orlen team), another rider who was fast in the first half of the stage, “but they lost me towards the end,” the Polish rider explained.

One reason why Joan Barreda finished fourth, behind Goncalves, is because they wandered off course toward the finish of the stage, where Viladoms was instead impeccable. Pal Anders Ullevalseter had a good day, finishing fifth, the same position he occupies in the overall standings, ahead of Bolivian rider Juan Carlos Salvatierra.

Diocleziano Toia maintained his lead among the Italian contingent, tenth on the stage and ninth overall.

Tomorrow is the third stage of the 2012 Pharaons: from Tibniya to Abu Mingar, with a daunting 426 km special stage and 159 km transfer. It’s the longest stage of this year’s rally.

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