Leonid Novitskiy (Mini) takes win in the first stage of 2012 rally Dakar, ahead of his team mates Krystof Holowczyc and Stephane Peterhansel.
2011 rally raid world champion Novitskiy set the best performance in 32.12 mn in the special stage between Mar del Plata and Santa Rosa de la Pampa, Argentina. He led his team mates Holowczyc and Peterhansel by, respectively, five and nine minutes.
Meanwhile, that was a tough day for 2011 winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, who suffered on a oil pressure issue on his Hummer in the first stage, and was towed by his team mate Robby Gordon in the last kilometers of the stage.
It was even worst for Alfie Cox : the South African driver, who was driving a Volvo XC60, was already out of the race when his car took fire.
But the main fact of the day was the accident of motorcycle rider Jorge Boero, from Argentina, who died following his crash at kilometer 55.
After the first stage from Mar del Plata to Santa Rosa de la Pampa, the drivers and riders will reach San Rafael, still in Argentina.
2011 rally raid world champion Novitskiy set the best performance in 32.12 mn in the special stage between Mar del Plata and Santa Rosa de la Pampa, Argentina. He led his team mates Holowczyc and Peterhansel by, respectively, five and nine minutes.
Meanwhile, that was a tough day for 2011 winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, who suffered on a oil pressure issue on his Hummer in the first stage, and was towed by his team mate Robby Gordon in the last kilometers of the stage.
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| Nasser Al-Attiyah helped by Robby Gordon. (Photo: ASO) |
It was even worst for Alfie Cox : the South African driver, who was driving a Volvo XC60, was already out of the race when his car took fire.
But the main fact of the day was the accident of motorcycle rider Jorge Boero, from Argentina, who died following his crash at kilometer 55.
After the first stage from Mar del Plata to Santa Rosa de la Pampa, the drivers and riders will reach San Rafael, still in Argentina.