“In the first section of the special stage, I drove carefully through the forest and in the water, while in the second part we went faster and we are able to overtake Kamaz. The steering is so precise, it never was of any danger. Today I really enjoyed myself, I can say for the first time I liked driving in the mud,” said De Rooy.
Artur Ardavichus, this year’s new entry pilot in Team PETRONAS de Rooy IVECO, did exactly what he wanted to do behind the wheel of his Powerstar, he drove very regularly and finished third: “I was gentle with the truck in order to avoid any problems. The Powerstar is a winner vehicle and I only need to adapt to it. I want to grow up and improve with it. Tomorrow I will drive in Kazakhstan, my country, I’m very happy for this opportunity,” said Ardavichus.
Ton Van Genugten (#306) left in the early morning (6.58am), ahead De Rooy and Ardavichus, and didn’t take risks on the slippery track. Driving carefully, he placed his IVECO Trakker in 9th position in the day’s ranking.
The Silk Way Rally will be engaged in the last special in Russia before crossing the border to Kazakhstan and reaching Kostanai at the end of the 329,25 km-long Stage 3 and a total distance of 876,39 km. The stage starting from Ufa will be rather fast with many changes of direction, co-pilots will have to pay attention to the road book because of many fast and technical sections among the vegetation.
Stage 2, results: 1. Maarten Van den Brink (Renault) 2.h09m45s, 2. Gerard de Rooy (IVECO) +2m04s, 3. Artur Ardavichus (IVECO) +3m17s, 4. Anton Shibalov (Kamaz) +4m00s, 5. Dmitry Sotnikov (Kamaz) +4m57s… 9. Ton Van Genutgen (IVECO) +17m24s.
Overall classification: 1. Maarten Van den Brink 3h05m20s, 2. Gerard de Rooy (IVECO) +0m13s, 3. Artur Ardavichus (IVECO) +1m31s, 4. Anton Shibalov (Kamaz) +2m26s, 5. Martin Kolomy (Tatra) +5m38s… 8. Ton Van Genugten (IVECO) +13m35s.
