Aksu, Xinjiang, May 5 (Lao Xiaofei) On May 23, the 22 China Tour Tower (International) Rally and China Auto Cross Country Rally Championship Xinjiang Branch Race was fiercely contested for the Keping stage (SS2023), with Liu Yangui/Chen Feng of Beijing Automobile Team No. 2 arriving at the finish line first, Shaanxi Yunxiang Club No. 102 Team Zi Yungang/Wang Zengrong following closely behind, and Zhejiang Lichi Racing Team No. 101 Han Wei/Ma Li becoming the third group to complete the race.
In terms of motorcycle category, French driver Neels Theric No. 010 of Chongqing Kaiyue Off-Road Team continued his good form since the start and reached the end of the stage first, Zaker Yakev, No. 003 of Xinjiang Wubao Daidao Team, showed his home field advantage and became the second driver to cross the line, easily completing the day's race, and Bradley John Cox, South African driver No. 1 of Team 037 of the Red Camel Rally Team in Yulin, Shaanxi Province, was the first three riders to reach the finish line that day.
The SS2 stage covers 710 kilometers from Aksu in Xinjiang to Megati County in Kashgar Prefecture, including 254 kilometers in the special stage of the automobile group and 183 kilometers in the motorcycle group. All participants will leave Aksu for the second camp of the competition, the N39° Scenic Area of Megati.
Race car No. 119 drives on wading roads, stirring up a rainbow of splashes. Official photo courtesy of the Tour de Tarri
According to reports, the starting point of the stage is located in the territory of Keping County, Aksu Prefecture, and the end point is in Atush City, Kyzylsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture. The motorcycle and car groups will be located in different positions at the start of this stage, a first time at the Tour de Tarri. The stage has canyons, Gobi, mountains, salt lakes, you name it. It is still important to pay attention to the rocks of the riverbed and Gobi Road and important steering tips. It is worth mentioning that the SS2 stage has a complex terrain, and in order to fully present the different scenery of the entire stage, this year's Tour de Tara Rally used aircraft as a relay communication station for the first time to ensure the smooth progress of the race and achieve good results.
Getting lost became the main theme of the SS2 stage, and most crews needed to go back and forth or face penalties. Jin Jianyun, driver No. 2020 of Guangdong Hard Tiger Racing DO Wheel Team, who participated in the 129 Dakar Rally, even believes that the difficulty of this stage is second only to the Dakar, which is a great test of the navigator's ability.
Because the motorcycle and car groups start at different locations and the tracks are different, motorcycle riders can get involved in the race on SS2 stage without worrying about the threat posed by the car group behind them. Although the SS2 stage is not as difficult as yesterday, the dust and bumpy road are a test for every motorcyclist.
Race car No. 169 stirred up large splashes through the river in the canyon. Official photo courtesy of the Tour de Tarri
On the 23rd, this year's Tour of Tara Rally will be in the Taklamakan Desert near N39 ° SS3 stage competition, located in the Kashgar area N39 (39 degrees north latitude) line can be called the most difficult area of the Taklamakan Desert, although only 172 kilometers, but fully demonstrate the famous N39 ° characteristics - high temperature environment, soft sand and floating sand intertwined, drivers will accidentally get stuck in the car, difficult to get out of the trap, this stage will be the first "watershed" of this Tour of Tara Rally. (End)