Elisabete Jacinto rises to the podium in Morocco

Elisabete Jacinto rose to the third place of the podium of the truck competition of the Morocco Desert Challenge. The Bio-Ritmo® team achieved the goals set for this race after finishing the seventh and final round of this African marathon, where they finished in the fourth place of their class. The Portuguese took 1h19m52s to complete the 138 timed kilometers that composed the stage that was held between Tendrara and Oujda and finished the special with a difference of 5m25s for the Dutchman Martin Van Den Brink, the winner of the truck category of this event. In addition to the three trucks, only two cars were faster than Elisabete Jacinto in today’s stage.

The Portuguese trio composed by Elisabete Jacinto, José Marques and Marco Cochinho made the whole rally without problems and managed to win two (the first and the penultimate) of the seven stages of this event. In fact, the Portuguese team remained from the first day of competition in the summit positions among the T4 which allowed them to maintain the third place in the overall classification of their class, place obtained at the end of the second day of the race.

The selective sector of this final special was shortened because the bad weather that has been felt in recent days has left some areas unable of being transposed. Thus, for security reasons the organization of the race has chosen to cancel the last 40 kilometers of the stage. Still, Elisabete Jacinto made a positive evaluation of this journey and was very pleased with the result achieved:
“today’s special was a little shorter. During the night fell hail and it rained and there were parts with oueds that were full of water and it was impossible to pass. So the organization decided to cut the last kilometers so that there were no problems. The selective sector went well for us. We were the second vehicle to go to the stage and we made the whole special always accelerating. We came a little bit behind the Renault of the 505 team, but at a certain point they stopped with a problem and we moved on and we were the second truck to arrive at the camp. This race went quite well. The balance couldn’t be more positive. We had no trouble throughout and we are very pleased with our result. We already needed a race like this”, said Elisabete Jacinto at the end of the stage.

The Bio-Ritmo® team will return to the competitions in October when it will take place the Rally Oilibya du Maroc 2017.

Elisabete Jacinto wins sixth stage

Elisabete Jacinto won the sixth and penultimate stage of the Morocco Desert Challenge that took place today between Merzouga and Tendrara. The Bio-Ritmo® team was the fastest among the T4s to perform this special composed by 405 timed kilometers, the longest in this competition, and they took 5h53m11s to complete the entire selective sector. The Portuguese finished with a nine-minute lead to the Dutchman Martin Van Den Brink, the current leader of the truck class, and only one car managed to be faster than Elisabete Jacinto to complete today’s course including in this role the motorcycle competition.

The Portuguese formation, composed by Elisabete Jacinto, José Marques and Marco Cochinho, thus strengthened their overall position and they keep the third place in the truck category with a solid advantage of more than four hours for the Belgian Igor Bouwens who, at the wheel of an IVECO, is currently fourth in their class.

Elisabete Jacinto, who added her second stage victory on this rally, was the fastest driver among the Portuguese in the race and made a positive assessment of the day:
“It was a very beautiful stage on the Moroccan plateaus. Today the tracks were smooth and once it didn’t have many holes and ditches we were able to walk quite fast. Today we left in the fifth place and we were able to accelerate as much as possible until we started catching the trucks that departed in front of us. The navigation was complicated, but the Zé Marques never made a mistake and we came straight to the end. It was a great day. We are very happy with this victory”, said Elisabete Jacinto at the end of the special.

This edition of Morocco Desert Challenge is coming to an end. The seventh and final stage of this African race will be disputed tomorrow between Tendrara and Oujda and will be composed of 178 timed kilometers. This special will be shorter, but it won’t be easier. There will be a wide variety of routes that will alternate between fast tracks where competitors can accelerate without any risk and slower paths with lots of rock, holes and deep ditches. It will be a special that will require total concentration and a perfect navigation.

Elisabete Jacinto keeps podium place among trucks

Elisabete Jacinto reinforced today the third place of the general classification of the trucks, position reached on the second day of the race, now that five of the seven stages that compose the Morocco Desert Challenge were disputed. The Bio-Ritmo® team now has an advantage of around 1h30m for Belgian Igor Bouwens, who is fourth in the overall of the T4 class, at a moment where there are only two stages of this great African marathon left to dispute. The Portuguese are thus closer to achieving the goals set at the start of this race.

The trio composed by Elisabete Jacinto, José Marques and Marco Cochinho, took 4h18m09s to complete the whole course of the fifth day, which was fulfilled today around Merzouga, having spent more nine minutes than the third classified in the truck category. The Portuguese team ended the 213 timed kilometers in fifth place in their class.

Today’s special was shorter than expected because a strong sandstorm, that hit the Erfoud region, prevented the pilots from leaving early in the morning. Thus, the organization of the race chose to cancel the first 30 kilometers that would be made in Erg Chebbi. Despite the difficulties, inherent to the course and the climatic conditions in which the selective sector was held, the Portuguese performed the stage without any problem:
“there was a sandstorm all night and at the time of leaving for the special the storm was so strong that there were no conditions to start the race. Thus, the organization postponed the competitions and the first motorcycle only left at noon. For this reason the stage turned out to be a little shorter because the organization decided to cancel the initial part of the special and we ended up not making the crossing of Erg Chebbi. Still we made the dunes of the Ouzina and made some of the Chebbi before we arrived at the camp. It was a very beautiful stage, difficult and sinuous. Despite the setbacks it all went well with no problem to point out”, said the Portuguese driver Elisabete Jacinto.

The sixth and penultimate stage of the Morocco Desert Challenge rally will be held tomorrow. This special, which will take place between Merzouga and Tendrara, will be the longest one of this great African marathon. It will be 405 timed kilometers that will alternate between fast tracks, plains and stony rails dotted with deep ditches and holes.