TABUK: Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi and German co-driver Timo Gottschalk stormed into a comfortable 19 min 28 sec lead after the opening 205 km stage of the Tabuk-Neom Rally on Friday.
The Toyota Hilux crew carded a time of 1 hr 58 min and 57 sec for the scenic passage through desert terrain without hitting any problems during the course of the morning.
Al-Rajhi said: “It was a good day and everything is going well. Timo did a great job, like always. We opened the stage and enjoyed it. We pushed because we want to win every stage after I missed the event in Hail when I was injured. It was fast and slippery in places.”
Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi got the better of his brother Sultan to win the motorcycle stage by 3 min 4 sec and open up a lead of 1 min 52 sec. Mishal Al-Ghuneim opened the road and came home in third place on his Beta. The trio were the class of the field and finished well clear of fourth-placed Badr Al-Hamdan.
Al-Balooshi said: “It was an awesome day. The weather was much cooler than yesterday but it took me 30 km to 40 km to get into the rhythm. I knew the task was to catch the boys ahead and I made the time. My goal was to come here and get seat time and experience and capitalize on this great event. First and second for me and my bro was icing on the cake.”
Al-Ghuneim said: “Today was a beautiful stage, very well balanced and a lot of navigation needed. It was one of the most beautiful stages since the Saudi Championship started.
“I started first and opened the stage and kept the lead until the last 20 km when Mohammed and Sultan Al-Balooshi caught me and we rode the last 20 km together to the finish. I am hoping to start third tomorrow and that works out pretty good and I have them in front of me. I have a chance to catch up to them.”
Can-Am Maverick X3 driver Dania Akeel was Al-Rajhi’s closest challenger and led the T3 category for lightweight prototype cross-country vehicles in a stunning second overall. Saleh Al-Saif was a close third in his T3 Can-Am and Khalid Al-Feraihi was fourth.
“It was lovely. A really nice stage with beautiful views. The navigation was tricky but it was okay,” said Akeel. “We are second, wow. That’s not bad.”
Khalid Al-Jafla held fifth place and current Saudi Toyota Championship leader Abdulaziz Al-Yaeesh rounded off the top six. Tenth-placed Maha Al-Hameli led the T4 section in her Can-Am. Abdullah Al-Shegawi retired his Can-Am on the way to the stage with gearbox issues and will not continue.
Overnight quad leader Haitham Al-Tuwaijri suffered technical issues on his Yamaha Raptor and that opened the door for Hani Al-Noumesi to lead the category from Abdulaziz Al-Atawi.
“Nice stage and a wonderful landscape. We ran perfectly but it was a challenging route,” Al-Noumesi said. “We are happy to be leading.”
The event is organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation in conjunction with the Ministry of Sport and in partnership with official sponsor Abdul Latif Jameel Motors and strategic sponsor Saudi Investment Bank.
Saturday will see a second shorter selective section of 136 km before a return to Tabuk for the post-event press conference at 5.30 p.m., and the prize-giving ceremony at King Khalid Sport City from 8 p.m.
