The Spanish Laia Sanz (Bahrain Raid Xtreme) closed “contenta & rdquor; a first week of the Dakar, which is being disputed in Saudi Arabia, in which after 11 motorcycle participations, finishing all, it debuts in the car category and sets the goal of “Finish in the top-20 & rdquor;, if you have good starting positions in the next stages & rdquor ;.
“We are happy. Everything is positive. The car is very tough, it is responding very well, and I think both Maurizio (Gerini, his co-driver) and I, too. I hope that in the second week of competition we can go out with the group of the first 30, because then I think we can make a good climb of positions in the general classification. Let’s see if it is possible to finish in the ‘top20’ & rdquor ;, he said during the rest day of the Dakar.
Laia Sanz insisted on her criticism of the organization’s decisions that have made her go back several stages when, due to the time achieved the day before, she deserved to start in more advanced positions. “It is a pity that we have been conditioned so much by leaving from so far back these first days.. We have also had a couple of mechanical setbacks that have delayed us a lot, but in the end it is all experience and we are learning a lot, both my co-pilot Maurizio and I are adapting and gaining confidence & rdquor ;, he commented.
“I am feeling very comfortable with him because I know that he will not eat any danger from the road book, I know that he navigates well, and all this helps. For me, I feel like I’m picking up a better rhythm and I’m doing very well in the dunes & rdquor;he added.
“I think we are doing well, although our rhythm has not been seen much. Yesterday was the first stage where we started in a good position and we were able to keep up with our real pace. Without the puncture we had we would have finished in the top 20 fine& rdquor ;, completed.