Paulo Goncalves takes the victory and the overall lead after the second stage of the Sardinia Rally. Joan Barreda in third place

Current World Champion Paulo Goncalves achieves a great result during the second stage of the Sardinia Rally Race, winning the race and making him leader of the race. Podium finish for teammate Joan Barreda and Top10 finish for Helder Rodrigues.

Important victory for Paulo Goncalves on this second stage of the rally. A result achieved due to the consistency and hard work, from both the riding and the correct interpretation of the roadbook. Paulo has done an outstanding performance, beginning the stage on third place – due to the time he lost yesterday having to stop and open a gate in order to be able to follow the set route, being reclassified to third place at the end of the first stage – with a good pace on his Honda CRF450R. Setting the best time of the day, with one minute and twenty seven seconds lead from the runner-up. Today’s result makes Paulo take the lead on the overall standing.

Joan Barreda finished on third place. The rider from Castellon had previously set the best time up until the refueling point, but immediately after made a navigation mistake by taking the wrong route. While riding on it he found himself on a collision course with another rider, luckily avoiding him. Barreda was able to recover from the incident and regain the pace he had before this moment.

Teammate Hélder Rodrigues also made a mistake while reading the roadbook today, causing him to lose several minutes while regaining the correct way. The Portuguese rider finished in ninth place at the end of the stage and is currently eighth on the overall standing.

Tomorrow will take place the first part of the marathon of the Sardinia Rally Race between Arbatax and San Leonardo. Which means that the rider have no technical assistance and the bikes will be taken to a parc ferme upon their arrival to the surroundings of the medieval church of San Leonardo.

Tomorrow’s Stage:

Stage 3 – Arbatax-San Leonardo

This is the start of the Marathon Stage of the Sardegna Rally 2014, which will be completed the next day in San Teodoro. In the midst of a whirlwind of difficulties and uncertainties, on the one hand the impossibility to meet the Assistances, on the other hand the charm of the bivouac of San Leonardo.

The third portion of the Sardegna Rally is also the beginning of the long and difficult Marathon Stage both for the Riders of the World Championship and the competitors facing the Italian Championship Raid TT. For the Sardegna Rally is a Stage characterized by an unusual configuration, and it should be noted that it’s tougher!

The contestants will reach the Checkpoint before the Special Stage on board of their assistance vehicle. After the “drop off “, they will continue riding their bikes up to the Assistance Point. The Special Stage will have a 40 % of innovative path, and will cross the Muggianeddu forest yard, San Sebastiano, Uatzo, then will return in the state area of Tonara and end up in Pranu, near Sorgono. A very hard and tiring special stage that requires expert navigation, with frequent changes of terrain and direction. Also in this case riders will pass from the crests of the mountains to the groomed trails in the middle of the dense vegetation of the valley, from fjords to more technical passages.

At the end of the Special Stage a transfer begins on asphalt in the direction of Atzara, Samugheo, Allai, culminating in the Grighine area, where riders will carry out the “service” just before the entrance in the second Special Stage. Much of the second special stage is plotted on Mount Grighine and a portion of the plateau of Saint Lucia. The final stage is located on the Monte Arci and the end of the selective sector is positioned near to Tiria.

The Special Stage is navigated, but also very nice to ride, and is a veritable anthology of all that Sardinia has to offer in terms of morphology. Fire break paths, mountain ridges, undergrowth, crossings, dirt roads and sliding passages almost “trial” type. In the dossier of the stage nothing is missing.

The final liaison brings them from Tiria to San Leonardo, on a mix of asphalt / gravel roads crossing the Simaxis, Solan, Milis and Bonarcado areas.