Benavides in the running for a podium place

Today was a hard day, more than yesterday. There was a lot of navigation and offroad until kilometre 130. Opening the stage was a tough task in the stage with the most navigation of all. I felt good, I liked the terrain and I pushed hard throughout. The others didn’t catch me up until the end of that navigational phase. I let Van Beveren pass in front of me to be able to push hard again after the refuelling. I think it was good for both of us and we ended up happy with each other after having pushed the whole stage. And for tomorrow? Well, let's go for it. In rally you never know what could occur. Until the final kilometre everything can happen.

It was a very physical stage. We had some off-piste with small dunes in which we had to work a lot. I did not feel very comfortable really, but I had quite a good stage. When I left the refuelling I caught Luciano and we lost a bit of time in an area with very difficult navigation, which was a pity. I got ahead and I really pushed in an area with a lot of dangers, but without losing my head. There is one final stage left, where we will have to keep searching for a good finish to the rally by completing all the kilometres and finishing it off with some good sensations.

The stage was hard and physically demanding with dunes and camel grass; in addition, it was very hot. Then, after the refuelling, there were hard and broken tracks. You had to be very attentive to the roadbook because it was dangerous. I am satisfied with the fifth place today, I felt comfortable on the bike and I had no problems. Tomorrow sees the last stage so we will try to continue with these good feelings as we can not fight for anything else.