It was just less than 800 kilometers to characterized this third stage of the Dakar 2019 that from San Juan de Marcona saw the crews cross the finish line in the town of Arequipa after having walked 331 in special test.
"For me it was the first real stage of the Dakar - says Christian Manez, co-driver of Eric Abel aboard the Polaris RZR 1000 Turbo #341 - The route was very technical and varied with some difficulties due to the many tracks on the path as well because of the soft sand that made the driving even more challenging. In short, a real battlefield to be taken with great humility ". The crew of Xtreme+, with the official color of CST Tires, crossed the finish line to +1h43'23" from the day's winner, finishing in 19th place of the day.
The Polish Maciej Domzala, sailed by Rafal Marton, had some mechanical problems that delayed his Polaris #376 at the finish line of the stage characterized by fech-fech and canyons with narrow and demanding passages. For them the route from San Juan de Marcona to Arequipa was thus completed with a delay of +2h58'18" and a 24th stage placement.
If the other French crew (Ronald Basso and Julien Menard) in the race with the colors of the Gorrevod team has brought Polaris #359 to complete the race by taking off a time of +1h51'12".
The Mexican Santiago Creel Garza Rios was forced to abandon the race ground ahead of time leaving the Polaris, then returned to the bivouac, in the dunes around the km 120 of the SS.
Source: Xtreme+ press release
