Abu Dhabi, Oct 23: Despres leads UAE Desert Challenge to stay on course for world title. In the bikes category, Frenchman Cyril Despres finished fourth overall on the stage and continued his march towards the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship.
Dubai driver Khalifa Al-Motaiwi was the first notable local retirement in his Victory Rally Team BMW X5. Frenchman Luc Alphand started from the rear of the field in his BMW X5, after collecting two punctures and being further delayed with a serious clutch problem and was unable to finish the stage. Poland's Lukasz Komornicki retired his Mitsubishi Pajero after an engine fire damaged the underbonnet area before the first passage control. Overnight leader Giniel de Villiers succumbed to transmission problems and gearbox maladies forced Nissan team mate Ari Vatanen out of contention. Thursday's 359.60 kilometres third stage begins on the Arada gatch road at 06.50am and is arguably the most difficult of the stages, with its towering dune complexes and tricky sand holes. A service point has been set up in a remote village on the Arada border road, with a passage control near Hameem. The section is scheduled to finish at Tharwaniyah. This year's UAE Desert Challenge is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence.



Bikes Leading positions on SS2 (unofficial) 1. Alfie Cox (South Africa) KTM 4 hours 40 mins 00 secs 2. Marek Dabrowski (Poland) KTM 660 Rally 4:41.25 3. Jacek Czachor (Poland) KTM 660 Rally 4:41.45 4. Cyril Despres (France) KTM 660 Rally 4:41.51 5. Pal-Anders Ullesvalseter (Norway) KTM Rally 4:46.41 6. Andy Caldecott (Australia) KTM 660 Rally 4:48.54 7. Francois Flick (France) KTM Replica 4:49.20


Overall leading positions (unofficial) 1. Despres 7 hours 55 mins 24secs 2. Cox 7:58.44 3. Dabrowski 8:02.17 4. Czachor 8:08.48 5. Caldecott 8:13.31 6. Ullesvalseter 8:16.02 7. Flick 8:19.04


Cars Leading positions on SS2 (unofficial) 1. Stephane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (France) Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution 4:09.21 2. Jean-Louis Schlesser/Jean-Marie Lurquin (France) Schlesser-Ford 4:22.07 3. Carlos Sousa (Portugal)/Henri Magne (Andorra) Mitsubishi L200 Strakar 4:23.28 4. Gregoire de Mevius (Belgium)/Alain Guehennec (France) BMW 4:28.21 5. Miki Biasion/Tiziano Siviero (Italy) Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution 4:29.36


Overall leading positions (unofficial) 1. Peterhansel 7:01.12 2. de Mevius 7:17.26 3. Sousa 7:18.15 4. Biasion 7:20.10 5. Schlesser 7:29.35 6. Andrea Mayer/Andreas Schulz (Germamu) Mitsubishi Pajero 7:56.27 7. Yayha Alhili/Khaled Al-Kendi (UAE) Chevrolet Tahoe 8:25.06 8. Dominique Housieux/Loic Fagot (France) Mitsubishi Pajero 8:29.08


FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies - positions before UAE Desert Challenge: Bikes 1. Despres 61 points 2. Dabrowski 58 3. Roma 57 4. Fabrizio Meoni (Italy) 48 5. Caldecott 47 (25 pts for winner of UAE Desert Challenge)


Cars 1. Sousa 155 points 2. Schlesser 114 3. Jean-Pierre Strugo (France) 84 4. Lukasz Komornicki (Poland) 66 (45 points for winner of UAE Desert Challenge)


Bureau Report