Russian KAMAZ crew comes second at 3rd stage of Dakar race

KAZAN, January 8 (Itar-Tass) —— The Russian KAMAZ crew headed by Eduard Nikolayev came second at the third stage of the international motor race Dakar-2013, press attach· of the Russian team KAMAZ-Master Erik Khairullin told Itar-Tass from Peru on Tuesday.

“Dutch racer Gerard de Rooy was the first to come to the finish again. Nikolayev’s truck was just one minute and 24 seconds behind that of de Rooy’s,” the press attach· said from the race route. “With each new stage the competition in the leading group of the trucks is getting tougher on sand and mountain routes. Nikolayev’s KAMAZ crew came up from the sixth place to the second place. The Italian crew led by Miki Biasion went up to the third position with two minutes and 31 seconds behind the leader,” he said.

The second Russian KAMAZ crew headed by Airat Mardeyev also continues the race in the leading group of the trucks. Mardeyev’s truck came sixth with 12 minutes and 51 seconds behind Gerard de Rooy. The third Russian truck led by Andrei Karginov finished seventh with 14 minutes and 50 seconds behind the leader.

The distance of the 34th Dakar race and the fifth race with a distance of more than 8,000 kilometres has 14 stages. The race route is running across Peru, Argentina and Chile. The Dakar race will finish in the Chilean capital Santiago on January 20.