Day four in the Morocco Desert Challenge took the riders from the bivouac of Boujdour to Smara. A 526 km trip inland towards the Moroccan Sahara. Koen Wauters and Tom De Leeuw (Toyota Hilux) suffered from a flat tire early in the stage and took it easy to get to know their ‘new’ car. Pascal Feryn and Kurt Keysers (Toyota Hilux) were plagued by a fuel pressure problem just before the supply point but eventually reached the finish, just like Nicola Feryn and David Van Doren (Toyota Landcruiser) and Cedric Feryn, Bjorn Burgelman and Alexander Peeters (Mercedes).
Overjoyed, a little emotional but above all very proud of what his team had achieved last night, Koen Wauters gave his mechanics a warm hug on Tuesday morning after he heard that they had managed to get the car ready to drive. In high spirits and with renewed courage, Koen Wauters started the 526 km long stage. “After a good 10 km we got a flat tire and had to stop to change a wheel. Afterwards we decided to take it a bit easier today, after the small miracle that happened last night in the bivouac, and not to try to push ourselves to the limit. I am satisfied with my stage. Compared to the second stage in which we finished 4th, we were able to drive at 75% of our capacity. I really wanted to bring the car in safely. From the first meters I felt comfortable and safe in the car. At the back he reacted a bit more nervously and so I gave myself a day to get to know the ‘new’ car. The car drives really well. The full attack may be for tomorrow. Our classification is ruined but I still hope to be able to finish in the top 10 in a stage. But I cannot emphasize enough how happy I am to still be in the race. Thanks to our mechanics”, said Koen Wauters.
The damage to the car has been repaired. Koen Wauters himself felt good all in all. “This morning it was as if a train had driven back and forth over my body. Now I feel better. But actually that body is secondary. Tight and stiff, that's for sure. But our physiotherapist Jeroen is doing a great job here”, concludes Koen Wauters who rode the 18th fastest time on Tuesday and is 30th in the rankings.
Pascal Feryn rode through the desert whistling for a while until a fuel pressure problem occurred just before the supply point. “I ate everything: my sandwiches and almost my steering wheel. About 3 km before the sandwiches, the fuel pressure suddenly dropped. Up until then, the ride was actually perfect. The car kept stalling. Another participant towed us to the sandwiches. There we searched for the cause and also refueled. Afterwards, we set off again but we could only drive 60 to 70 km/h. Every time after about 10 km, the car stalled. It did that about six times until I got angry and continuously pressed the accelerator for five minutes. A sudden inspiration that worked because the more I did that, the more normal the car started to drive. Suddenly, the problem disappeared until we stalled again at the finish. The team is looking into it tonight. There may have been air in the line and it disappeared by pumping the accelerator. I lost two hours but I am still in the race.” Pascal Feryn finished 31st. In the standings they drop to 21st place.
Nicola Feryn and David Van Doren finished 32nd on Tuesday. In the standings they are 26th. Cedric Feryn, Bjorn Burgelman and Alexander Peeters finished 7th. In the standings for trucks they are 6th.
Automatic translation
Source: Feryn Dakar Sport
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