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Dakar 2024: "Today was really the maximum" - Gert Huzink
After a disappointing result in the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday, Gert Huzink recovered a day later with the fifth fastest time among the trucks. The driver of the Jongbloed Dakar Team made up for some lost time on a number of important competitors. And that ensured that he told his story in a good mood.
“You have to be able to switch things up quickly after days like that. Fortunately, we did that,” said Huzink from the bivouac in Shubaytah. “Last night we sat together: what is the plan? We all agreed that we had to go all out today. As long as you talk it out, then it's fine. Huzink was pissed yesterday (Tuesday, ed.) and Huzink is happy today. That is also Dakar. Ups and downs. It's out together and home together. If you win you do it together and if you lose you do it together. You can't look for a victim for that. That shouldn't be the case.”
Tuesday's result meant that Huzink will start at the back for the fifth stage. “So you know it's going to be another very tough day. But go for it as much as possible.” Unfortunately, the first mechanical failure of this Dakar soon played tricks on the team. “After ten kilometers the turbo partially failed. We had much less power than we are used to. But despite that we drove to the maximum. We did take a lot of risks. That was also necessary because the power decreased, but we were able to brave those dunes.”
The mechanical failure was certainly no reason for panic, Huzink assured. “That can happen, so you shouldn't make too much of a fuss about it. It required a different driving style, because if you have less horsepower you have to attack those dunes differently. Then you have to be even more fanatic. This week things went wrong because we were not fanatical enough in the dunes, but today it was really maximum.”
“If you see that we had to go through the dunes in the dark for the last 35, 40 minutes because we had to start late, then I think we achieved a good time. And I am very happy that tomorrow (Thursday, ed.) we will be in the top five again, because we dropped out a bit.”
Then the marathon stage is on the program, which will be held over two days. The total length is 781 kilometers, of which 572 kilometers are special. Huzink: “If you have to start at the back of the field, you make it so difficult for yourself. Tomorrow we will start with the first five trucks and then head into that marathon race!"
Automatic translation of the Dutch version
Source Jongbloed Dakar Team
Helder