The new challenge for the KH-7 ECOVERGY Team on the Dakar started this Friday with the prologue stage. A simple appetizer to enter the race, but not to be taken lightly. Jordi Juvanteny, José Luis Criado and Xavi Ribas have overcome with solvency the 29 timed kilometers of the loop around Bisha. The MAN 6x6 truck with the colors of KH-7, powered by a mixed system of Hydrogen / HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) has worked perfectly, so that the Spanish team is now ready to begin the defense of the title won last year, in the premiere of the Mission 1000 category.
“We are very satisfied, because the truck worked well, it slid perfectly on the tracks, the suspensions worked very well and the hydrogen entered in the necessary measure to make a good stage. It was a fairly fast prologue, with changes of course and pace. We hope to continue like this,” said the pilot Jordi Juvanteny. The KH-7 ECOVERGY Team has scored 15 bonus points (10 for completing the stage and 5 for completing it in the reference time), and is third in the standings, 5 points behind the first leader.
One of the milestones for the KH-7 ECOVERGY Team in this edition is that co-driver José Luis Criado is competing in his 34th edition of the Dakar and becomes the active participant with the most editions behind him. As if that wasn't enough, driver Jordi Juvanteny follows in his footsteps, as the Dakar 2025 is his 33rd participation. They have competed together in 31 editions, the last 17 with the sponsorship of KH-7.
With the enthusiasm of the first day, José Luis Criado is already fully immersed in the race. “We've spent a few days keeping watch, waiting for the moment to go into action, preparing everything. We did a previous test in Bisha, which was very good for us to adjust the helmets and belts, to familiarize ourselves with the electronic road book, for Jordi to recover his sensations and Xavi to finish adjusting the telemetry of the hydrogen system. The prologue went very well, the navigation was correct and it took us less than half an hour to complete the 29 kilometers. But that's the least of it, this is just the beginning”.
In this prologue stage, the Mission 1000 vehicles have raced exactly the same special stage as the participants of the FIM and FIA categories, but before them, as ouvriers (the scouts who recognize the special stages of the World Rally). This Saturday, the first stage is another loop around Bisha, but specific to Mission 1000 and different from the FIM/FIA race. The alternative energy vehicles have 333 kilometers ahead of them, with a 91-kilometer special stage.
Automatic translation of the Spanish version
Source: KH-7 ECOVERGY Team / Mediagé Comunicación
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