Favorite Boris Gadasin? No, Tonnie Van Dejne. The Dutch driver is the winner of the 10-kilometer prologue of the sixteenth edition of the Italian Baja, valid for the Fia Cross Country Bajas and for the Italian championship. The 'tulip', at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Pajero Evo, preceded Russian Gadasin (Nissan G-Force) and Czech Zapletal (Mitsubishi L200) by 8''9 by 5''3. Montico superstar.
The podium of yesterday's "aperitif" was completely foreign. A special stage which started from Ponte Rosso and ended in Carbona, which saw Van Dejne completely at ease. from Dakar king Stephane Peterhansel in the 2007 season, they have known no rivals.
But today he will have to keep a close eye on Gadasin and must not underestimate the Pordenone driver Angelo Montico (Fornasari Rr450), one who knows by heart the path on which the Baja takes place. The home driver in fact finished in fifth place, first among the Italians, with a delay of only 15''2 or today he will try to worry his foreign 'colleagues'. "Maybe I could have done even better - he said - but I accused clutch problems. I hope that tomorrow (today, editor's note) they won't happen again ».
The other Italians. The car must not betray him, because today he will push hard the second of the national drivers, Paolo Larini, sixth at the finish with 16 '' 2 delay. But Mitsubishi driver Pajero Did could have made it to the podium if he hadn't made a trajectory error one kilometer from the end of the 'ps. "
This is the general picture among off-road vehicles, a category in which the di Lorenzo Codecà is in fact lacking. The Lombard stopped after a kilometer and a half of the prologue due to engine problems. Despite everything, the former Italian champion managed to get to the service park but his departure for today is still uncertain: it all depends on whether the mechanics who take care of his Suzuki New Grand Vitara will be able to repair the damage to the engine in the hour available.
The quads. Even among the quads there is a foreign rider in the lead. It is the Czech Josef Machacek, who on board the Yamaha Raptor led the Italian Tiziano Sette (Polaris 525) by 9 '' 1. A margin that does not allow the driver from the east to sleep peacefully. Third, at 20 `` 1, Massimiliano Masante, on Kawasaki Kfx450r.
Motorbikes. Definitely more reassuring, on the other hand, is the advantage of the first among the bikes, Nicola Dutto, who on a Husqvarna Te trailed Ronco by 30 '' 1, also on Husqvarna Te, setting the absolute best time. On the lowest step of the podium Bosio on Ktm, 52 '' 4 behind.
It comes alive. The first stage is scheduled today. A special stage of 82.82 kilometers to be repeated three times for cars and two for motorcycles and quads and which will take place on the shores of the Tagliamento and the Cosa stream. Passes at 8.05, 11.50 and 15.35.
