The third day of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was expected to be one of the most intense for the riders, as it marked the first part of the two-day marathon stage. Preserving the machines was crucial, as the racers will spend the night away from their teams and mechanics. CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team riders arrived at the marathon bivouac with their quads intact, but they faced a different kind of challenge on the track.
"It was a fast day, and the route took us through probably the most beautiful and largest dunes you can find here. But I ran out of fuel. I realized there was nothing I could do, so I started stopping other riders, and my friend from Germany, Justin Gerlach, who rides a motorcycle, stopped and shared some fuel. After that, I rode more cautiously and managed to reach the finish," said Antanas Kanopkinas. He also noted that his closest rival from Poland arrived at the marathon bivouac with a torn rear tire, which he will have to use for tomorrow’s stage as well. According to Kanopkinas, this could significantly change the standings.
Gaëtan Martinez also ran out of fuel, and the location where it happened made the situation almost comical: "The day started great—lots of dunes and sand. I was riding at a good pace, but just like Antanas, I ran out of fuel. The funny part is that it happened just 300 meters before the refueling zone. I lost some time, but nothing too serious. In the second part of the stage, we faced massive dunes again—some were so steep I couldn't climb them on the first try. Standing on top of the biggest dunes, you feel like you're on top of the world—you can see the entire desert stretching around you."
Today's special stage was won by M. Loj from Poland. A. Kanopkinas finished second, trailing by nine minutes, while G. Martinez came in third, 36 minutes behind the leader. The riders believe that tomorrow’s stage could turn everything upside down due to their Polish rival’s damaged tire.
Tomorrow, the riders will return to their teams, but first, they must tackle the longest single-day distance in this rally—300 kilometers of special stage and 94 kilometers of liaison. A quarter of the route will be on asphalt, while the rest will mainly consist of sand and dunes.
However, before facing the next day’s challenges, riders has to spend the tough night ahead: "There is a massive sandstorm here. We set up the tent, and it's already filled with sand. Looks like it’s going to be an interesting night."
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