Tuesday greeted the Balkan Offroad Rallye participants with thick fog and wet and slippery tracks, with rain pouring down all night. Both CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team riders said at the finish that the first speed section was very difficult because of the natural conditions, which made navigation difficult and greatly increased the risk when going fast.
"It was very slippery in the morning, so we had to reduce speed at some places, but that's OK. The first speed section finished successfully and there were even some spots where we got a chance to go full-throttle," said Adomas Gančierius, who finished third in the quad standings of the first section.
He said that in the second section, the track had already dried out and the route was extremely fast. The dry ground and the ruts made it difficult to ride fast and the high speed at the very uneven road made it difficult to stay on the quad at times. On the second day of the rally, the CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team's rider finished third among the quads, according to the provisional results.
"Tomorrow two speed sections awaits and we will go to the next bivouac and to the higher mountains. I hope there will be more navigational challenges where I can gain more time," said A. Gančierius.
Antanas Kanopkinas, after crossing the finish line, also said that the first speed section of the day was very difficult due to the slippery surface and the fog, which made navigation difficult, but he managed to get through it without any major problems.
The second stage also went smoothly, but the pace of the rally was not without its risks: "You can drive like that for one stage, but you can't drive the whole rally like that. At some point, it would definitely lead to disaster, maybe even tragedy. The speeds were really high and with our equipment, it's above the risk limit to drive through all the pits on the track at such high speeds."
The rider had set himself the goal of catching up several of his rivals on the second section, and he was successful in doing so. The provisional results today put A. Kanopkinas sixth in the standings.
"I am satisfied with the day. My health was still very poor in the morning, but it got better during the day and I feel better now. We are getting ready for tomorrow", said the athlete.
Tomorrow the riders will move to another bivouac, so the equipment is being carefully reviewed and prepared for a long day on the track.