{"id":97262,"date":"2019-01-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-01-10T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pre.boxrepsol.com\/uncategorized\/isidre-esteve-passes-the-first-big-test-of-dakar-2019\/"},"modified":"2023-02-27T07:15:20","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T09:15:20","slug":"isidre-esteve-passes-the-first-big-test-of-dakar-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.boxrepsol.com\/en\/rally-en\/isidre-esteve-passes-the-first-big-test-of-dakar-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Isidre Esteve passes the first big test of Dakar 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Isidre Esteve suffered his first serious setback of Dakar 2019 on Wednesday. In the third stage, which left several favourites out of action, the Repsol Rally Team driver had to take extreme precautions after two tyres came off the rims at once and they ran out of spares until the regrouping. Even so, the driver from L\u00e9rida remains in the top 30 in the general classification<\/strong> with his BV6 prototype, before tomorrow’s dreaded marathon.<\/p>\n

The day, between San Juan de Marcona and Arequipa<\/strong>, consisted of 331 timed kilometres that were very demanding, especially at the start. Isidre Esteve and co-driver Txema Villalobos faced an unexpected setback at kilometre 70. “We started with low tire pressure to make it easier over the complicated dunes in the first few kilometres. We were fine, until two wheels came off the rims at once and we were left without spare tyres\u201d<\/em>, explained the driver.<\/p>\n

As a precaution, they decided to increase the pressure to avoid risking a puncture, which could have been fatal. \u201cOur goal was to get to the service park to pick up some spare wheels and we managed it, although when we changed the pressure we got stuck in a dune 15 kilometres later and lost a lot of time\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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