Rallye Breslau 2022: the waiting is over!
The biggest European off-road rally started in Zagan with a ceremony and a qualifying stage.
Op de openingsfoto: Dave Klaassen uit Nederland.
Start van de rally. After the big preparations and heavy work, despite the difficult situation in Europe, Rallye Breslau 2022 just started in the heart of the city of Zagan in Poland. Europe’s biggest off-road race began with official ceremony and short 7 kms qualifying stage, where exactly 268 vehicles from all the classes of the Cross Country and the Extreme categories took the first small, but important challenge in this year’s marathon.
Telwerk… Under the official start arch in Zagan there were 80 bikes and quads, 68 SSVs, 51 cross country and 27 extreme cars, as well as 32 trucks and 9 vehicles in the not-time suppressed Discovery category. As usual, many European countries are presented in Rallye Breslau and famous names from the long history of the race appeared in the start lists. The competitors will face five days in some known and some new territories, with the traditional night and marathon stages and camp change in the middle of the rally.
Onderdeel van. Starting with the qualifying stage, as you see, it’s not called just a “prologue”, because it’s a part from the first leg, and the results will count not only for the start positions of the first big stage, but also as a part of the overall ranking. SS1A with exact length of 7,35 kms offered not so difficult, but tricky navigation and the battle between the competitors begun with full throttle. The dust and bumps made the stage even more challenging despite its short length. And we have the first stage winners of Rallye Breslau 2022 (unofficial and preliminary rankings)
Motoren. Starting with the bikes, Krzysztof Jarmuz (#85, KTM) made it fastest with the prologue. The pilot from the hosting country Poland finished the stage with 7:12 minutes, leading exactly a minute to Eduard Hillebrand from Netherlands (#75, KTM). Third place for another Polish rider – Marian Augustyn (#82, KTM). In the ATV class it was a triple stage victory for Poland and Polaris, with Ireneusz Ostafin (#77) leading the convoy. Second place for Rafal Jawien (#69), and 3rd for Adam Krysiak (#71).
Side-by-Side Vehicles (SSV). It was triple stage victory also in the SSV class, but this time for Nederland and one-two for the surreal T3 buggies Arcane, specially made for desert marathons. Fastest on the prologue was Janus Van Kasteren Jr. (#107), followed by Hans Weijs (#104). Top 3 was completed Maurik Van Den Heuvel (#154), but with Can-Am.
Auto Cross Country klasse. In the Car Cross Country class, Urvo Mannama just started another journey to take the Breslau title, after the win in Fenix Rally this spring. The Estonian pilot of the magnific desert bolide Century CR6 (#218) took the stage for 6:45 minutes, beating the Dutch Ronald Schoolderman (#219, Mitsubishi ASX) with 41 seconds. Third for the day, 7 seconds after Schoolderman, it was his compatriot Rik Van Den Brink (#201, Borgward). Piotr Borys from Poland (#255, Mitsubishi) is leading the “car limited” (T2) class.
Trucks Cross Country klasse. Same like Mannama, Wiliam Van Groningen is looking for the win in the truck cross country class also in Breslau, as he took the title in the first RBI race – Fenix Rally. The Dutch (#401, Iveco) was slightly ahead from his compatriot Aad Van Velsen (#404, Scania), and the daily top 3 was completed with Florian Skibba (#412, Iveco) from Germany.
Auto’s Extreme klasse. Moving to the Extreme category, it was also good day for Estonia, as Joel Purga and his Mulkland MOS1 (#329) prototype were the fastest in the car class. The second place was for the Frenchman Benoit Bonnefoy (#328, Mercedes proto), and third was another Estonian – Hardo Mere (#301, HM7 PROTO).
Lichte & zware truck klasse. As most of you already know, there two classes for the extreme trucks – with weight under and above 7,5 tons. In the “small EX” class it was Felix Muellenheim (#463, Unimog) from Germany with the best time. Same for his compatriot Oliver Leyh (#457, MAN) in the biggest class.
Rallye Breslau 2022 continue with the second part of the first leg in the surroundings of Zagan. There will be several timed sections, and the participants will be split in two groups which will drive on different tracks – one for the bikes and quads, and one with all other classes.
Fotografie: Mika Pietrus & Rallye Breslau. Tekst: Rallye Breslau.
