The first full competitive day of Baja Greece shook up the standings considerably. Benediktas Vanagas and Aisvydas Paliukenas drove their Toyota GR DKR Hilux EVO T1+ for Gurtam Toyota Gazoo Racing Baltics into the overall lead, while prologue winner Lionel Baud dropped back sharply. The biggest surprise comes from the Dutch camp: Mitchel van den Brink lies second in the general classification after a strong day.
Vanagas moves clear
The day revolved around a demanding 163-kilometre test, run twice. Between the morning and afternoon runs, the terrain changed significantly. “We go to sleep as the leader,” said Vanagas at the finish. “The tests were completely different. The wet, slippery mud dried out and hardened, while the hard surface broke up into fine dust. It was a remarkable transformation and a real challenge.”
Despite holding a comfortable lead, the Lithuanian crew actually raised the pace in the afternoon. Vanagas has a clear reason for that: after a costly retirement at the previous European round, Baja TT Cuenca in Spain, he cannot afford to play it safe. After the first stage he leads both the overall classification and the event’s European Baja Cup standings.
Van den Brink second and leading the Challenger class
For Dutch fans, the main story belongs to Mitchel van den Brink. Navigated by Bart van Heun and competing in the Challenger class with a Can-Am Maverick R after switching from SSV this year, he posted a time of 3:26.6 back for second in the overall standings. The pair leads their class ahead of Hamed Al Wahaibi and Maciej Giemza (Taurus Evo Max), who sit third with a 2-minute 20-second time penalty applied. For the two-time SSV winner at Baja Greece, it is a convincing early indication that his move into a faster category is paying off immediately.
Baud and Akeel lose significant time
The other side of the day belonged to several pre-race favourites. Lionel and Lucie Baud, the quickest in Thursday’s prologue, lost a great deal of time in the mountains and sit thirteenth after the stage, more than 43 minutes down. Even more severe were the problems for world cup leader Dania Akeel. The Saudi Overdrive driver was awarded the maximum time, a sign that she did not complete the test under normal circumstances, and dropped to eighteenth place, more than seven hours adrift. Maria Gameiro (X-Raid) also suffered heavy time losses, ending up more than three hours behind. Their chances of a strong result at this event are all but gone.
Battle in the SSV class
The SSV class produced its own contest. Mansour Al Helei and Khalid Alkendi (R-X Sport) lead the class and sit fourth in the overall standings. Their teammates Hedda Hosas and Pol Tibau Roura are second in class and fifth overall. For the Norwegian-Spanish pairing it was their first race together, and by their own account the debut went excellently.
Interim standings and what lies ahead
Overall standings after stage 1:
- Benediktas Vanagas / Aisvydas Paliukenas (Toyota Hilux) 4:45:45.7
- Mitchel van den Brink / Bart van Heun (Can-Am Maverick R) +3:26.6
- Hamed Al Wahaibi / Maciej Giemza (Taurus Evo Max) +11:30.4
- Mansour Al Helei / Khalid Alkendi (Can-Am Maverick R) +17:17.8
- Hedda Hosas / Pol Tibau Roura (Can-Am Maverick R) +17:57.7
Sunday brings the closing stage, covering around another 200 kilometres of competitive sections. Vanagas already knows his plan: take maximum points. “The smaller half of the route remains, but that is still 200 kilometres. You cannot write it off. In this sport, ten metres can change everything.” The decision falls later on Sunday at the podium ceremony in Argos Orestiko.
