The Rallye Breslau wrapped up the first part of the event with a short, intense special stage in the area around Drawsko Pomorskie. The fourth special was run early in the morning as the last test of strength before the entire caravan moved on to the second bivouac in Żagań. Heavy overnight rainfall completely changed the character of the familiar terrain: where the previous days had been all about dust, the track was now muddy and slippery, with deep ruts.
The conditions turned the stage into a technical challenge. Storm damage earlier in the week left the original route impassable, so the organisation switched to an alternative stage of around one hundred kilometres in Drawsko. The early start times meant some competitors had already finished their rally day before eight o’clock.
A slippery morning stage
Thanks to the overnight rain, there was no dust to speak of. Instead, competitors had to pick their way across slick, muddy tracks where grip was scarce. For the riders who had to open the stage, the rain was a disadvantage: their tracks were clearly visible in the mud, allowing those behind to follow them easily. Anyone who navigated cleanly and kept up the pace could gain plenty of time on this stage.
Standings: wins in four classes
In the Enduro class, Jeremy Knuiman (KTM EXC 450, Team Knuiman) took a strong victory. He rode the stage error-free, kept up a high pace and claimed the stage win. “After all the rain last night, there was no dust to speak of,” Knuiman said. “I was able to ride well and made no navigation errors.” Compatriot Berend de Ruiter (Husqvarna, Road to Rally) finished second, despite the disadvantage of leaving his tracks behind as the opening rider. “Having to open the stage was a disadvantage, because the other riders could follow my tracks,” De Ruiter recounted. “But the riding went great, no mistakes and good pace.” Latvia’s Lauris Ermanis completed the day’s podium.
In the SSV class, the day’s win went to the Polish crew of Grzegorz Gąsiorowski and Katarzyna Szałęga (Polaris RZR Pro R). Notably, Lithuanian top favourite Arūnas Lekavičius, winner of the prologue and the first day’s stage, did not start this test.
In the Car Open class, the day’s victory went to a Dutch duo. Stijn van Erp and Lucas van Geest (Fiat Fullback Proto) were fastest with a time of 1.19.07, nineteen seconds ahead of the Polish pairing of Remigiusz Wutkowski and Michał Goleniewski. The Lithuanian duo Mindaugas Povilaitis and Slavomir Volkov finished third.
Among the trucks, the Dutch trio of William, Wesley and Jacco van Groningen (Iveco Powerstar, Dust Warriors) once again confirmed their strong form with the fastest time, ahead of the German Tatra team of Tom Heuer.
The Dutch
With class wins for Knuiman, Van Erp/Van Geest and the Van Groningen trio, it was a good day for the Dutch, with many compatriots also featuring in the results.
In the Enduro class, alongside winner Knuiman and De Ruiter’s second place, Dyon van Wieringen (Road to Rally) also recorded a fine sixth place. Floris Cuperus (FF070) was eighth, Michael Schuttel (Rally Team Schuttel) thirteenth. Also in the results: Ruben van der Vlis (twentieth), Michel Langmuur (26th), Hille Dalstra (28th), Julian den Haan (31st), Harry Korte (37th) and Maarten Fikke (41st). Imar Verdouw (VVK Racing) retired with a DNF, while Joeri de Haar (Korte Broek Racing Team) did not start.
Among the ATVs, Mark Plat (JMP Racing) was again the best-placed Dutchman with a fifth place, followed by Jordy Verkleij (VVK Racing) in tenth.
In the SSV class, Jan van Gerven with navigator Rudolf Meijer (Triple G Racing) was again the best-placed Dutchman with second place, behind the Polish winners. Mitchel van den Brink and Nick van Drie (Eurol Rally Sport) followed in fifth. Others included Jeroen van Kasteren and Rik Vaessen (seventh), Harrie Renders and Theo van de Looy (tenth), Berry Swinkels and Stefan van Ras (thirteenth), Ruud Bellemakers and Martijn Daas (seventeenth), Arjan Ruitenbeek and Dirk-Jan Hooijer (eighteenth), Rik Meeuwsen and Simon Hikspoors (nineteenth), Harrie van Empel and Nick van Geloven (31st), Alexander Lantink and Alexander Gouw (33rd), Joey van den Eng and Andy van den Broek (35th) and Arjan Donders and Edwin Vloemans (36th). Max and Sem van Empel retired with a DNF; Rob van Horssen and Carlo Spreeuwenberg did not start.
In the Car Open class, the previous day’s winner Herman Jasper, with navigator Mark Laan (Red-Lined VK50, DaklaPack Rallysport), had a good stage, although time penalties cost them a few places. The duo finished fifth. “The rain made for a slippery track, having to search for grip, but we drove carefully,” Laan said. “Herman had fantastic control of the car. Strange to be done with a rally day before eight o’clock, though.” Also in Car Open: Stefan Goverts and Stefan Plaggenmarsch (seventh), Richard Timmerman and Johan Senders (eighth), Jenne Jasper and Marijn Verbeek (ninth), Remco and Wesley de Jong (thirteenth), Kala and Yvet Senders (fifteenth), Twan van den Langenberg and Paige Timmerman (sixteenth), Harry Oosting and Mika Kreeft (seventeenth), Casper van den Bogaert and Mark van den Hoek (nineteenth) and Jan Oosting and Niels den Heijer (21st). Sander and Irma Goudbeek retired with a DNF. In the Car Limited class, Bart Voermans (with Belgian navigator Chris Galler) finished second.
Among the trucks, Dutch teams completed the leading group behind winner Van Groningen. The FVDS-GINAF of Jasper Fiers, Giel de Backer and Sjors van Nunen was third, followed by the FVDS-Mercedes of Hans van der Sanden, Luc Jansen and Johan Theuws (fourth). Team Müller with Ralph Müller, Geert Bekkering and Roy Korenromp (DAF CF) posted the fifth time. “The stage went really well, it was quite muddy but no dust,” Team Müller mechanic Geert Bekkering reported. According to the team, Ralph Müller put up a good fight along the way and helped a stuck rival out of a mud pit. Rally Team Van de Krol of William van de Krol, Evert van Veldhuizen and Rens Koudijs lost time with technical problems and finished seventh.
Next stop: Żagań
After the stage, the crews drove straight on to the second bivouac in Żagań, some 300 to 350 kilometres further south in Poland. During the transfer, rain once again came down in buckets, which bodes ill for how slick and slippery the closing stages will be. In and around Żagań, the so-called “Polish Sahara,” the heavy sand sectors that traditionally close the rally await over the coming days, with the finish under the Breslau arch on Friday 3 July.
The results mentioned are provisional and unofficial. Rallytracks.nl will continue to follow the performances of the Dutch competitors over the coming days.
