Perfect conditions and challenging track
At half-past six in the evening, the prologue began on a clear day, with temperatures above twenty-two degrees and a setting autumn sun that promised an added challenge.
Just a ten-kilometer asphalt link separated the bivouac from the start of a 20-kilometer special stage that would determine the starting order for the first stage to be held the following day. As expected, the Galician terrain and an intense roadbook that is already a trademark demanded a measured pace from all the drivers, who, note by note, navigated through the green rutted terrain, gaining an understanding of what awaited them in the next five days of competition.
Top performance and close decisions: Vega ahead of Bottino and Cervenka
Javi Vega stopped the clock at 24 minutes and 41 seconds, just 5 seconds ahead of Italian Matteo Bottino, who secured the second position, followed by Czech driver Matýas Cervenka with a time of 25 minutes and 38 seconds; Galician driver Eduardo Iglesias with 25 minutes and 48 seconds, and the experienced Joan Pedrero, who lost some valuable seconds in interpreting a note, finishing fifth with a time of 26 minutes and 3 seconds.
Javi Vega: “This is so different from what we’re used to that it’s like training for something we never do. We’ve covered twenty kilometers, and my head is already roasted. The truth is, here in Galicia, you have to take it down a notch. In the first kilometer, I pushed to the limit and had a couple of scares with the rear wheel. You can’t race. So, it’s a mental workout. I think my trick will be to stay well-hydrated so that my head doesn’t get fuzzy, because if you’re not well-hydrated, you’re going to lose it.”
For all the standings, visit: https://clasif.anube.es/ss?rallyId=105
Source: Pablo Pillado. Photos: Ingine Creators.
