Atacama Rally: Rafał Sonik on the podium of Stage II

It took Rafał Sonik three days in the Atacama Desert to get a hold of the rally rhythm and claim a spot on the podium of the second stage of the race. At the same time, the Polish racer admits that his speed has not been at its best yet, and the possibility of winning the race is still beyond his reach. However, the Atacama Rally is supposed to be an important testing ground for Sonik. „I still have time for calculated risk and intensive racing,” reassures the quad raider.

Just like on Tuesday, the start of the second stage of the Chilean part of the World Championship was delayed due to a thick fog and unfavorable weather. The organizers had to shorten the longest stage of this year’s Atacama Rally, reducing it from 375 to 302 km. The contestants finished racing at the fourth checkpoint. The leader of the general classification, Aleksander Maksimow, was not able to make it further in the competition, owing to an unfortunate accident which left his quad damaged.

Right from the get-go, the first part of the stage caused problems for the contestants. The road was challenging, dotted with loose stones and rocks, and maneuvering among them required serious technical skills. „There were a lot of spots that demanded an immediate reaction; you had to stand up in an instant or cushion the impact with your legs. My knee handled it all just fine, with no alarming symptoms, which is a great prognosis for the next days,” reported Rafał Sonik.

Two days into the race, a Polish Dakar winner was also able to find the right tempo. „It has not reached the level from before my injury just yet, but I’ve established the right rhythm, which is important. I also felt much better today. Yesterday, my whole body was hurting since I wasn’t used to such strain anymore. Today, my muscle memory is reactivated and the whole „system” has got back on track,” said Sonik.

The stage was won by Nicolas Cavigliasso, just 46 seconds ahead of Jeremias Ferioli. Both Argentinians took the podium during the last Dakar Rally. „They gained distance during the second, the fastest part of the stage. I’m not even planning to compete with them, I still have time to take on that challenge. Besides, they are both testing new solutions before the Dakar Rally, and obviously, they work well – their quads are much faster than ever before,” concluded Sonik.

Stage 2 results:
1. Nicolas Cavigliasso (ARG) 4:26.09
2. Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli (ARG) +4.35
3. Rafał Sonik (POL) +20.08
4. Italo Pedemonte (CHL) +21.33

General Standings
1. Nicolas Cavigliasso (ARG) 8:32.21
2. Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli (ARG) +0.48
3. Rafał Sonik (POL) +24.02
4. Italo Pedemonte (CHL) +30:45.21

Visit us at: www.facebook.com/rafalsonikofficial/ and  www.instagram.com/rafalsonik/