Vladimir Chagin: "The price of any forced stop on the route will be very high"

A small resort town of Vila Carlos Paz in the neighborhood of Cordoba was the first destination of the participants of Dakar Rally 2015 after the start in Buenos Aires. On the way to it participants had to overcome 838 kilometers, from which there are 175 kilometers of high-speed section. The day was another confirmation that the rates in the trucks category are very high and the crews are more than serious. Usually at the beginning of the marathon pilots can be very cautious and gently "run in" the race. The start of this Dakar can be described as very high-speed, intense, and, perhaps, even nervous. The special stage was full of high-speed straight roads then there were brusquely turns requiring abrupt deceleration and change of direction. The raising dust added difficulties. Andrey Karginov starting the first perhaps felt fewer problems from it. As Andrey says it was rather difficult psychologically for him to drive first to "open" the race, there was a tension due to the unpredictability of the route: "It was more important for us not to waste time this day, so we tried to go carefully."

 As it turned out, prudence was quite justified: not all turns were registered in the road book. Due to dust from the one car driving ahead, Eduard Nikolaev failed to negotiate corner. The car at a rather high speed nestled against the ditch, the result - bent right frame spar and displaced front axle. There will be a sleepless night for mechanics of team.

 "The car after a shock to the left side simply didn't turn. Fortunately it happened about 20 kilometers from the finish of special stage and our crew lost due to a stop about a minute. Nevertheless we reached the finish line. The turn wasn't registered in a legend, but that does not excuse us, we were warned that there will be hidden turns, and the dust played, of course a cruel joke, "- said Eduard Nikolaev after the finish.

 Main rivals of "KAMAZ-master" team felt very confident today. Dutchman Hans Stacey showed the best time. By the way, during yesterday's start ceremony in Buenos Aires, he said that he is overjoyed with his new bonnet Iveco Torpedo, according to him it is good both on fast roads, and in sandy dunes.

 Dutchman echoed by Czech Ales Loprais, who changed this year his Tatra to MAN: "I started calling my truck - superMAN. At Dakar it is easy to lose a lot of time because of small things. But if all goes well, I know that we can be very fast. Such high-speed SS as we had today is good for our truck, because it is very stable and steady. This gives us confidence. Now everything is going as we want. "

 At the bivouac the team leader Vladimir Chagin, after a brief meeting with the experts of the team has developed an algorithm to eliminate breakdowns on the Nikolaev’s car. Seven-time winner of "Dakar" had repeatedly solved non-standard technical problems during the rich history of "KAMAZ-master" team. Mechanics who received clear instructions immediately set to work.

Summing up the results of the day at general meeting of the team, Vladimir Chagin noted: "Dense results of a stage speak for themselves. Top twenty of trucks category showed approximately the same time of special stage passing. Rivals never sleep. Within a year they prepared for the race. They grew both in respect of equipment, and in respect of competitive practice. Race will be interesting for the audience and difficult for us. Special stages are short; it will be difficult to catch losses of time. The price of any forced stop on a route will be very high".

 Results of the 1^st stage of DAKAR rally. Trucks category