La Serena, 18th January 2013 Without risk through the final major test posed by the 2013 Dakar Rally and on to the finish: On the penultimate stage of the “Dakar”, running from Copiapó to La Serena, Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz took another step towards the finish in Santiago de Chile, where the final stage of the 2013 “Dakar” will be contested after an overall route of 8000+ kilometres. With the finish in sight, the chances are good that the 2009 winners will improve on their 2012 overall position. Last year the South African and his German co-driver were classified third. They currently occupy a comfortable second place behind leader Stéphane Peterhansel in the X-raid-Mini, and have a 44:53 minute advantage over Leonid Novitskiy in third place, also driving an X-raid Mini.

Secure in the knowledge that Friday’s 13th stage could prove extremely challenging, “Ginny” and “Schnietz“ tackled its 441 timed kilometres in a controlled and consistent fashion. A single navigation error or a slip in the extended dunes of Copiapó could result in the loss of their comfortable overall position. Rather than take risks, de Villiers and von Zitzewitz piloted their “made in South Africa” Toyota Hilux undramatically to the stage finish. “That was not a stage to attack on,” de Villiers said afterwards. “The danger of making a mistake with fatal consequences was just too big.” Instead the Three-O-One kept rolling with the top competitors and could even cut Peterhansel’s lead to 44:38 minutes.

The Quotes

“Once again the 13th ‘Dakar’ stage proved tough, as expected. In the dunes we were twice forced to take double runs in order to cross them, otherwise everything ran to plan. Once again our Toyota Hilux was reliable, having proved its reliability on all sorts of terrain. Today’s stage was certainly not one on which to attack. We have one day left ahead of us, and we aim to retain second place at the finish.”

Giniel de Villiers after leg 13

“Our preparation for the challenges of navigating today’s stage was certainly worth gold. We made it through the day error-free. When we were forced to take double runs at the dunes, Giniel was calm as we knew we had alternatives planned. On Saturday on the way to Santiago de Chile it will again be twisty and really dusty, but the finish is within sight, and we will do everything to reach it.”

 Dirk von Zitzewitz after leg 13

Results: Dakar Rally overall classification after leg 13

• 01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 36:44.46 Std.
• 02. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 37:29.24 Std.
• 03. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 38:14.17 Std.
• 05. Nani Roma/Michel Périn (E/F), Mini, 38:25.12 Std.
• 05. Orlando Terranova/Paulo Fiuza (ARG/PRT), BMW, 38:37.26 Std.

Coming up: Preview Stage 14

La Serena–Santiago de Chile

(Connection: 122 km, special stage: 111 km, connection: 220 km, special stage: 15, connection: 158)

Final spurt to the “Dakar” finish. Hard surface roads and a sinuous route similar to World Rally Championship stages face the crews as they head towards Santiago de Chile. In addition: hilly terrain, dust galore and gravel. Attempting to make up for lost time here means risking the lot in the final metres of the “Dakar”. Push too hard, and a wheel will permanently hang over the edge; overtake in choking dust, and all could be lost in a split-second. As a fitting highlight of a long and tough rally, the final stage features a short, spectacular section shortly before the finish.

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an “outdoorsy person”, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of “Ginny”. As such, his second career away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Dakar Rally with Volkswagen – a milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His big breakthrough came when the Dakar Rally made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat. The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver Giniel de Villiers won the first “Dakar “ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz, the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play “Dakar” with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before going on to compete in three “Dakars” on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiers-von-Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success: this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon rally scene.

The “Dakar” on TV

Saturday, 19th January 2013

18:45 Eurosport 2 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 14, interviews at the finish (live)

Sunday, 20th January 2013

00:00 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 14, summary (re-run)

Monday, 21th January 2013

00:00 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, overall summary

Der Beitrag Rally Dakar Stage 13 erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

Copiapó, 17th January 2013 After an extremely demanding 2013 Dakar Rally stage which crossed the border between Argentina and Chile, Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz can give each other a deserved pat on the back. On the 13th “Dakar” day, the South African and his German co-driver mastered 319 stage kilometres featuring not only the event’s second crossing of the Andes, but the barren heat of the infamous Atacama Desert plus around 100 kilometres of extremely fine sand and loose dunes before reaching the finish. The reward for the 2009 “Dakar” winners: Yet another crucial step towards the “Dakar” finish in Santiago de Chile, a shortening of their deficit to leader Stéphane Peterhansel in the X-raid-Mini and simultaneous extension of their lead to 40:45 minutes over Nani Roma/Michel Périn, who displaced their X-raid-Mini team-mates Leonid Novitskiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov for third place.

De Villiers and von Zitzewitz enjoyed a trouble-free run on the twelfth “Dakar” stage “even if the route was tougher than we thought it would be”, as the former put it. The South African-German co-production made up good time on the key section, preventing Peterhansel from pulling further away. Currently a deficit of 50:21 minutes separates Three-O-One from the lead, with 569 stage kilometres still facing “Ginny”, “Schnietz” and their Toyota Hilux. Friday’s route to La Serena consists of a tough, 441-kilometre test. So the “Dakar” is far from over.

The Quotes

“We knew the twelfth stage would not be easy. However, it was even tougher than we had thought. We got stuck briefly on a dune, but hardly lost any time. We didn’t take risks, preferring to have a steady run, which our Toyota Hilux handled perfectly. It was a good Thursday for us.”

Giniel de Villiers after leg 12

“We were well prepared for the twelfth stage, and our preparations certainly paid off today. On Friday we face another tough test, which could be even tougher than today’s. Celebrations would be premature today, too much hinges on the 13th stage. But we are prepared.”

 Dirk von Zitzewitz after leg 12

Results: Dakar Rally overall classification after leg 12

• 01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 32h 50m 02s
• 02. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 33h 40m 23s
• 03. Nani Roma/Michel Périn (E/F), Mini, 34h 21m 08s
• 03. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 34h 24m 49s
• 05. Orlando Terranova/Paulo Fiuza (ARG/PRT), BMW, 34h 51m 52s

Coming up: Preview Stage 13

Copiapó–La Serena

(Connection: 90 km, special stage: 441 km, connection: 204 km)

The final tough test of the 2013 Dakar Rally. Fast sections and tricky navigation open the stage, followed immediately by sand and the gigantic dunes of Copiapó. The 13th stage will certainly not be easy. It is never over until it’s over on the “Dakar”, and on the 2013 edition anything could still happen, although the finish in Santiago de Chile is now within reach. Giniel de Villiers: “A lot could still happen here. The ‘Dakar’ is not over. Maximum concentration is demanded, otherwise it is all too easy to get lost in the valleys or get stuck in the soft dune sand.” The second part of the stage is no easier: extremely hard, uneven surfaces and rocky, dry riverbeds will once again push man and machine to the limit. The final control brings with it relief: Santiago is even closer.

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an “outdoorsy person”, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of “Ginny”. As such, his second career away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Dakar Rally with Volkswagen – a milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His big breakthrough came when the Dakar Rally made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat. The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver Giniel de Villiers won the first “Dakar “ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz, the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play “Dakar” with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before going on to compete in three “Dakars” on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiers-von-Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success: this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon rally scene.

The “Dakar” on TV

Friday, 18th January 2013

00:00 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 12, summary (re-run)

18:45 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 13, interviews at the finish (live)

23:00 Eurosport 2013 Rallye Dakar, leg 13, summary (re-run)

Saturday, 19th January 2013

18:45 Eurosport 2 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 14, interviews at the finish (live)

Sunday, 20th January 2013

00:00 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 14, summary (re-run)

Dakar Newsletter

Abonnieren Sie jetzt unseren Dakar Newsletter und verfolgen Sie Dirk von Zitzewitz und sein Team bei der Dakar 2013.

[ALO-EASYMAIL-PAGE]

Der Beitrag Rally Dakar Stage 12 erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

Fiambalá, 16th January 2013 Unforced misfortune hit Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz on one of their favourite stages. No sooner had the South African and his German co-driver got their Toyota Hilux up to speed than a severe storm stopped play. After dried-out riverbeds rapidly mutated into torrential streams, the “Dakar” organisers ASO were forced to stop the eleventh stage running from La Rioja to Fiambalá for safety reasons. The outcome of the stage has yet to be announced.

The cancellation could not have come at a worse point in time for 2009 “Dakar” winners Villiers and von Zitzewitz, who had just recorded an excellent time at the mid-stage control, and seemed on target to repeat their 2009 and 2011 performances on the same stage. In 2009, the South African-German duo had effectively set up their overall victory in Fiambalá by sensationally storming back from a 45-minute deficit to take the lead of the event; in 2011 they celebrated their only stage victory here after Dirk von Zitzewitz navigated masterfully on both occasions. “Ginny” and “Schnietz” are currently awaiting a decision from ASO while preparing to tackle Thursday’s 12th leg, which passes through the Argentine-Chilean border.

The Quotes

“A great pity the stage was stopped, particularly as we were going very well. However, naturally the safety of competitors is paramount. We were very pleased with the performance of our Toyota until the stage was stopped. We handled the dunes well, mainly due to Dirk’s navigation skills. That he does a superb job was proven on this stage in 2009, when we won. In 2011 his skills also proved decisive, enabling us to win the stage. Today the weather forced a decision, and that was that.”

Giniel de Villiers after stage 11

“The first part of the stage was typical Fiambalá: soft dune sand and difficult navigation, both of which we mastered well. We are slightly disappointed about the cancellation, as we had just gotten up to speed. But, tomorrow is a new day with new challenges.”

Dirk von Zitzewitz after stage 11

Results: Dakar Rally overall classification after leg 10

• Achtung: Die Wertung für die elfte Etappe liegt seitens des Veranstalters noch nicht vor. 01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 28:12.00 Std.
• 02. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 29:04.38 Std.
• 03. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 29:20.40 Std.
• 04. Nani Roma/Michel Périn (E/F), Mini, 29:46.04 Std.
• 05. Orlando Terranova/Paulo Fiuza (ARG/PRT), BMW, 30:10:49 Std.

Coming up: Preview Stage 12

Fiambalá–Copiapó

(Connection: 392 km, special stage: 319 km, connection: 4 km)
Goodbye Argentina, hello Chile: No rest, though, for the competitors on the 12th Stage, which for the second time crosses both the Andes at an altitude of over 2800 metres above sea level, and the infamous Atacama Desert, which has not seen a drop of rain in living memory. Giniel de Villiers: “We face an unusually tough stage to Copiapó. In previous years the organisers traditionally gave field a short breather after the Fiambalá dune stage. This year that is not the case, so it is really intense.” Straight after the start we face rocky sections cutting through a number of Andes passes. Later when we head for Copiapó we have some fast, sandy sections before the last 100 kilometres bring with them fine sand and challenging dunes. Once again the Dakar field faces a challenging day.”

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon

rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an “outdoorsy person”, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of “Ginny”. As such, his second career away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Dakar Rally with Volkswagen – a milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His big breakthrough came when the Dakar Rally made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with co- driver Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat. The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver Giniel de Villiers won the first “Dakar “ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz, the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play “Dakar” with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before going on to compete in three “Dakars” on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiers-von-Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success: this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon rally scene.

The “Dakar” on TV

Wednesday, 16th January 2013

23:00 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 11, summary (re-run)

Thursday, 17th January 2013

19:30 Uhr Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 12, interviews at the bivouac (live)

Friday, 18th January 2013
00:00 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 12, summary (re-run)
18:45 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 13, interviews at the finish (live) 23:00 Eurosport 2013 Rallye Dakar, leg 13, summary (re-run)

Der Beitrag Rally Dakar Stage 11 erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

La Rioja, 15th January 2013 After their elevation to second place overall on the 2013 Dakar Rally on Monday, Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz managed to consolidate their impressive overall position on the event’s tenth leg. Having started the day with an advantage of 6:32 minutes over their closest rivals, Leonid Novitskiy and Konstantin Zhiltsov in an X-raid-Mini, the South African and his German co-driver even managed to extend the cushion en route to the day’s final control in La Rioja. The duo driving the Toyota Hilux is currently 16:02 minutes ahead of their third placed rivals, and have a deficit of 52:38 minutes to overall leaders Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret, also driving a Mini.

After the leg’s start in Córdoba and a short link section, the route took in 353 competitive kilometres consisting of mainly high-speed sections more reminiscent of World Rally Championship stages before reaching La Rioja. The 2009 winners demonstrated remarkable consistency in their Toyota Hilux, with the South Africa-German crew recording top four times at each of the day’s way points. It proved a day “Ginny” and “Schnietz” could be totally satisfied with, particularly as the twelfth “Dakar” day, which ends in Fiambalá, takes in classic stages through the region’s sand dunes. Full concentration will once again be demanded.

The Quotes

“After our exciting Monday we enjoyed a comparatively quiet day today. It was a good feeling, particularly as tomorrow sees us head into the dunes around Fiambalá. Although we were slightly hampered by Robby Gordon’s dust today, we are pleased we managed to extend the gap to third place. It gives us good rearward cover.”

Giniel de Villiers after leg 10

“We are extremely satisfied with today. Navigation was comparatively simple, so we were able to drive consistently through the stage. We know the 11th stage to Fiambalá well, so we are very optimistic, and aim to post another good performance on Wednesday. We also have a good starting position, which makes it a lot easier.”

 Dirk von Zitzewitz after leg 10

Results: Dakar Rally overall classification after leg 10

• 01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 28:12.00 Std.
• 02. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 29:04.38 Std.
• 03. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 29:20.40 Std.
• 04. Nani Roma/Michel Périn (E/F), Mini, 29:46.04 Std.
• 05. Orlando Terranova/Paulo Fiuza (ARG/PRT), BMW, 30:10:49 Std.

Coming up: Preview Stage 11

La Rioja–Fiambalá

(Connection: 256 km, special stage: 219 km, connection: 6 km)

Fiambalá – A true classic. To date every South American “Dakar” has featured this stage. Says Dirk von Zitzewitz: “Fiambalá is always the same. It’s an extremely difficult stage – and, depending upon weather, could get even tougher.” After taking in the so-called “Heart of Argentina” via numerous forestry sections and some fearsomely fast stages, the “Dakar” returns to sand dunes for the 11th leg. Despite the extremely sandy soil, the stage climbs to an altitude of over 2000 metres above sea level from the 75-kilometre point onwards – torturing both man and machine. However, before that point the crews need to master a labyrinth of canyons. After the mountainous dunes the route takes in a host of extremely rocky and steep dry riverbeds before a slightly less hectic section leads the crews through Argentinean Plateau and to the stage finish. Giniel de Villiers: “This leg is only 219 kilometres short, yet it is without doubt the most feared stage on the ‘Dakar’, and not only due to the extreme temperatures, which can easily reach 40 degrees Celsius.”

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an “outdoorsy person”, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of “Ginny”. As such, his second career away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Dakar Rally with Volkswagen – a milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His big breakthrough came when the Dakar Rally made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

T

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat. The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver Giniel de Villiers won the first “Dakar “ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz, the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play “Dakar” with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before going on to compete in three “Dakars” on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiers-von-Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success: this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon rally scene.

The “Dakar” on TV

Tuesday, 15th January 2013

18:30 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 10, interviews at the finish line (live)

23:15

Wednesday, 16th January 2013

19:45 Eurosport 2 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 11, interviews at the finish (live)

23:00 Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 11, summary (re-run)

Thursday, 17th January 2013

19:30 Uhr Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 12, interviews at the bivouac (live)

Dakar Newsletter

Abonnieren Sie jetzt unseren Dakar Newsletter und verfolgen Sie Dirk von Zitzewitz und sein Team bei der Dakar 2013.

[ALO-EASYMAIL-PAGE]

Der Beitrag Rally Dakar Stage 10 erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

Córdoba, 14 January 2013 “Even on bad days you can be strong”: After the day’s finish in Córdoba, Giniel de Villiers could hardly have summarised the tenth day of the 2013 Dakar Rally better, for the ninth stage of the event had brought with it a maelstrom of emotions for the South African and his German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz before enabling this dynamic duo in the Toyota Hilux broke out in wide grins. In sequence…

Initially de Villiers/von Zitzewitz made a dream start to the “Dakar”’s second week. On the first section of the two-part, 593-kilometre ninth stage, the South African-German duo literally flew from one check point to the next, and seemed well on their way to secure their first stage win with the Three-O-One Toyota Hilux. Then they hit the cursed 500-kilometre mark: First the right front brake disc packed in, forcing “Ginny” to slow down. Shortly thereafter they suffered tyre damage, losing even more time.

Then, good news at the stage finish: Some of their closest opponents in the overall classification also suffered a challenging day or hit technical problems. Nasser Al-Attiyah and Lucas Cruz in a buggy, at the time in second place and within sight of Dakar favourites Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret in the X-raid-Mini, were thus affected. Al-Attiyah was forced to stop the buggy numerous times, in the process sliding well down the order and enabling de Villiers/von Zitzewitz to move into second place overall behind Peterhansel/Cottret.

The Quotes

“Puh, what a day. It had started super for us, but again proved the old adage: The Dakar is unpredictable. It was a challenging stage which pushed our equipment to the limit, but our Toyota Hilux handled it well and I am very satisfied. I am naturally happy that we are now in second place. Even on bad days you can be strong”

Giniel de Villiers after Stage 09

“At the beginning everything went well for us. Then on the second section a defective brake disc forced us to slow. Giniel kept a cool head and had the situation under control. The later tyre damage was simply bad luck. We gave it our all through to the finish in order to end the day on a positive note. Now we can look ahead, and are looking forward to the stage to La Rioja.“

Dirk von Zitzewitz after Stage 09

Result: Rallye Dakar overall classification after Stage 09

01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 24:11.43 Std.

02. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 25:01.14 Std.

03. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 25:07.46 Std.

04. Nani Roma/Michel Périn (E/F), Mini, 25:45.59 Std.

05. Orlando Terranova/Paulo Fiuza (ARG/PRT), BMW, 26:12.51 Std.

Coming up: Preview Stage 10

Córdoba–La Rioja

(Link section: 37 km, Stage: 353 km, Link section: 243 km)

Superb roads, twisty with a hard surface – stages as typically found on the World Rally Championship. The surface of the tenth stage varies between gravel and sharp stones, with the route being similar to the stages to La Rioja in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Thus, hard work for the driver: Apart from engine power, the stage demands traction, stable braking and, above all, nerves. “The routes passes over hilly terrain and outcrops, through thick vegetation and between massive rocks,” says Dirk von Zitzewitz. But the stage holds good memories: “In 2009 we drove through here on our way to victory in formation with our then-team-mates Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford and Dieter Depping/Timo Gottschalk,” recalls Giniel de Villiers.

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an “outdoorsy person”, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of “Ginny”. As such, his second career away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Rally Dakar with Volkswagen – a milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His big breakthrough came when the Rally Dakar made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat. The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver Giniel de Villiers won the first Dakar ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz, the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play ‘Dakar’ with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before going on to compete in three Dakars on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiers-von-Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success: this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon rally scene.

The Dakar on TV

Monday, 14 January 2013

23:00 Eurosport 2013 Rallye Dakar, 9th Stage recording

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

18:30 Eurosport 2013 Rallye Dakar, 10th Stage, Live interviews at the finish (live)

23:15

Wednesday, 16th January 2013

19:45 Eurosport 2 2013 Rallye Dakar, 11th Stage, Live interviews at the finish (live)

23:00 Eurosport 2013 Rallye Dakar, 11th Stage recording

Dakar Newsletter

Abonnieren Sie jetzt unseren Dakar Newsletter und verfolgen Sie Dirk von Zitzewitz und sein Team bei der Dakar 2013.

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Der Beitrag Rally Dakar Stage 9 erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

Tucumán, 13 January 2013 Sporting review by the rank outsiders: Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz look back on their successful first week on the 2013 Dakar Rally. Third place overall in their „made in South Africa“ Toyota Hilux during the event’s only Rest Day – despite some highly rated opponents. The underdogs could well spring a major upset. In this concise interview „Ginny“ and „Schnietz“ – as the two friends refer to each other – explain why much has been achieved, but nothing has (yet) been won.

3 Questions for Giniel de Villiers

Giniel, can you remember when last you lay around 45 minutes adrift of the leaders in third place overall – before the stages around La Rioja and Fiambalá?

„Oh yes, that was in 2009. And a few days later we took the lead and went on to win the ‚Dakar‘. That proves that anything is possible on the Dakar Rally. Anything can happen. But that naturally also applies to us, so we need to concentrate on every second to make it count. One simply cannot afford to make big mistakes.“

Did you expect to lay third after day four, then successfully defend the place? Put differently: What have been the big surprises for you on this Dakar?

„To be honest: Apart from our early top placing there have been no major surprises. Stéphane Peterhansel in the X-raid Mini is leading and playing the role of favourite perfectly – as expected. The buggies, particularly the one driven by Nasser Al-Attiyah, are as strong as we expected as the rules really favour them. The only surprise is that all the favourites have made mistakes and lost time. Some more than others. That is the reason we are where we are.“

You and Dirk, you are Mr and Mr Reliable, and have worked away in a cool, calm, collected and calculating manner, some would even say in true Three-O-One style. How do you see yourselves rewarded by the finish of this Dakar?

„It’s too early to make predictions. This applies equally one kilometre before the finish of the Dakar. Expect the unexpected – there is certainly truth in that old Dakar maxim, as we have discovered all too often. This time we have achieved a lot and are proud of our third place. But we have not won anything yet. Some long and tough days still lay ahead, plus inhospitable terrain that needs to be tamed. I believe, though, that we are well prepared.“

3 Questions for Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk, when you compare Giniel, Version 2013 with Giniel, Version 2009 – what similarities do you see; what differences?

„“Giniel possesses enormous inner peace, and sets himself realistic targets. He has always been like that, and I appreciate that. We were able to win the 2009 Dakar due to these characteristics. However, Ginny is also extremely ambitious and has developed enormously since then. For example, he has contested sprint rallies in South Africa in order to improve himself on WRC-type stages. That could make a big difference on the upcoming stages.“

On Stage 2 you were one of only two top co-drivers to quickly find the right route; on the next stage you lost 20 minutes after making the wrong decision in a fraction of a second. What is like to know that a co-driver cannot win, but could lose everything?

„Such mistakes worry me enormously. Days after the error I am still extremely annoyed with myself that we lost so much time there. While it has not made any difference to our overall position, we could have been pressuring the leaders. But that is a co-driver’s fate: Do the job perfectly, and it’s considered normal; make a minor mistake, and you’re a dunce. It is a question of how you handle it. I can assure you: The pressure does not affect me. On the contrary, it provides pure motivation.“

A lot of Peru, a bit of Chile and a little Argentina – how do you rate the difficulty of the Dakar after a week? What are your expectations for Week 2?

„The opening stages were significantly tougher than expected. But we believe the real test is still to come. The Dakar going was tough, but probably not the toughest of all times. But it is these enormous challenges that lead one to contest the Dakar Rally. The legendary stages such as those around La Rioja and in the Fiambalá region lie ahead. We are really looking forward to them.“

Interim result: Overall classification, Dakar Rest Day

01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 18:31.04 Std.

02. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Lucas Cruz (Q/E), Buggy, 18:34.18 Std.

03. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 19:15.07 Std.

04. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 19:19.58 Std.

05. Guerlain Chicherit/Jean-Pierre Garcin (F/F), Buggy, 19:35.54 Std.

06. Ronan Chabot/Gilles Pillot (F/F), Buggy, 20:05.55 Std.

07. Joan „Nani“ Roma/Michel Périn (E/F), Mini, 20:09.31 Std.

08. Orlando Terranova/Paulo Fiuza (RA/P), BMW, 20:29.29 Std.

09. Bernard Errandonea/Arnaud Debron (AND/F), Buggy, 20:33.32 Std.

10. Carlos Sousa/Miguel Ramlho (P/P), Great Wall, 20:38.33 Std.

Three-O-One fast facts: Did you know that …

… on the link sections Dirk von Zitzewitz decides on the choice of music piped through the intercom system via an MP3 player. However, his driver has one stipulation: That Johnny Cash songs be on the playlist.

… Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz converse in English in the cockpit – despite it being a foreign language to both – but fall back on Afrikaans or German should the need arise? The instructions „left“ and „right“ – said „links“ and „rechts“ respectively – are virtually identical in either language.

… Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz have shared marathon rally cockpits since 2006? After de Villiers finished second on the 2006 Dakar Rally with Tina Thörner in a Volkswagen Race Touareg, they formed a duo, and have to date scored ten podiums, five of which were victories. Their most important win: The 2009 Dakar.

… last year de Villiers/von Zitzewitz spent almost 150 days together, and prepared for the 2011 Dakar by undertaking mountain bike tours and stringent fitness programmes in South Africa?

… both are real fun people? One of Giniel de Villiers’s favourite sayings is „Like is too short to drink cheap wine.“ By contrast, Dirk von Zitzewitz is a vintage whisky connoisseur.

… Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Masters title fifteen times on a motorcycle?

… Dirk von Zitzewitz grew up in Karlshof, Ostholstein, and still lives there with wife Sabine and Peanuts, the family dog?

Coming up: Preview Stage 09

Tucumán–Córdoba

(Link section: 176 km, Stage: 226 km, Link section: 127 km, Stage: 240 km, Link section: 83 km)
The longest stage passes through WRC territory on its way to Córdoba: The ninth stage is very similar to that scheduled for the eighth day: torturous roads combined with fast winding sections. Once again the weather is expected to play a major role. Stormy weather as per 2011 could turn the stage into a mud bath; dry weather would see drivers and fans rewarded with a thrilling, high-speed race. While the drivers will be stretched to the limit, the co-drivers will have the easier task. But: On the Dakar one can never be sure of anything.

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an „outdoorsy person“, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of „Ginny“. As such, his second career away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Rally Dakar with Volkswagen – a milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His big breakthrough came when the Rally Dakar made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat. The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver Giniel de Villiers won the first Dakar ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz, the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play ‚Dakar‘ with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before going on to compete in three Dakars on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiers-von-Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success: this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon rally scene.

„Dakar“ on TV

Sunday, 13 January 2013

23:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, rest day, summary

Monday, 14 January 2013

19:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 09, interviews at the finish line (live)

23:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 09, summary

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

18:30 hrs Eurosport 2013 Rally Dakar, leg 10, interviews at the finish line (live)

23:15 hrs Eurosport 2013 Rally Dakar, leg 10, summary

Der Beitrag Rally Dakar restday erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

Tucumán, 12 January 2013 Whether rain or storm – the underdogs remain in top form: Giniel de Villiers
and Dirk von Zitzewitz carry their third place overall, which they assumed on the fourth day of the world’s
toughest rally and have successfully defended ever since, over into the Rest Day. On the eighth, twiceshortened
stage of the „Dakar“, scheduled do run from Salta in northern Argentina to San Miguel de
Tucumán, the South African-German duo in their „made in South Africa“ Toyota Hilux recorded the sixthfastest
time. Altitudes well above sea-level, deep sand and stony terrain – all these formed part of this virgin
Dakar territory, and in torrential rain to boot: De Villiers and von Zitzewitz put in a solid performance in the
difficult conditions to finish the first Dakar week 41.54 minutes adrift of overall leaders Nasser Al-
Attiyah/Lucas Cruz in a buggy. However, the day’s starring role belonged not to the top drivers fighting it out
for podium places, but to the weather.

Torrential rain forced the A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation), the organisers of the Dakar Rally, to cancel
the first half of the day’s two-part stage. The World Rally Championship-like gravel roads between Salta and
Tucumán had softened too much in the rain. A new liaison section was substituted, and after a delayed start
the competing motorcycles, quads and cars set off on what had been scheduled as a 183-kilometre timed
stage. However, this was neutralised at the 86-kilometre point – a river crossing had flooded after torrential
rain, and could not be traversed under competition conditions.

The quotes

„The stage went well for us, because we were able to temporarily overtake Nasser Al-Attiyah when he
suffered a puncture. Then we reached a river which was totally flooded, so much so that it proved impossible
to cross. We then heard from the organisers that the results would be taken as at CP2, and the rest of the
stage neutralised. A pity, as we had a good run, and would probably have been able to make up a bit more
time by the end.“

Giniel de Villiers ahead of the Rest Day

„Today the weather played a prank on us competitors, not only because the first part of the stage was
cancelled, but also because in the second part a river crossing was totally flooded. A tidal wave must have hit the place shortly before we arrived, and although we sought an alternative route, we were unable to find
one. We then called the organisers, only to be told that the stage had been neutralised. Now we have a rest
day before starting the second half of the Dakar Rally with renewed strength.“

Dirk von Zitzewitz ahead of the Rest Day

Results: Dakar Rally overall classification after leg 08

• 01. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Lucas Cruz (Q/E), Buggy, 17:59.07 Std.
• 02. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 18:01.06 Std.
• 03. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 18:41.01 Std.
• 04. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 18:48.58 Std.
• 05. Guerlain Chicherit/Jean-Pierre Garcin (F/F), Buggy, 19:05.16 Std.

Coming up: Preview Rest Day

Tucumán

Rest Day – this Dakar term is a bit of a misnomer. True, neither support crews nor competitors turn a wheel
on the day, but it is far from a „rest“ day on the Dakar. Both drivers and co-drivers face non-stop interviews
throughout – Sunday is a true Media Marathon. For the mechanics the day marks the most laborious day of
the entire event, with the cars being totally stripped, checked in detail and all wear parts replaced. In the
evening, after a successful roll-out they will again be stamped „Dakar Ready“ by their teams. Just in time, too
– the stage after the Rest Day is traditionally one of the toughest on this desert classic.

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the
special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South
Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the
Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon
rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an „outdoorsy person“, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting
and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of „Ginny“. As such, his second career
away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his
co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Rally Dakar with Volkswagen – a
milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His
big breakthrough came when the Rally Dakar made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with codriver
Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the
first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German
was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat.
The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver
Giniel de Villiers won the first Dakar ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz,
the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for
finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play
‚Dakar‘ with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to
develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast
from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before
going on to compete in three Dakars on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has
competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was
ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiersvon-
Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success:
this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a
car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon
rally scene.

„Dakar“ on TV

Saturday, 12 January 2013
23:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 08, summary
Sunday, 13 January 2013
01:30 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 08, summary (re-run)
23:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, rest day, summary
Monday, 14 January 2013
19:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 09, interviews at the finish line (live)
23:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 09, summary

Der Beitrag Rally Dakar Stage 8 erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

Salta, 11th January 2013 Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz remain in third place overall at the Rally Dakar. The 2009 „Dakar“ winners, in the cockpit of a Toyota Hilux „made in South Africa“, ended the seventh stage from Calama to Salta in fifth place. Hot favourites Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret in the X-raid Mini continue to top the standings, 44m 03s ahead of de Villiers and von Zitzewitz.

The route on day seven took the competitors over the Andes from Calama in Chile to Salta in Argentina. The special stage was dominated by long straights, rocky surfaces and high altitudes. The entire special stage was held at over 3,400 metres above sea level. The seventh leg of the „Dakar“ was overshadowed by a tragic road accident. France’s Thomas Bourgin, who was competing in the motorbike competition, was the victim of a fatal crash on the link route – a public road – on the way to the start of the special stage.

The quotes

„We got through the special stage well today and conceded a surprisingly small amount of time to the diesel cars. They have a physical advantage at that kind of altitude. The second part of the stage was narrow and winding – rather like stages in the World Rally Championship. Before the stage we heard that one of the motorcyclists had been killed in an accident on the link route. That is very upsetting.“

Giniel de Villiers after leg 07

„Today’s stage is very encouraging ahead of the next few stages. We looked good on this kind of ’special‘ and go into the coming WRC-style stages fully motivated. This will give us the opportunity to do well. However, this stage was overshadowed by a fatal accident involving one of the motorcyclists. It is sad and shocking to lose a member of the ‚Dakar‘ family.“

Dirk von Zitzewitz after leg 07

Results: Dakar Rally overall classification after leg 07

• 01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 16:23.43 Std.
• 02. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Lucas Cruz (Q/E), Buggy, 16:26.57 Std.
• 03. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 17:07.46 Std.
• 04. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 17:12.37 Std.
• 05. Guerlain Chicherit/Jean-Pierre Garcin (F/F), Buggy, 17:40.48 Std.

Coming up: Preview Stage 08

Salta–Tucumán (connection: 143 km, special stage: 155 km, connection: 133 km, special stage: 183 km, connection: 228 km)

Narrow tracks, countless corners and loads of rocks, in stark contrast to the previously open landscape: the competitors will be faced with a challenging special stage, the start of which resembles a WRC stage, on day eight of the Dakar. „We drivers will have our hands full on these winding routes,“ says Giniel de Villiers. „On top of that, we must reckon with few overtaking opportunities and a lot of dust.“ Dirk von Zitzewitz: „The first of the two parts of the stage should be similar to the route here in 2011. The second section is completely new territory for us. It will probably return to the open landscape and the desert, so the second part promises to be quicker.“

„Dakar“ on TV

Friday, 11 January 2013

23:15 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 07, summary

Saturday, 12 January 2013

01:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 07, summary (re-run)

19:15 hrs Eurosport 2 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 08, interviews at the finish line (live)

23:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 08, summary

Sunday, 13 January 2013

01:30 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 08, summary (re-run)

23:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, rest day, summary

Der Beitrag Rally Dakar Stage 7 erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

Calama, 10 January 2013            

The quotes

“We were actually going along nicely, but unfortunately we got stuck in the sand when we had to lift off the gas on the crest of a dune. Just behind the crest was ‘Nani’ Roma, who had got stuck there. Had we been warned – there was already an official there, after all – we would easily have avoided the situation. When we filled the tyres back up with air we also changed a wheel, as the tyre probably slipped off the rim when we let the air out. That cost more time. We are very happy with the time we spent actually driving. The time spent immobilised was just bad luck.”

Giniel de Villiers after leg 06

“A very demanding stage, particularly in the dunes. Unfortunately we had to get the shovels out once today. This was not really because we made a mistake, but because we had to slow down to avoid a rival. By the time we had slowed down it was too late. Apart from that, we ate a lot of dust today and it was not easy to overtake the bikes with that visibility. A huge compliment goes to our team, who worked into the night to improve the brake problems we encountered yesterday. Thank you, guys.”

Dirk von Zitzewitz after leg 06

Results: Dakar Rally overall classification after leg 06

• 01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 14:36.16 Std.
• 02. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Lucas Cruz (Q/E), Buggy, 14:37.34 Std.
• 03. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 15:18.47 Std.
• 04. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 15:21.03 Std.

Coming up: Preview Stage 07

Calama–Salta

Faster, higher, further: the highest and fastest special stage of the whole rally awaits the Dakar competitors on Friday. Almost the entire route of the “special” is at more than 3,400 metres above sea level. “The organisers estimated the average speed at over 110 km/h. That is really quick,” says Giniel de Villiers. Dirk von Zitzewitz adds: “A hard surface, long straights and only a few corners await us. Despite this, you cannot underestimate the importance of good navigation. All in all, however, it is really a stage on which to grab a breather. I can only recommend that you watch the highlights of the day on television, as I reckon this stage will produce some great footage of the landscape – particularly the Andes.”

——————————————————————————————————-

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

Giniel de Villiers

If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an “outdoorsy person”, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of “Ginny”. As such, his second career away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Rally Dakar with Volkswagen – a milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His big breakthrough came when the Rally Dakar made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with co- driver Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat. The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver Giniel de Villiers won the first Dakar ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz, the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play ‘Dakar’ with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before going on to compete in three Dakars on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiers- von-Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success: this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon rally scene.

“Dakar” on TV

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Der Beitrag The Atacama shows no mercy erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.

Arequipa, 8th January 2013

Dunes, dust and rocks: Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz came through the most difficult stage of the 2013 Dakar Rally so far with flying colours, making up ground in the overall standings in the process. The South African and his German co-driver clocked the fourth fastest time on day four of the „Dakar“, which featured 288 kilometres of special stage on the route between Nazca and Arequipa. Their efforts also saw them climb into third place overall. The winning duo from 2009 enjoyed a flawless day in their office for the two weeks of the rally – the cockpit of the Three-O-One Toyota Hilux – and refused to be thrown out of their stride by the perilous, fine sand of the dunes, in which many experienced „Dakar“ campaigners floundered during the 2012 event.

A combination of a steady pace and excellent navigation across the challenging terrain saw de Villiers/von Zitzewitz record top-5 times at all the checkpoints throughout the special stage, fully deserving a pat on the back at the end of a focussed day at the office, which had seen the duo climb a place in the overall standings before they even took to the route. After „Race Officials“ at the „Dakar“ relegated their rivals and former team-mates Carlos Sainz and Timo Gottschalk from fifth to tenth place, „Ginny“ and „Schnietz“ moved up from sixth to fifth place overall and started the day 30.22 minutes behind the leaders and favourites Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret in the X-raid Mini. By the end of the first section of the fourth stage, de Villiers and von Zitzewitz had climbed to fourth place, and their day got even better when they leapfrogged ahead of Mini duo Leonid Novitzkiy and Konstantin Zhiltsov into third place. Four stages into the „Dakar“, car number Three-O-One is now 33.22 minutes behind the lead.

The Quotes

„Today was definitely the most difficult leg of the 2013 ‚Dakar‘ so far. The stage was extremely demanding: stony, dusty, and full of potholes, corners and ridges. We really had to eat dirt today, but can be very happy with the end result. Dirk did a great job with the navigation, and I am also very happy with the set-up of our Toyota Hilux. Tomorrow we leave the difficult dunes behind us, but the fifth stage will still demand full concentration from us again.“

Giniel de Villiers after leg 04

„The ‚Dakar‘ showed its teeth on the third leg. They were certainly a good deal sharper today. Generally speaking, however, it was a very good day for us. The brakes did overheat a little at one stage, but Giniel stayed calm and we were able to push off again afterwards. Navigating was anything but easy today, but our meticulous preparation really paid off.“

Dirk von Zitzewitz after leg 04

Result: Dakar Rally overall classification after leg 04

• 01. Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F), Mini, 9:04.29 Std.
• 02. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Lucas Cruz (Q/E), Buggy, 9:09.45 Std.
• 03. Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Toyota, 3:37.51 Std.
• 04. Leonid Novitzkiy/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS/RUS), Mini, 9:38.17 Std.
• 05. Joan „Nani“ Roma/Michel Périn (E/F), Mini, 9:43.35 Std.

Coming up: Preview Stage 05

Arequipa–Arica (liaison: 284 km, stage: 172 km, connection: 53)
Could this stage be an opportunity to catch a breather? At least there are fewer sandy dunes on the menu for the fifth leg between Arequipa and Arica. Instead of this, however, the competitors are faced with the infamous fesh-fesh powder, known by the locals as „Guadal“. „The danger is hidden in the dust,“ says Giniel de Villiers. „A lot of rocks and boulders are lurking, concealed beneath the layer of powder.“ His navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz adds: „Today you must once again be really on the ball, as the amount of dust means you are driving blind for large sections. In these conditions, it is easy not to see a stone or to veer off in the wrong direction. This makes it all the better that bikes and cars are on different routes for the special stages. Furthermore, we will also have a lot of canyons to cross tomorrow, so there will be some spectacular images.“

Three-O-One, in the driving seat: Giniel de Villiers

Giniel de Villiers
If awards were given out for versatility in motorsport, Giniel de Villiers would be a hot favourite to pick up the special prize for lifetime achievement. The likeable, down-to-earth racing driver from Stellenbosch in South Africa won five national touring car titles in South Africa, defeating his subsequent Team Principal in the Volkswagen works team Kris Nissen and other top European stars on the way, before switching to marathon rallying. Giniel de Villiers describes himself as an „outdoorsy person“, who loves being in the fresh air. Whether on a jet ski or a mountain bike, de Villiers is always looking for action. However, in both his sporting and private lives, intelligent discretion is one of the real hallmarks of „Ginny“. As such, his second career away from tarmacked roads and permanent racetracks has also been a distinguished one: together with his co-driver at the time, Tina Thörner (S), he finished second at the 2006 Rally Dakar with Volkswagen – a milestone, as this was at the time the highest place ever achieved by a pair in a diesel-powered vehicle. His big breakthrough came when the Rally Dakar made its debut outside of the Black Continent in 2009: with co- driver Dirk von Zitzewitz at his side, the pair achieved a historic success: the first victory by an African, the first in a diesel car, and the first ever win in South America.

Three-O-One, calling the shots: Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz
Dirk von Zitzewitz has literally been at home in the navigator’s seat since he took his first breath: the German was born in precisely the spot, in which he has enjoyed his greatest sporting success: in the passenger seat. The co-driver from Ostholstein is regarded as one of the best in his profession. In 2009, he and his driver Giniel de Villiers won the first Dakar ever to be held in South America. New territory? For Dirk von Zitzewitz, the terrain away from tarmacked roads is the perfect place to demonstrate his natural, instinctive talent for finding the right way. His success and reputation are no fluke: even as a teenager, Zitzewitz used to play ‚Dakar‘ with a friend and a rickety old moped. Back then, the event was still establishing itself and was yet to develop the international prestige it enjoys today. Despite this, it still cast a spell on the off-road enthusiast from north Germany. Dirk von Zitzewitz won the German Enduro Championship title on 15 occasions, before going on to compete in three Dakars on a motorbike. As a co-driver to a number of different drivers, he has competed in the mother of all desert rallies every year since 2002. In 2012 Zitzewitz came full circle: it was ten years since he made his first appearance in a car – again a privately run Toyota. In 2013 the De-Villiers- von-Zitzewitz-Toyota combination enters the next round. In the meantime, he has achieved great success: this is reflected in ten podiums – five of which were victories – 33 stage wins and 31 days leading events in a car. As such, Dirk von Zitzewitz is already one of the most successful co-drivers of all time on the marathon rally scene.

„Dakar“ on TV

Tuesday, 08 January 2013
01:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 03, summary (re-run)
08:30 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 03, summary (re-run)
17:15 hrs Eurosport2 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 04, interviews at the finish line (live) 23:15 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 04, summary
Wednesday, 09 January 2013
01:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 04, summary (re-run) 08:45 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 04, summary (re-run) 23:35 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 05, summary
Thursday, 10 January 2013
01:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 05, summary (re-run)
08:30 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 05, summary (re-run)
19:45 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 06, interviews at the finish line (live) 24:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 06, summary
Friday, 11 January 2013
01:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 06, summary (re-run)
08:30 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 06, summary (re-run)
19:45 hrs Eurosport2 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 07, interviews at the finish line (live) 23:15 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 07, summary
Saturday, 12 January 2013
01:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 07, summary (re-run)
19:15 hrs Eurosport2 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 08, interviews at the finish line (live) 23:00 hrs Eurosport 2013 Dakar Rally, leg 08, summary

Dakar Newsletter

Abonnieren Sie jetzt unseren Dakar Newsletter und verfolgen Sie Dirk von Zitzewitz und sein Team bei der Dakar 2013.

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Der Beitrag Three-O-One moves into third place overall erschien zuerst auf ZITZEWITZ MOTO EVENTS.