Saudi Arabia urges stronger global action to protect children in cyberspace at UN    911 emergency centers handle over 2.8 million calls in March    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Saudi Arabia posts SR49.8 billion travel surplus in 2024 as visitor spending hits SR153.6 billion    World leaders call Trump tariffs 'wrong' and 'unjustified'    Israel announces expansion of military operation in Gaza to seize 'large areas' of land    US cancels visa of Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias    Danish prime minister refutes US claim on Greenland on visit to the Arctic territory    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Cristiano Ronaldo joins Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves    Saudi Arabia welcomes trilateral border treaty between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan    Swedish table tennis legend Jörgen Persson appointed head coach of Saudi national team    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Tebuk emir reviews rain response in Tayma    Saudi Arabia considers rent cap as part of major real estate reforms    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Al-Attiyah moves closer to second Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge title
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 07 - 04 - 2016

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah continued along his relentless path toward a second cars triumph in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge powered by Nissan today as Chile's Pablo Quintanilla snatched a significant bikes advantage to carry into the final leg.
While Finland's Mikko Hirvonen won the 258km ADNOC stage alongside French co-driver Michel Perin in a Mini All4Racing, Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel were second fastest in a Toyota Hilux as they increased their overall lead to 28min 08sec.
Lying second overnight and chasing a third successive Desert Challenge victory, Russia's Vladimir Vasilyev and Konstantin Zhiltsov saw their hopes buried among the dunes of the Western Region of Al-Gharbia when their Mini was halted by mechanical problems.
Their misfortune promoted Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi and German co-driver Timo Gotschalk to second place in another Mini, 7min 32sec ahead of four-time WRC runner-up Hirvonen in third.
Making his Desert Challenge debut, American Bryce Menzies is clearly benefitting from the experience of German co-driver Andreas Schulz, climbing to fourth place in a Mini.
With Poland's Jakub Przygonski and Belgian Tom Colsoul in fifth, the UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al-Qassimi, partnered by Emirati co-driver Khalid Al-Kendi, continued to climb in his Abu Dhabi Racing Mini All4Racing to complete the top six.
Another Emirati driver, Ahmad Al-Maqoodi, moved into the top 10 alongside Obaid Al-Kitbe in their Polaris RZR to lead the buggies category. Among the day's casualties were the all lady crew of Germany's Jutta Kleinschmidt and Swede Tina Thorner whose buggy broke its gearbox.
In the battle of the bikes, French rider Pierre Alexandre Renet was the stage winner from Chilean Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo as he rose to fifth overall.
But fourth best time on the day was enough to make Quintanilla the clear favorite for victory on his Husqvarna as he took a 2min 45sec lead over this year's Dakar Rally winner Toby Price, with the Aussie's KTM teammate, Dubai-based Sam Sunderland, just two seconds further away.
It was a splendid day for top Emirati rider Mohammed Al-Balooshi who outpaced Quintanilla, Price and Sam Sunderland, three of the world's biggest cross country rallying talents, to maintain his fourth place overall.
Al-Attiyah, who captured the Desert Challenge title in 2008, said: "It wasn't easy at all. We did some of this stage yesterday but most was completely new. We didn't take risks – we don't want to make mistakes now. I'm really happy to finish and looking forward to tomorrow."
Al-Rajhi said: "That was a hot stage with lots of soft sand. I saw Vasilyev stuck but other than that I was driving alone the whole stage. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's final stage, even though it's a shorter one."


Clic here to read the story from its source.