The most challenging test of this year’s Dakar so far did not take the MM Technology crew by surprise. They reached the finish line first and took the lead in the overall standings in the truck category with a lead of almost 1 hour and 17 minutes.

Cenda did not disappoint

It is not easy to cover over 500 kilometres in the desert, and at race pace. But the orange special called Cenda from MM Technology did not shy away from dunes over 250 metres high and got its crew to the finish without any major problems. “Cenda is doing well considering the Alps we had to drive up at times. We have some damage to the fenders and hood, but that’s cosmetic, we’ll fix that today. Anyway, for me it was an unforgettable stage, in which Cenda proved his worth once again”, summarizes mechanic David Svanda.

It doesn’t take much to roll over in the dunes

Finding waypoints in dunes is no more difficult than in other terrain. The devil, as it happens, is in the details: what is the best way to get to a waypoint when it could be on top of a giant dune? “There were really huge dunes, we had to do a lot of climbing and one mistake could mean that we might roll over. Not every truck and driver can handle that. Thumbs up to the organisers, it was a nice new experience, even though we are emotionally completely done”, says navigator Frantisek Tomasek, describing his impressions from the premiere two-day stage.

3rd stage win for MM Technology

The win in the 48hChrono puts Martin Macik Jr., Frantisek Tomasek and David Svanda in the lead in the overall standings of the truck category. They were one of the few who had no major delays on the route and now have a lead of more than 1 hour over the second place in the overall standings. This is their third stage win overall, although they did not enjoy the first one from the 3rd stage – it was awarded to them ex post due to the penalty for Ales Loprais. “For me, 48hChrono was a success. It was extremely difficult to manage, but it was worth it. We had two days in huge rugged dunes, slept in field conditions in tents and covered more than 500 km. I think I’ve totally gotten to grips with the truck, and because of that I’m able to do things I might not have done before. I’m very happy that we did it together with the guys and of course I’m also happy with the result, for which we did our best.”, says pilot Martin Macik Jr.

Back to the saddle after a day of rest

A day off at Dakar rarely means a day without any obligations. The teams are only now moving to Riyadh, which is not a short journey, and the MM Technology factory truck is awaiting service. Tomorrow, Martin Macik Jr, Frantisek Tomasek and David Svanda will seek to recharge their batteries for the next round, which continues on Sunday the 14th of January with the stage from Riyadh to Al Duwadimi. Cenda and his crew will cover a distance of 483 km.