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Paulo Gonçalves Wins the Dos Sertões Rally

Portuguese rider Paulo Goncalves won the longest round of the FIM Cross-Country Rally World Championship, the Dos Sertões Rally in Brazil.
Paulo Gonçalves Wins the Dos Sertões Rally 4 photos
Photo: Akrapovic
Paulo Gonçalves Wins the Dos Sertões RallyPaulo Gonçalves Wins the Dos Sertões RallyPaulo Gonçalves Wins the Dos Sertões Rally
Riding his Speedbrain Husqvarna machine, Goncalves was helped by his closest rival Marc Coma losing around 42 minutes due to a damaged wheel in the fifth stage. However, the Spaniard still managed to get on the podium in the end, being the third fastest, behind Cyril Despres.

The Dos Sertões Rally had 10 stages across 4,115 km (2557 mi) with the seventh being a really long and brutal 746 km (463 mi) leg, with timed special stages summing 514 km (319 mi). And to imagine just how tough this stage was, double points have been awarded for this part of the rally.

Late September sees the last even in the cross-country FIM calendar the Pharaoh's Rally in Egypt. With the multiple Dakar winner Despres far back in the 9th position, it looks like the battle in Egypt will be a most interesting one, as Marc Coma has a rather small lead on Goncalves.
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