Neuville leads Golden Stage after first run

Thierry Neuville holds the advantage after the opening run of the Cyprus Golden Stage Rally.

Driving a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 for Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg, Neuville lost precious seconds striking a bank and nudging his car’s left-rear tyre from its rim.

Nevertheless he completed the 19.43-kilometre mixed-surface stage 4.8s faster than former Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Juho Hänninen in a ŠKODA Motorsport Fabia Super 2000.

“My pacenotes were a little too optimistic and I had some big moments,” said Neuville, 23. “I try to do better on the next one.”

Hänninen said: “Okay, Thierry made a good time. I made no mistakes and I was almost happy with my time but it was not enough.”

Jan Kopecký, in a second factory Fabia, was third fastest 16.5s slower than Neuville.

“It was not a bad stage but sometimes we had a problem with the rhythm and sometimes I was braking where it wasn’t necessary,” said the Czech driver. “I believe the second pass will be better.”

Patrik Sandell was fourth fastest in his ŠKODA Sweden Fabia. He said: “It was a really difficult stage. Some places were so, so fast and you had to be so precise to avoid going in the ditch. I think we find a good rhythm in there so I’m happy.”

Karl Kruuda said he made too many mistakes in his ME3 Rally Team Fabia and also reported struggling on the slippery gravel sections.

Nicos Thomas was the leading Cypriot driver despite reporting struggling to find a good rhythm at the wheel of his Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. Meanwhile countryman Doros Loucaides found the mixed-surface stage “extremely slippery” in his Peugeot 207.

IRC 2WD Cup champion Jean-Michel Raoux reported an intercom problem prior to the stage start, which was fortunately rectified before he left the startline in his Renault Clio R3. He also said running first on the road proved a disadvantage on the loose-surface gravel.

Charalambos Timotheou stopped in the stage with an unspecified problem on his Lancer.

The second Golden Stage Rally run takes place at 15:10hrs local time. The results of the two passes will be combined to determine the winner and the recipients of the 150,000 Euros prize fund.

Cyprus Golden Stage Rally overall positions after run one:
1 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (Peugeot 207 S2000) 13m09.7s
2 Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula (ŠKODA Fabia S2000) +4.8s
3 Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler (ŠKODA Fabia S2000) +16.5s
4 Patrik Sandell/Staffan Parmander (ŠKODA Fabia S2000) +23.6s
5 Karl Kruuda/Martin Järveoja (ŠKODA Fabia S2000) +29.7s
6 Nicos Thomas/Angelos Loizides (Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX) +1m05.9s