Ypres - SS9: Loix extends lead, Meeke out

"It was an exciting battle with Kris Meeke but now I have to change my strategy"

By Franck Drui

26 June 2010 - 13:23
Ypres - SS9: Loix extends lead, (...)

After SS7: Opening stage win for Meeke

Kris Meeke began day two of the Geko Ypres Rally by setting the fastest time through the superfast 14.80-kilometre Proven-Vieteren stage. Meeke was one-tenth of a second faster than event leader Freddy Loix, whose margin out front has been narrowed ever so slightly to 5.7 seconds as the battle for Intercontinental Rally Challenge glory heats up.

Bernd Casier and Andreas Mikkelsen have moved up to fifth and sixth places respectively after Pieter Tsjoen went off the road during the stage.

After SS8: Meeke’s crash hands Loix big lead

There was high drama on the Geko Ypres Rally’s eighth stage when Kris Meeke rolled into a retirement on a high-speed right-hand bend. The Peugeot UK driver was closing on leader Freddy Loix when he crashed for the second rally in succession. Both Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle were uninjured, despite their 207 Super 2000 suffering extensive damage.

Meeke’s retirement means Loix now leads by almost 30 seconds from Škoda Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecký. Rising Belgian star Thierry Neuville moves into third in his 207 with Bernd Casier fourth in another Fabia. Andreas Mikkelsen is fifth in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.

After SS9: Loix extends lead in Belgium

Freddy Loix has extended his lead of the Geko Ypres Rally to 30.9 seconds after claiming his sixth stage victory on the challenging asphalt event. Loix, a five-time winner in Ypres, heads Škoda Motorsport team-mate Jan Kopecký with Thierry Neuville still third in his Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxembourg 207 Super 2000.

Loix said: “It was an exciting battle with Kris [Meeke] but now I have to change my strategy. It will be difficult.”

Overall positions after SS9

Pos.TeamCarTime
01 Loix Freddy / Miclotte Fréderic Skoda Fabia S2000 1h13m31.5s
02 Kopecký Jan / Starý Petr Skoda Fabia S2000 +30.9s
03 Neuville Thierry / Klinger Nicolas Peugeot 207 S2000 +1m03.9s
04 Casier Bernd / Caesemaeker Francis Skoda Fabia S2000 +2m15.1s
05 Mikkelsen Andreas / Floene Ola Ford Fiesta S2000 +2m42.0s
06 Snijers Patrick / Cokelaere Cindy Peugeot 207 S2000 +2m56.3s
07 Solowow Michal / Baran Macie Ford Fiesta S2000 +3m08.2s
08 Magalhaes Bruno / Magalhaes Carlos Peugeot 207 S2000 +3m43.3s
09 Betti Luca / Scalvini Pierangelo Peugeot 207 S2000 +4m12.4s
10 Romain Alexandre / Gilsoul Nicolas Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +4m41.1s
11 Viaene Mathias / Vyncke Pieter Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +5m08.5s
12 Oleksowicz Maciej / Obrebowski Andrzej Ford Fiesta S2000 +5m53.8s
13 Vanwijnsberghe Didier / Cnockaert Virginie Skoda Fabia S2000 +6m03.1s
14 Abbring Kevin / Mombaerts Erwin Renault Clio R3 +6m06.9s
15 Van Eldik Mark / Buysmans Robin Skoda Fabia S2000 +6m11.3s

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