Dakar 2016: Team Petronas De Rooy Iveco aims for victory

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Iveco Press Release / December 30, 2015

Team Petronas De Rooy Iveco announces its participation in the next edition of the world’s most famous off-road rally.

Four Iveco vehicles will take on the extreme terrains on the South American route. Two of these will be driven by pilots new to the Iveco Teams: Aleš Loprais and Anton Van Genugten for Team Petronas De Rooy Iveco.

In addition, Gerard De Rooy has prepared a truck for a local Team, La Gloriosa De Rooy Iveco. The vehicle will be driven by the Argentinean pilot Federico Villagra, well known as “El Coyote”, who will run with the support of Iveco Argentinean dealers.

Iveco is back in the legendary Dakar off-road rally as official supporter of Team Petronas De Rooy Iveco. Four Iveco rally trucks – two Powerstar and two Trakker - will compete in the 2016 Dakar (3-16 January), supported by seven Iveco service vehicles.

The 38^th edition of the world’s most famous endurance rally will once again be hosted in South America. Starting in Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires on January 3^rd, 9,000 km route will be raced against the clock, through Argentina and Bolivia.

Team Petronas De Rooy Iveco is composed of the Dutch leader, Gerard De Rooy, Spaniard Josep Vila Roca and two new entries, the Czech pilot Aleš Loprais and Anton Van Genugten from the Netherlands.

De Rooy is the designated pilot of the first Iveco Powerstar (sleeper-cab version) and leads the team. Dutch-born De Rooy is no stranger to the race, having won the truck category in 2012 driving an Iveco Powerstar, and taken a closely-fought second place two years ago. His co-pilot, Moi Torralardona, is an expert navigator and has co-piloted many important Dakar pilots. He and De Rooy tested their working relationship at the recent Rally of Morocco.

A second Powerstar will be driven by Czech pilot Aleš Loprais, one of the Team’s new pilots who has a reputation for speed. Aleš, nephew of 6-time winner of the Paris-Dakar Karel Loprais, is a candidate for victory in the Dakar 2016. Marco Alcayna Ferran, a professional navigator and one of the strongest members of the team, will co-pilot.

Anton van Genugten, the second new driver in the team, is a regular rally pilot. He was chosen by the team to drive the Iveco Trakker carrying spare parts throughout the race.

He works as a truck driver, which makes him ideal for this transport job. Anton van Limpt, his faithful navigator for many years, will co-pilot him on this first time on an Iveco rally truck as part of a highly organized team.

Josep Vila Roca, one of the most expert Dakar drivers, will pilot the second Iveco Trakker. A highly competitive, capable and reliable driver, he has participated in many Dakar races, achieving his best result in the Dakar 2011 with a 5^th position. His co-pilot will be Xavi Roqeta Colome, an expert Catalan navigator.

For the 2016 edition, Iveco will also support a new local team - La Gloriosa De Rooy Iveco - created by the famous Argentinean rally and car raid pilot Federico Vilagra, who is well known as “El Coyote”. He will drive an Iveco Powerstar – prepared by Gerard De Rooy - in the Dakar 2016, which will be the first time for him in the truck category. He tested the truck in Morocco last October for the first time, achieving a remarkable performance. Jorge Perez Companc, expert navigator and Argentina Rally Champion in 2005, will co-pilot. He is a regular of the Dakar Rally, having participated in all races since 2000.

Also sponsors of the two teams in the Dakar 2016 are FPT Industrial, the CNH Industrial brand that designs and manufactures powertrains for on-road, off-road, marine and power generation applications, and OK Trucks, the brand of pre-owned vehicles certified by Iveco.

Iveco's race vehicles – Strength - Reliable Performance – Endurance

The vehicles have been purpose-built by Iveco for the 2016 Dakar: three Iveco Powerstars and two Iveco Trakker day cabs, manufactured in Spain. In addition to the rally trucks, six support and assistance Trakkers (one 4x4, four 6x6s and one 8x8) and one 7-tonne Daily Van will complete the line-up, providing transport and fulfilling logistical needs for the 20-strong team of mechanics.

The Iveco Trakker, whose versions range from 18 to 70 tonnes, is a vehicle designed to cope with 3 extreme off-road conditions; its new, Stralis-based cabin, is the result of proactive input from both dealers and end-users. From the very start it was engineered to improve drivability and on-board comfort, both essential elements for productivity and safety at work. The Trakker blends strength and reliability with the comfort of new Stralis AD and AT cabs.

The Trakker range is available in both left and right-hand drive, and allows for the tailoring of each version to a specific requirement, thanks to the Iveco Cursor 13 engines and 2 cabins (Hi-Land and Hi-Track). Rigid truck versions are available in 4x2, 4x4, 6x4, 6x6, 8x4 and 8x8 configurations with power ratings of 380, 420 or 440hp. Tractor versions are available in 4x2, 4x4, 6x4 and 6x6 configurations. Perfect for the most extreme off-road conditions, but equally at home with normal road use, Trakkers can be specified to optimise payload and fuel consumption.

The challenging terrain and all-weather conditions that the Iveco trucks will endure during the 9,000 km South American route will suit the versatility and strength of the product. The Iveco Cursor 13 engines - specifically prepared for the race by FPT Industrial at its R&D centre in Arbon, Switzerland - known for their power and durability, will be driving Iveco’s campaign for further success in the Dakar rally. Characterized by fast load response, especially at low rpm, the 6 cylinder 13 liter units, consist of more than 70% standard Euro VI hardware, complimented with hand-picked components from FPT's industrial and marine range engines.

The 2016 Dakar and Iveco ‘Live’ news

2016 is a record-breaking year for the Dakar with a total of 354 vehicles (55 trucks, 110 cars, 143 motorcycles, 46 quad bikes,), 556 competitors and 60 nationalities (including Assistance).

Iveco will keep fans up-to-date throughout the rally on www.iveco.com/dakar

Photo gallery - https://www.flickr.com/photos/iveco/

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Iveco on the Podium in Dakar 2016 Stage 2

Iveco Press Release / January 5, 2016

The Dakar Rally finally got underway with the fast-moving Villa Carlos Paz-Termas de Río Hondo section. The Iveco trucks performed very well, with four finishing in the top 10 and one just outside.

The Dakar 2016 got underway after the difficulties of the first two days, and was again affected by bad weather, with 90 kilometres having to be cut out of the original route.

In spite of the difficult terrain conditions, the Team PETRONAS De Rooy Iveco placed three trucks in the first 10 and one just outside, while first time pilot Team La Gloriosa De Rooy’s pilot Federico Villagra closed in 5th place.

The Iveco team got off to a strong start, with Gerard De Rooy’s Iveco Powerstar quickly closing in on title defender Ayrat Mardeev and finishing with the team’s best performance, in third place just 1 minute and 51 seconds from stage winner Hans Stacey.

Federico Villagra surprised everyone by dominating the race until past the halfway mark. The Argentine pilot, who was driving the Team La Gloriosa De Rooy's Iveco Powerstar, came in 5^th place, followed by Aleš Loprais behind the wheel of his Iveco Powerstar, who was ahead of Ton van Genugten, who crossed the finish line 3 minutes and 40 seconds after the winner. The Spanish pilot Pep Vila stuck with the Kamaz trucks and drove his Iveco Trakker across the finish line to take 12^th place, 12 minutes and 8 seconds behind the winner.

​To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar

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1/7/2016

Iveco victorious in Stage 4 of the Dakar

​Gerard de Rooy scored a triumph in the Trucks category with his Iveco Powerstar in the first part of the marathon stage of the world's most difficult rally race.

On the first day of the 2016 Dakar Rally that did not present any weather-related complications, the Iveco team demonstrated its potential on Argentina's roads with a victory in Stage 4, a 419-kilometer special for Trucks in the northern part of the country.

Behind the wheel of Iveco Powerstar #501, the Dutchman Gerard de Rooy beat Pieter Versluis by 37 seconds and Hans Stacey by 1 minute and 18 seconds, taking full advantage of the last part of the special and putting the pedal to the metal in the final stretch. Another Iveco Powerstar, #514, driven by the Argentine pilot Federico Villagra, came in just 1 minute and 46 seconds behind the leader for 4th place.

Aleš Loprais and Ton van Genugten made it into the special's Top 10, taking 8th and 10th place, 5 minutes and 26 seconds and 6 minutes and 8 seconds behind de Rooy, respectively. With these placements they are still in the Top 10 in the general classification of the 2016 Dakar.

The experienced Spanish pilot Pep Vila was finally restored to 13th place in yesterday's race, as opposed to 36th place as the organization had initially announced. Coming in 12th place today, 11 minutes and 59 seconds behind the leader, Vila currently sits at 14th in the general, more than a half hour behind the front-runner.


Stage 4 – Trucks

1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – 3:58:6
2. Versluis (NLD), MAN – plus 37 seconds
3. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 1 minute 18 seconds
4. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 1 minute 46 seconds
5. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 3 minutes 32 seconds
8. ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – plus 5 minutes 26 seconds 10. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 6 minutes 08 seconds 12. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 11 minutes 59 seconds


General Classification – Trucks

1. Versluis (NLD), MAN – 10:02:34
2. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 15 seconds
3. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 2 minutes 04 seconds
4. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – plus 4 minutes 59 seconds
5. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 9 minutes 27 seconds
6. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 13 minutes 32 seconds
8. ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – plus 15 minutes 04 seconds
14. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 35 minutes 44 seconds


To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar.

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1/8/2016

Dakar 2016: Villagra, with the Iveco Powerstar, lead the general classification

​The fifth stage of the Rally led the caravan to Bolivia and close to the Uyuni Salt Flats, after dueling it out over 327 kilometers. Federico Villagra and his Iveco Powerstar finished in 3rd place and were moved up to first place for overall time.

The Iveco fleet is performing at an impressive level on the most difficult roads in Argentina and Bolivia after five days of competition. After Gerard de Rooy's victory in stage four, which almost put him on the podium in the general, yesterday it was Federico Villagra who, once again, proved to be the star behind the wheel of an Iveco truck and jumped to the top spot in the Dakar Rally in the general classification.

The day got started just after 1:00 PM local time, when the first truck kicked off the special after crossing the La Quiaca (Argentina) - Villazón (Bolivia) border. The Iveco Trakker driven by the Dutchman Ton van Genugten put up a good fight in the beginning against the Kamazes, Tatras and MANs that fought for the first spots in a stage that took them up to 4,600 meters above sea level and presented a challenge for the pilots and their vehicles.

Federico Villagra, in the La Gloriosa De Rooy Iveco Team’s Powerstar, gradually edged towards the top spot, until he came neck and neck with his teammate Ton van Genugten, tying for 3rd place. With Pieter Versluis and Hans Stacey falling a bit behind in this stage, Villagra took advantage of the opportunity to snag the lead in the general by just 5 seconds and put Iveco in the number 1 spot in the Dakar Rally.

In this stage, which was won by Eduard Nikolaev behind the wheel of a Kamaz, the Dutchman Gerard De Rooy, winner of the 2012 edition of The Dakar, reached the 8th place, but is holding steady in 4th in the general. The overall balance is positive for him because he was able to finish the marathon stage and now he will be able to attack in the second part of The Dakar to try to bring home another victory.

Pep Vila took advantage of his strong pace, and the fact that his competitors were lagging, to secure 15th place today, which puts him in a very commendable 10th place in the general aboard his Iveco Trakker.

Unfortunately, the Czech pilot Aleš Loprais, who was in the top 10 of The Dakar with Iveco Powerstar #503, had to drop out of the race. Loprais had to stop his truck in the connecting stretch because of a mechanical problem. And, since this was part of the marathon stage, his teammates were not allowed to come to his aid or help him with his vehicle.

Today, the Dakar Rally participants will compete in the 542-kilometer special (with one stretch that is exclusively for Trucks), starting in the city of Uyuni and returning to the same point, but not before circling the entire Salt Flats on a course that will present difficulties such as sand, rocks and, of course, a lot of salt.

Stage 5 – Trucks

1. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – 4:00:03
2. Kolomy (CZE), Tatra – plus 2 minutes 32 seconds
3. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 4 minute 32 seconds
4. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 4 minutes 32 seconds
5. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 3 minutes 32 seconds
8. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – plus 7 minutes 27 seconds
15. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 29 minutes 21 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out


General Classification – Trucks

1. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – 14:09:13
2. Versluis (NLD), MAN – plus 5 seconds
3. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 21 seconds
4. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – plus 5 minutes 50 seconds
5. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 8 minutes 49 seconds
8. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 11 minutes 28 seconds
10. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 58 minutes 29 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out

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1/9/2016

Dakar 2016: Gerard De Rooy second in stage sixth just 7 seconds behind winner

The Dakar Blazed Past the Uyuni Salt Flats.

The sixth stage of the world's toughest rally race included very dangerous stretches near the Uyuni Salt Flats, in Bolivia. Gerard de Rooy was Iveco's strongest competitor today, coming in just 7 seconds behind the winner, Hans Stacey.

According to the pilots, yesterday's special was the most complex so far in the 2016 edition of the competition. There were falls, fractures, fires and drop-outs, but Iveco's fleet went unscathed and reached the finish line without any problems.

Gerard de Rooy was in the lead at 4 out of 5 waypoints, but victory slipped out of his hands near the end, when Hans Stacey, snatched the lead away from him with just a few kilometers to go and won by just 7 seconds. The Iveco Powerstar proved to be up to the challenges presented by the toughest roads it has traveled up to this point. Thanks to de Rooy's performance, Iveco made it to the podium once again, for the fifth time in a row, having made it into the Top 3 in every special with at least one of its trucks.

Federico Villagra, who was the leader at the beginning of the sixth stage, soon drifted into the background, coming in 4 minutes and 26 seconds behind the leader and ending the day in 9^th place. The top spots in the general classification now belong to the MAN pilots Stacey and Versluis. They are ahead of the Iveco Powerstar pilots Federico Villagra and Gerard de Rooy by 4 minutes and 5 seconds and 5 minutes and 36 seconds, respectively. However, more than half the race still lies ahead.

The crews of the Iveco Trakkers were a bit further behind today, with the Dutchman Ton van Genugten and the Spaniard Pep Vila crossing the finish line more than 10 minutes behind the leaders for 13^th and 15^th place.

The sixth stage of the 2016 Dakar Rally was the first and only to be held exclusively on Bolivian soil. There were two roads around the Uyuni Salt Flats: one for Cars, Bikes and Quads that consisted of 542 timed kilometers, and another special for Trucks that was just 295 kilometers. The routes were very complicated, with the additional challenge of altitude, which caused several pilots to get dizzy, faint and resort to using oxygen. The route never dipped below an altitude of 3,500 meters and, at some points, it reached peaks of up to 4,200 meters.

Today, the Dakar caravan will head south again towards the Republic of Argentina. Stage 7 will include 469 timed kilometers, with a race section in Bolivia, a neutralization zone up to La Quiaca, Argentina, and a final competitive section before the last day in Salta, where the pilots will rest on Sunday.


Stage 6 Trucks

1. Stacey (NLD), MAN – 2:55:35
2. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – plus 7 seconds
3. Versluis (NLD), MAN – plus 1 minute 15 seconds
4. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 2 minutes 11 seconds
5. Sotnikov (RUS), Kamaz – plus 2 minutes 21 seconds
9. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 4 minute 26 seconds
13. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 1 minute 1 second
15. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 11 minutes 59 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out


General Classification Trucks

1. Stacey (NLD), MAN – 17:05:09
2. Versluis (NLD), MAN – plus 59 seconds
3. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 4 minutes 5 seconds
4. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – plus 5 minutes 36 seconds
5. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 12 minutes 6 seconds
8. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 22 minute 08 second
12. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 1 hour 10 minutes 7 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out


To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar
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1/10/2016

Dakar 2016, stage 7: Iveco closes in on the lead in the general classification

Federico Villagra's flat tire at the end of the stage and Ton Van Genugten’s decision to help replace it, left Iveco without a victory in the special. However, the brand moved up to 2nd place in the general thanks to the team's leader, the Dutchman Gerard de Rooy.

The Dakar Rally returned to Argentine soil in Stage 7, which ended on Saturday afternoon, prior to the day of rest in the city of Salta this Sunday. Part of the route was altered and cut short for Bikes and Quads due to heavy storms and a swell in the river at kilometer 350, but, fortunately, the Cars and Trucks were able to complete the entire timed special.

Federico Villagra once again appeared to be one of the top competitors, with great times in the first parts of yesterday’s special, which left from Uyuni, crossed the border to Argentina and ended in the city of Salta. The local pilot was in first or second place during almost the entire day, exchanging the lead with his teammate Ton van Genugten.

Everything made it look as though they would take 1^st and 2^nd place for Iveco in this stage, but with just a few kilometers to go, Federico Villagra's Iveco Powerstar got a flat tire and he had to stop. With great team spirit and sacrificing an almost sure win, Ton van Genugten stopped his Iveco Trakker to help Villagra and both were eventually able to reach the finish line. The Dutchman came in 9 minutes behind Eduard Nikolaev, the winner of the day, while the Argentine finished 13 minutes behind the leader and was bumped out of the Top 5 of a general classification for trucks that is very close.

Gerard de Rooy was Iveco's top pilot in stage 7, coming in 4^th place with his Powerstar. He managed to cross the finish line 2 minutes and 11 seconds after Nikolaev, even though he made a navigational error that cost him between 40 and 50 seconds. Thanks also to Stacey and Villagra's delays, the winner of the 2012 edition now holds 2nd place in the general, just 5 minutes and 31 seconds behind the leader, Pieter Versluis.

"It's great to finish the first week like this, especially since the first week included a lot of WRC sections, which aren't my strong point. I hope to have a good second week, with the dune stretches. I have a lot of faith in my truck," said Gerard de Rooy, the pilot of Iveco Powerstar #501.

Pep Vila had another good day in his ongoing fight to place within the Top 10. He completed today's stage 9 minutes and 16 seconds after the winner, putting him in 12th place in the general. He is now 1 hour 26 minutes and 7 seconds behind the leader, Versluis, but just 32 seconds from the Top 10.


Stage 7 – Trucks

1. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – 3:54:31
2. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 58 seconds
3. Versluis (NLD), MAN – plus 1 minute 17 seconds
4. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – plus 2 minutes 11 seconds
5. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 6 minutes 44 seconds
6. VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 9 minutes 8 seconds
10. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 13 minutes 46 seconds
13. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 18 minutes 16 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out


General Classification – Trucks

1. Versluis (NLD), MAN – 17:05:09
2. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – plus 5 minutes 31 seconds
3. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 10 minutes 48 seconds
4. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 10 minutes 54 seconds
5. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 11 minutes 28 seconds
6. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 15 minutes 35 seconds
7. VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 29 minutes 0 seconds
12. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 1 hour 26 minutes 7 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out


To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar​

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1/11/2016

Dakar 2016: a day of rest

​The first half of the 2016 Dakar Rally is over. Gerard de Rooy put Iveco in second place in the general, and now the crews are getting ready for the second week, which promises to be even tougher than the first.


On Sunday a day of rest in Salta for the Dakar pilots. The majority of the mechanics and pilots spent the day in their work spaces, getting their vehicles in shape for another week of racing on the most difficult roads in Argentina. At this point, 83% of the vehicles that left from Buenos Aires remain in the competition, including 51 of the 55 trucks that started the race.

The 2016 Dakar has already travelled through Bolivia, with the Iveco trucks very well positioned in the general classification. Gerard de Rooy, of the Team PETRONAS De Rooy Iveco, is currently in 2^nd place, just 5 minutes and 31 seconds behind the Dutchman, Pieter Versluis. After more than seven stages and 21 hours of competition, that difference is tiny and everything can change in the second part of the rally.

"We have a lot of faith in our vehicles, things have been going smoothly for us. We think the Kamazes are going to put up a fight next week, no one expected them to have problems." said Gerard de Rooy, referring to the Russian trucks that always battle it out for the top spots in the Dakar and whose star pilots, Mardeev and Nikolaev, are now in 3^rd and 4^th place, 10 minutes behind the leader" said Gerard de Rooy, referring to the Russian trucks that always battle it out for the top spots in the Dakar and whose star pilots, Mardeev and Nikolaev, are now in 3^rd and 4^th place, 10 minutes behind the leader.

Federico Villagra has been the surprise of the season in the first half of the Dakar in the Trucks category. The Argentine, at the wheel of the La Gloriosa Team De Rooy's Iveco Powerstar, has demonstrated a great ability to manage and adapt to large vehicles, taking the lead in the general classification after Stage 5. Because of a flat tire in the last few kilometers of yesterday's race, he is now in 6^th place, 15 minutes behind the leader, Versluis.

Ton van Genugten is getting the job done aboard Iveco Trakker #516 and is currently in 7^th place in the classification, behind Villagra. The Dutchman also lost time yesterday when he stopped to help his teammate, Villagra, with his flat tire. Had he not stopped, he would likely have won the stage.

Pep Vila is aiming to make it into the Top 10 by the end of the competition and still has one week ahead. He's in 12^th place but is just 32 minutes from the 10^th position. Unfortunately, the Czech pilot Aleš Loprais had to drop out of the race, because of mechanical failures in a connecting stretch, just when the Powerstar was in a strong position within the Top 10 in the race.


General Classification − Trucks

1. Versluis (NLD), MAN – 17:05:09
2. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO − plus 5 minutes 31 seconds
3. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 10 minutes 48 seconds
4. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 10 minutes 54 seconds
5. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 11 minutes 28 seconds
6. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 15 minutes 35 seconds
7. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 29 minutes 0 seconds
12. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 1 hour 26 minutes 7 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out


To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar

[kscarbel2]

1/12/2016

Gerard de Rooy victory in stage 8 puts Iveco in the lead in the Dakar

​ In the first special with a strong focus on navigation, Gerard de Rooy skillfully threaded his way through the dunes of northern Argentina and landed his Iveco Powerstar in first place in the general classification, after proving himself as the best competitor in yesterday's race.


After crossing the finish line of yesterday's stage, the pilots agreed that the course, which covered 534 exhausting kilometers and produced changes in the top spots in all four categories of the 2016 Dakar Rally, was "90% navigation".

Stage 8, connecting the cities of Salta and Belén, included the first sand and dune areas, which put the remaining teams' navigational and driving skills to the test. Gerard de Rooy got ahead in the Trucks category and claimed Iveco's second stage victory in this edition. This win puts the Dutchman, who won the Dakar in 2012, in the lead of the race. This is the second time that Iveco is in first place in the the Dakar 2016 general, after Federico Villagra dominated the entire lineup in Stage 5.

Gerard de Rooy crossed the finish line 2 minutes and 35 seconds ahead of the Russian pilot Eduard Nikolaev and 5 minutes and 23 seconds ahead of Andrey Karginov, both of whom were piloting Kamazes. Federico Villagra finished today in 6^th place and was the strongest Iveco competitor after De Rooy. The Argentine pilot is just 2 minutes away from the competition's Top 5.

Pieter Versluis's relatively slow progress and the great distance Gerard de Rooy was able to put between himself and the Dutch pilot today allowed Team PETRONAS De Rooy Iveco to make it to the top of the Dakar, but the team still has five stages ahead of it to defend this privileged position.

The Iveco Trakkers also had a good day, with Ton van Genugten finishing 17 minutes and 34 seconds behind De Rooy and Pep Vila ending the day 29 minutes and 15 seconds from the lead. The Spanish pilot took advantage of Iveco's winning streak and broke into the Top 10. That means that, now, 4 of the 10 best trucks in the Dakar are Iveco trucks.

Starting today, the Dakar caravan will once again begin the "marathon" stages, in which the competitors will not be allowed to receive help from their teams at the end of the day and the vehicles will be held for the night in a closed park. This may be a new filter in the competition, considering that the Belén-Belén loop, which begins this Tuesday, may be one of the most complex stages of the race.


Stage 8 Trucks

4:41:59-1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO
2. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 2 minutes 35 seconds
3. Karginov (RUS), Kamaz – plus 5 minutes 23 seconds
4. Valtr (CZE), Tatra – plus 13 minutes 38 seconds
5. Sotnikov (RUS), Kamaz – plus 13 minutes 47 seconds
6. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 14 minutes 35 seconds
9. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 17 minutes 34 seconds
11. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 29 minutes 15 seconds


General Classification Trucks

25:49:26-1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO
2. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 7 minutes 58 seconds
3. Versluis (NLD), MAN – plus 13 minutes 29 seconds
4. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 20 minutes 46 seconds
5. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 22 minutes 21 seconds
6. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 24 minutes 39 seconds
7. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 41 minutes 3 seconds
10. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 1 hour 49 minutes 51 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out


To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar

[staxx]

Need to get Mack to let me build a Dakar truck next and race it ! This would be a good start 👍🏁🏁

[staxx]

Need to get Mack to let me build a Dakar truck next and race it ! This would be a good start 👍🏁🏁

[kscarbel2]

1/13/2016

Dakar 2016: new stage victory for Iveco and double podium in the General

​

Gerard de Rooy solidified his first-place position in the 2016 Dakar after his second consecutive win in a shortened race, due to the high temperatures in the dunes of Catamarca.

ASO had scheduled a special for all four categories that would begin and end in the city of Belén, located in northeastern Argentina, and that would cover 285 timed kilometers. However, temperatures exceeding 50°C (122°F) forced the ASO to cancel the stretch beyond CP2, so the course was shortened to 178 kilometers.

In stage 9, Iveco was once again proclaimed the day's winner thanks to Gerard de Rooy, who –along with his teammates, Moi Tarrollardona and Darek Rodewald– is proving to be the best in the navigation stages. With yesterday's victory, the winner of the 2012 Dakar claimed his third triumph in this edition and put plenty of distance between himself and the current runner-up, the Russian pilot Eduard Nikolaev. The Kamaz pilot is now 27 minutes and 12 seconds behind De Rooy in the general after coming in 5^th in Stage 9.

"Brilliant victory, but it wasn't easy. It was really hot and the sand was very soft. Cutting the race short at CP2 was the right decision," said Gerard de Rooy, who added: "Everyone got stuck and got flat tires. The pressure in our tires was carefully managed by Darek and Moi didn't make any navigational mistakes".

Iveco also took second place in the Belén-Belén loop, with the Trakker piloted by Ton van Genugten. The other Dutchman in the fleet crossed the finish line just 3 minutes and 59 seconds behind Gerard de Rooy and climbed to 5th place in the general after nine stages in this 2016 Dakar.

Federico Villagra and his Iveco Powerstar finished the day in 4th place, 16 minutes and 45 seconds behind the winner, and thanks to the delays suffered by Hans Stacey, Pieter Versluis and Ariat Mardeev, he rose to 3rd place on the podium in overall time. The Argentine pilot had to stop a couple of times to help his co-pilot Jorge Pérez Companc deal with breakdowns caused by the conditions of this stage. After stage 9, Iveco now has two pilots in the Top 3 and three trucks in the Top 5 in the general.

Pep Vila had a more complicated day and lost start-up time before the first WP. The Spaniard was 40 minutes behind the leader at the first checkpoint and ended the day in 23^rd place, more than an hour behind the leaders. This also led him to fall in the general classification, where he is now in 13th place but still has a good chance of making it into the Top 10.

Stage 9 Trucks

1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO − 2:41:20
2. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 3 minutes 59 seconds
3. Karginov (RUS), Kamaz – plus 16 minutes 04 seconds
4. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 16 minutes 45 seconds
5. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 19 minutes 14 seconds
23. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 1:13:35

General Classification − Trucks

28:30:46-1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO
2. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 27 minutes 12 seconds
3. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 41 minutes 24 seconds
4. Versluis (NLD), MAN – plus 44 minutes 0 seconds
5. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 45 minutes 2 seconds
13. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 3 hours 3 minutes 26 seconds

To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar

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1/14/2016

Iveco and De Rooy are consolidating their lead in the Dakar Rally

Gerard de Rooy and his Iveco Powerstar had another great day in the one of the most difficult stage with sand and dunes of the 2016 Dakar and took advantage of a very tough navigational stage to gain an even stronger lead in the general.

The tenth special of the competition connected the cities of Belén and La Rioja, and included a must-have feature of every Dakar: dunes. In fact, the huge mountains of sand in Fiambalá crushed the hopes of many participants, but that wasn't the case with Iveco.

The stage got off to an interesting start, with the top 10 Cars, 5 Trucks and 5 Bikes from nine's race all together. This meant that De Rooy, Villagra and Van Genugten of Iveco, and Karginov and Nikolaev of Kamaz, began the race one hour before the rest.

De Rooy coped with this the best. Van Genugten and Villagra, who was winning the stage until the last waypoint, got lost in the last section and crossed the finish line 1 hour and 38 minutes and 52 minutes, respectively, behind their Dutch team leader. The Kamazes had even more trouble and that is why De Rooy had such a good day, gaining an even bigger lead in the general classification, in spite of having come in 2^nd position, only 2 minutes and 36 seconds behind the surprising leader, Pascal De Baar, who won today's stage with Renault Trucks.

The experienced Spanish pilot Pep Vila, aboard an Iveco Trakker, finished the day in 11^th place and didn't lose as much time as other pilots did, but came in 1 hour 11 minutes and 4 seconds behind the leader. In the general, he was able to climb up a couple positions and is getting closer and closer to the Top 10 in the general. After the tenth stage, Vila is currently in 11^th place, 15 minutes behind the competitor that is just ahead of him.

Finally, the Kamazes piloted by Nikolaev and Karginov, which took off together with the first three Iveco trucks, finished the Belén-La Rioja stretch more than 3 hours and 30 minutes behind Gerard de Rooy and lost all chances of victory.

Gerard de Rooy is now way ahead in the general, with a 1 hour 15 minute and 19 second lead over his closest rival, the Russian pilot Airat Mardeev, who is driving a Kamaz.

Villagra is now the second Iveco pilot on the podium, and Ton van Genugten, currently in 5th place, brought another Iveco truck into the Top 5, just behind Hans Stacey and his MAN.

Stage 10 Trucks

1. De Baar (NLD), Renault Trucks – 4:51:41
plus 2 minutes 36 seconds-2. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO
3. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 26 minutes 6 seconds
4. Kolomy (CZE), Tatra - plus 26 minutes 25 seconds
5. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 27 minutes 25 seconds
9. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 53 minutes 59 seconds
11. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 1 hour 11 minutes 4 seconds
15. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 1 hour 34 minutes 29 seconds

General Classification − Trucks

1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO − 33:25:03
2. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 1 hour 15 minutes 19 seconds
3. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 1 hour 32 minutes 47 seconds
4. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 1 hour 48 minutes 57 seconds
5. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 2 hours 16 minutes 55 seconds
11. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 4 hours 11 minutes 54 seconds
- ALEŠ LOPRAIS (CZE), IVECO – dropped out

To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar.

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1/15/2016

Dakar 2016: Iveco and De Rooy take yet another step towards victory

​During a special stage at very high temperatures between La Rioja and San Juan, the Dakar caravan continues to move towards its final destination in Rosario, with Iveco holding onto a big difference in the general classification.

Another day at the Dakar under temperatures above 40 C (104 F). The Bikes and Quads race was cut short, but Cars and Trucks moved on. Some of them are fitted with AC equipment, but others are not, and they are the true heroes of these hot past days.

Gerard de Rooy is leading the Trucks general classification. He started off the day 1 hour and 15 minutes ahead of the Russian Kamaz pilot, Airat Mardeev, and his goal was to reach the finish line without losing much time over his main competitor. And that's exactly what he did. In fact, after winning three stages since the start of the Rally and having established such big differences, he no longer needs to put his foot down if he feels that arriving close to his rivals is enough.

Yesterday Mardeev drove only 5 minutes 58 seconds faster than De Rooy, thus bringing the lead in the general down from 1 hour 15 minutes 19 seconds down to 1 hour 09 minutes 21 seconds, with only two more stages to go. In turn, and despite having lost quite some time today, Federico Villagra’s Iveco Powerstar has further consolidated its 3rd position on the podium. One of this Dakar’s revelations is 1 hour 45 minutes 45 seconds from the lead with a 22 minute-and- 57-second lead over Ton van Genugten, now standing 4th in the general.

The Dutch pilot, another new member on Team de Rooy at the wheel of an Iveco Trakker, continues to show a great performance making steady progress across Argentinean territory. Van Genugten used Hans Stacey's delay and his Trakker's power to climb up to 4th position, thus placing three Iveco trucks among the Top 4 after adding the time results of all 11 stages.

In turn, Pep Vila remains focused on his goal to reach the Top 10 and is only one position behind to make it. His main rivals are Dmitry Sotnikov (10th, Kamaz) and Jaroslav Valtr (9^th, Tatra). The Spaniard, who is participating in his twelfth Dakar, today finished 35 minutes 28 seconds from the lead, standing 11 minutes away from the Top 10 in the general.

The 2016 Dakar is only two stages away from its end. Today the trucks will compete along a timed section of 267 kilometers, plus a 600 km connecting section (San Juan – Villa Carlos Paz). They will be arriving in Rosario on Saturday after 180 km of competition and almost 540 km of connecting section.


Stage 11 − Trucks

1. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz – 5:31:37
2. Versluis (NLD), MAN – plus 5 minutes 02 seconds
3. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 5 minutes 36 seconds
4. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 7 minutes 51 seconds
5. Sotnikov (RUS), Kamaz – plus 9 minutes 38 seconds
6. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – plus 13 minutes 49 seconds
9. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 26 minutes 47 seconds
12. PEP VILA (ESP), IVECO – plus 35 minutes 28 seconds


General Classification − Trucks

1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO – 39:10:29
2. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 1 hour 09 minutes 21 seconds
3. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 1 hour 45 minutes 45 seconds
4. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 2 hours 08 minutes 42 seconds
5. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 2 hours 31 minutes 03 seconds
11. PEP VILA (ESP), IVECO – plus 4 hours 33 minutes 33 seconds

To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar.

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1/16/2016

Iveco and De Rooy entered the final stretch of the Dakar with a wide lead

Just one day from the end of the 2016 Dakar Rally, Gerard de Rooy is maintaining a lead in the general classification with his Iveco Powerstar and will give his all in the last 180 kilometers to be crowned champion for the second time.

Stage 12 of the most difficult rally race in the world was held yesterday and Iveco made it to the podium once again. Federico Villagra landed the brand in second place, just 3 minutes and 14 seconds behind the winner, Pieter Versluis, in a Trucks special covering 267 timed kilometers. With this outcome, Federico Villagra, a first-timer in the Trucks category of The Dakar, is closing in on the third step of the podium in the general.

Gerard de Rooy continues racking up kilometers without any issues and strengthening his chances of winning The Dakar a second time, the first time being in 2012. The Dutchman was able to finish the day just 5 minutes and 24 seconds behind the leader, putting him in 5^th place. He was even able to gain a few minutes on Mardeev in the general.

Another positive takeaway from Stage 12, which went from San Juan to Villa Carlos Paz, was Spanish pilot Pep Vila's performance with his Iveco Trakker, putting him in 11th place, 10 minutes and 46 seconds behind Versluis. This result puts him in the Top 10, just what the experienced pilot from Catalonia was hoping for, with just one special to go.

Ton van Genugten lost time at the beginning of today's special, but he did a great job of making up for it, as was his custom in this Dakar, with a fast-moving pace in the other Iveco Trakker. Van Genugten is still 4^th in the general and, if De Rooy and Villagra are able to hang on to their 1st and 3rd place spots, he might just give Iveco the chance to put three of its trucks in the Rally's Top 4.

The goal for Iveco today is to set a steady pace with their vehicles in the remaining 180 kilometers. De Rooy is ahead of Mardeev by 1 hour 13 minutes and 10 seconds. Villagra is more than 30 minutes ahead of Van Genugten, who is currently in third, but the Dutchman had better watch outfor Hans Stacey, who is only 11 minutes behind him. Pep Villa will have to do the same with Artur Ardavichus, who is 20 minutes behind him; both are fighting for the last place within the Top 10.

The last special of the 2016 Dakar will be held today between the cities of Villa Carlos Paz and Rosario, where the winners will be met with a classic podium ceremony and thousands of fans cheering on the heroes that made it to the end of the world's most difficult race.


Stage 12 − Trucks

1. Versluis (NLD), MAN – 3:14:06
2. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 3 minutes 14 seconds
3. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 3 minutes 18 seconds
4. Valtr (CZE), Tatra – plus 5 minutes 1 second
5. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO − plus 5 minutes 24 seconds
11. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 10 minutes 46 seconds
12. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 13 minutes 52 seconds


General Classification − Trucks

1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO 42:29:59
2. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz – plus 1 hour 13 minutes 10 seconds
3. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO – plus 1 hour 43 minutes 45 seconds
4. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO – plus 2 hours 17 minutes 10 seconds
5. Stacey (NLD), MAN – plus 2 hours 28 minutes 57 seconds
10. PEP VILA (SPA), IVECO – plus 4 hours 38 minutes 55 seconds​

To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar.

[kscarbel2]

1/16/2016

After Eurocargo “International Truck of the Year 2016” and Magelys “International Coach of the Year 2016”, Iveco triumphs in 2016 Dakar Rally

Three Iveco trucks in the Top 5: outstanding results for the Iveco pilots. The Dutch pilot Gerard de Rooy, in his Iveco Powerstar, triumphs in one of the toughest editions in the Dakar history.

Iveco conquers the top of the podium in the Dakar 2016. Gerard De Rooy, leader of Team PETRONAS De Rooy Iveco, won the 2016 edition of the most competitive rally race in the world. His performance over the thirteen stages showed once again the pilot’s outstanding driving and navigation skills and confirmed the Iveco Powerstar’s qualities. Iveco dominated one of the most competitive Dakar ever with five different truck brands in the Top 10.

Pierre Lahutte, Iveco Brand President commented: “Iveco’s vehicles triumph in the 2016 edition of the Dakar, with a resounding success and recognition, after the Eurocargo “International Truck of the Year 2016” and Magelys “International Coach of the Year 2016” titles. Iveco puts the excellent reliability of its trucks on the trails of the Dakar rally, enabling the team’s outstanding pilots to give their best performance in the race. I would like to thank Gerard De Rooy, Federico Villagra, Anton Van Genugten, Pep Vila and Ales Loprais and their remarkable teams for the determination and drive they have shown.”

This is De Rooy’s second victory in the Dakar’s Truck category. At the end of the competition, the Dutch champion dedicated his victory to his Belgian navigator, Jurgen Damen, who passed away last year.

On the podium in third place, Federico Villagra, “El Coyote”, is the revelation of this edition. The Argentinian pilot, in his Iveco Powerstar, was followed by millions of local fans, in a market where Iveco is the leader.

Ton Van Genugten finished fifth in his Trakker. He is the other great revelation of the 2016 Dakar: while he was one of two quick service trucks supporting the Team’s lead pilots – De Rooy, Villagra and Loprais – he succeeded in staying ahead of the other leading competitors and crossing the line in 5^th place, missing a stage win only because he stopped to support his Team leaders, demonstrating the wonderful team spirit of the Iveco team.

Spaniard Pep Vila, behind the wheel of another Iveco Trakker, took tenth place. The expert Spanish pilot, now at his 6th Dakar with Iveco and 5th with Team De Rooy, fought until the end to finish in the Top Ten.

The Dakar race has also been a great opportunity for Iveco to highlight the performance of its engines: the Iveco Cursor 13 engines - manufactured in Bourbon Lancy, France and specifically prepared for the race by FPT Industrial at its R&D centre in Arbon, Switzerland – known for their performance and durability, powered Iveco’s latest success in the rally.

The 2016 edition with its 9,000km South American route was perfect to showcase the Iveco trucks’ versatility and strength.


FINAL RANKING – TRUCKS

1. GERARD DE ROOY (NLD), IVECO
Co-pilot: MOI TORRALLARDONA (E)
Mechanic: DAREK RODEWALD (PL)
2. Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz
3. FEDERICO VILLAGRA (ARG), IVECO
Co-pilot: JORGE PEREZ COMPANC (ARG)
Mechanic: MEMI ANDRES (ARG)
4. Stacey (NLD), MAN
5. TON VAN GENUGTEN (NLD), IVECO
Co-pilot: ANTON VAN LIMPT (NLD)
Mechanic: PETER VAN EERD (NLD)
6. De Baar (NDL), Renault Trucks
7. Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz
8. Valtr (CZE), Tatra
9. Versluis (NLD), MAN
10. PEP VILA (E), IVECO
Co-pilot: XAVI COLOME ROQUETA (E)
Mechanic: MARC TORRES SALA (E)
11. Ardavichus (KAZ), Tatra
12. Van del Heuvel (NDL), Scania


Dropped out in Stage 5:

ALES LOPRAIS (CZ)
Co-pilot: FERRAN ALCAYNA MARCO (E)
Mechanic: BERNARDUS DER KINDEREN (NL)

To learn more about Iveco's teams and vehicles and to follow Iveco day-by-day throughout the race, visit www.iveco.com/dakar.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8MYV8vy-Uo

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