After this Friday's leg, which joined the Llao-Llao Hotel with Alicurá, including 29 regularity tests in Circuito Chico, Los Girasoles del Limay, Alicura, Dina Huapi, and Cerro Catedral (in addition to two stamp controls and two time controls, one in Bariloche's Civic Center), and almost 300 km behind, the 1938 AC 16/80 Comp. Sport of the team Erejomovich-Llanos has 291.18 penalty points, 36.42 less than the 1926 Bugatti 35 A of the "Buga-Tina” team.
Serenity to overtake with utmost precision. This seems to be the key for the final classification of 1000 Millas Sport 2016. After the results of both the first and the second stages, it now goes down to the wire. Mental strength to control anxiety and get away with any difficulties along the way, will play a decisive role in everybody's aspirations.
"Calilo" Sielecki, winner in 2003 and 2006, runs only two races a year (one in Italy and this one in Patagonia) and still has an enviable accuracy to step on the pressure switch (allowing him to win the first stage).
The recently five-time champion of the specialty, Daniel Erejomovich, has consolidated the great supremacy shown throughout the season, when on the second day of the rally he came in first in the general classification.
Both of them are now in the Gold Book, but recently they've been left out of the big celebrations by a small margin. That's why Sielecki, who runs under the alias of "Buga", claims that "even though I am competitive, I come to Bariloche to have fun. I used to get ready to win. Being first after Stage 1 doesn't change it, but if I can win, I will.
To Erejemovich, even though winning in Patagonia is not life-changing, after last year's outcome (he lost by 19 penalty points) and a brilliant 2016, winning will no doubt serve to let the steam off.
In fact, 10 years after his second victory in the 1000 Millas, Sielecki states that “times have changed since then. To stay in the average 2.5 (one hundredth of a second) one needs a lot of training, and I'm in another place right now”.
In addition, even though the direct rivals would be Erejomovich and Fernando Sanchez Zinny, Sielecki did not discard “any other one joining us”.
That premonition came true, because both Alejandro López with the 1927 Delage DM6 and Lucas Argüelles, on board the Fiat 520 Baquet moved forward with the clear intent of challenging the champions. So much so, that Lopez, Sánchez Zinny, and Argüelles will fight for the third place with a mere 3.9 points.
With this scenario, both the victory and the podium will be defined based on the "emotional stability required by this activity", claims Sánchez Zinny. “Precision in overtakes is innate and largely depends on your mood that day”. Although Fernando, on board his 1927 Amilcar CGSS, with his performance he assures that "I'm going to defend the podium till the end, and if I can go a bit further, all the better".
Tomorrow, the third and last stage will take place. It will be 313 kilometers from the start line in Llao-Llao until the finish line in Arelauquen Polo (passing through Comarca Andina formed by Lago Puelo, El Bolsón, and Lago Escondido). During this stage, participants will need to go through an additional 25 regularity trials in Circuito Chico, El Foyel, Kartodromo Empresa Lago Escondido and Arelauquen. Cars will regroup at noon at Hogar de La Empresa-Lago Escondido, which participates in 1000 Millas as part of its commitment with sports, and promotion of an area with a stunning landscape.