Rokas Baciuška: “The fight will be in the last days”

Dakar 2023 | Stage 11 | SHUBAYTAH > SHUBAYTAH
January 12 ^th 2023 - 16:14 [GMT + 3]

 Though ill on finishing the stage between Haradh and Shaybah, Rokas Baciuška got back on his feet to win the first part of the marathon stage in the Empty Quarter. As a result, the Lithuanian has strengthened his position as general rankings leader, even if Eryk Goczał is just less than five minutes behind him.

 “Today I had a proper breakfast and then I took a pill against sickness. Forty minutes before the stage, I took a second pill. Today I feel good because today we didn’t have a windscreen and more fresh air. It was easier. Today was a fun day. We had big dunes. I saw some cars got stuck, because one or two parts were huge dunes. You needed to find a good way, but we found it by going round a little bit, which I think was fastest. We’re at the finishing line and we’re happy to be at the marathon bivouac. Tomorrow we will see our mechanics at the end and I hope we can bring back the car in one piece. I think some opponents hand problems, but that’s the race. If you try to push you can have a problem, but if you cannot push you lose time. You need to find a middle way. Three days’ more, the finish is getting closer, closer and closer and the fight will be in the last days, like last year. Remember, I gained 6 to 8 minutes from fourth to third position. We will see. I hope that we can enjoy the stages and that we can fight for victory”.