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As a result , Botturi was now just one minute behind Cerutti overall . Even though he would be forced to open the track tomorrow , he ’ d gained a certain advantage over his rival and friend .
The Harley Davidson Pan America of Pedrero suffered fuel pump problems during the stage forcing the Spaniard to find an alternative route to the dunes , it was a calculated move that saw the American bike penalised a few hours yet ensured it remained in the race .
By the end of the 390-kilometre eighth special stage between Chami and Amodjar , there was no doubt that all the terrain and difficulties that could be found in Africa were on display , in the heart of the splendid Mauritanian desert landscape and in unseasonably high temperatures . Despite all this , the leaders held up well meaning few changes to the standings .
Once again the top three riders in the overall classification crossed the finish line together . Botturi was the first to set off from Chami but crashed for the first time in a small strip of dunes after ten kilometres . By the time he had put his Yamaha back on its wheels , the Italian saw the Aprilia of his compatriot Cerutti , who had started two minutes behind , catch up . The two men then rode together , even crashing at exactly the same time , to the delight of the photographers on site .
The coordinated tumbles saw Tarres back with the two leaders at kilometre fifty , despite having started eight minutes behind . The three then covered the entire course without letting up too much . In the end , Tarres won his second special stage with a lead of almost six minutes over Cerutti and almost another two minutes on to Botturi .
All the competitors were unanimous upon arriving at the finish line located on the runway of the Chinguetti airfield in saying that the nineth stage in the form of a loop around Amodjar was the most beautiful so far . But it was also the most difficult . Ninety kilometres of dunes and then varying terrain that was both hard on rider and machine , and all over 363 kilometres in blazing sunshine .
As a result , the gaps at the finish were quite large , and the rankings were shaken up several times , except at the top of the table .
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