Greece Rally 2021 comes to an end with great success!
Results per day.
DAY 1
Day 1 and first race day, nothing hard, just so that the riders can get a feel of what is to be seen in the next few days.
Frist to finish the stage was the home town man #8 George STOGIANNOS with a time of 00:44’32”, 2nd to finish was #31 Robert PLARINA (NL) with KTM EXC 450 and third was #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK) with Husqvarna FE450.
Top 5:
1. #8 George STOGIANNOS (GR)
2. #31 Robert PLARINA (NL)
3. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
4. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
5. #200 Antonio PATRIZIO (IT)
DAY 2
Day 2 and that means a very long special stage and the hardest day to hit Greece Rally.
Weather conditions were sunny in the beginning, but heavy rain after noon, making the track mudding and fully wet! Not all the riders made it to the finish line… The water puddles, the navigation skills at Seli Ski Center and the difficult animal paths made the stage very demanding to body. So from the 5h49’ time for the 1st rider, the last one needed almost 10 hours to reach the end!
Fastest rider was #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT) and 2nd to finish the stage was #24 Michele CIRILLO and 3rd was #9 Jan ZATKO.
The first Greek to finish the stage was #8 George Stogianos with the local having all of Veria at his side.
Top 5:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
3. #9 Jan ZATKO (SK)
4. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
5. #4 Olli HYTONEN
Overall:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
3. #9 Jan ZATKO (SK)
4. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
5. #4 Olli HYTONEN
DAY 3
Day 3 was the longest stage of the Greece Rally week, up to 350kms, and up the Paiko mountain. The riders enjoyed a variety of different terrain ranging from deep forests abandoned tracks, hidden rocky passages and fast gravel roads.
The terrain didn’t stop the leader, as the Slovak #22 Robin LYNCH took first place with the Italian #4 Roberto BARBIERI oming in second and #24 Michele CIRILLO in third.
The 1st Greek to finish the stage was #8 George Stogianos
Top 5:
1. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
2. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
3. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
4. #37 Ralf MOLANDER (FI)
5. #4 Olli HYTONEN
Overall:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
3. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
4. #4 Olli HYTONEN (FI)
5. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
DAY 4
Day 4 see the riders get a change to relax before the long 5th stage.
The 4th day, was just 100kms, near the ancient place of Vergina, giving the opportunity to the riders to visit the Ancient site after the finish of the Special Stage. The light rain at the last kilometers, made the track more interesting, and the level difficulty higher.
The nice and easy stage seeing the Slovak #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT) taking first place with #22 Robin LYNCH (UK) coming in second and #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT) in third.
The 1st Greek to finish the stage was #8 George Stogianos
Top 5:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT
2. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
3. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
4. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
5. #4 Olli HYTONEN
Overall:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
3. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
4. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK) #4 Olli HYTONEN (FI)
5. #32 Olli HYTONEN (FI)
DAY 5
Day 5 and that means the longest special stage and the marathon day to hit Greece Rally.
Another nice and easy stage seeing the Italian #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT) taking first place with #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT) coming in second and #22 Robin LYNCH (UK) in third.
Top 5:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT
2. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
3. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
4. #35 Aleksandr GATIIATULIN (RU)Mark HURLSTON (UK)
5. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
Overall:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
3. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
4. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
5. #32 Olli HYTONEN (FI)
DAY 6
Days 6 brings to the riders another long day with 270 kms total and 217km of special stage 6 at Pieria and Velvedos.
The riders get the chance to pass through the Aliakmonas river then up to the mountain of Pieria and back down again for a refuel at Velvedos village. After the refuel the riders advance up to an altitude of 2024m to the Velvedos refuge. Laying down to Elatochori Ski Center and the deep forest of Pieria mountains, before the end at Sfikia Village with fingerfood and domestic “Raki” from the village’s residents.
First to finish the stage was #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT) and #200 Antonio PATRIZIO (IT) in second with #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT) filling up third place.
The 1st Greek to finish the stage was #8 George Stogianos (GR)
Top 5:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #200 Antonio PATRIZIO (IT)
3. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
4. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
5. #29 Bert VEENJE (NL)
Overall:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
3. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
4. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
5. #32 Olli HYTONEN (FI)
DAY 7
Stage 7 taking the riders to a demanding tour of the Seli Mountain, at Ski center 3-5 Pigadia, finishing the big Rally at the town of Naoussa.
After 1500 Rally kilometres, with mud, rain, dust, stones, the Greece Rally 2022 at Veria comes to the end!
First to finish the stage was once again #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT) also earning the 1st Overall place at Greece Rally 2022. Congratulations Roberto! Second to finish the stage was #22 Robin LYNCH (UK) and #32 Olli HYTONEN (FI) finishing in 3rd and 2nd overall.
Top 5:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
3. #32 Olli HYTONEN (FI)
4. #9 Jan ZATKO (UK)
5. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
Overall:
1. #4 Roberto BARBIERI (IT)
2. #24 Michele CIRILLO (IT)
3. #33 Mark HURLSTON (UK)
4. #22 Robin LYNCH (UK)
5. #32 Olli HYTONEN (FI)