Dakar-Cairo: Day 4

Cycle News Staff | January 9, 2000

Spaniard Juan Roma continued his dominance in the Dakar-Cairo Rally, putting over 10 more minutes on his main rival Richard Sainct during the fourth stage of the race. The KTM rider now leads the BMW star by almost 23 minutes.

“I honestly wasn’t riding flat out,” Roma said. “On the fast sections I’d let the bike go up to 173 kph [107 mph]and then back off because I didn’t want to damage the engine.”

Things weren’t as good for the rest of the KTM team as Jordi Arcarons went out yesterday with engine problems and Fabrizio Meoni crashed today, injuring his shoulder.

American Jimmy Lewis and his factory BMW are currently seventh overall.