Taklimakan Rally: Gelazninkas claims victory in third stage as Michek crashes

The Taklimakan Rally continued on Friday in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, featuring its third special stage.  

Early frontrunner Martin Michek of the Hoto Factory Racing Team encountered a setback when he crashed mid-stage, disrupting his rhythm and altering the dynamics of the title race in the motorcycle category.  

In contrast, his teammate, Arunas Gelazninkas, delivered a consistent performance over the 279.44-kilometer course, finishing first with a time of 3 hours, 32 minutes, and 52 seconds, heightening the competition within their team.

In the car division, which covered an even longer distance of 334.61 kilometers, Su Haotian and navigator Ma Wenke from the Gansu TV Chiyue Sports Racing Team clocked in the fastest time of 3 hours, 34 minutes, and 42 seconds.  

The rally will continue on Saturday with Stage 4, a 246-kilometer segment. Following the day's racing, the rally camp will relocate to Luopu County in Hotan Prefecture.