Stage 3

Tuesday 14 February 20232 - Stage 3 : Malbuisson - Arbent - Malbuisson - 288 KM with 11 ZR

 

Timing Stage 3 - N&G 2023:Where to see the competitors on Tuesday 14 February 2023?

Press Release Stage 3

Additive Nr.2

​Hours of Starts Stage 4: Morning start from Malbuisson - Afternoon Labergement lunch-out


   

-  Results  Stage 3 - Category 4 Wheels

    ZR17   ZR18   ZR19    ZR20   ZR21    ZR22   ZR23   ZR24    ZR25   ZR26   ZR27

   General Results after Stage 3 - Category 4 Wheels

 

- Results Stage 3 - Category Classic

   ZR17   ZR18   ZR19    ZR20   ZR21    ZR22   ZR23   ZR24    ZR25   ZR26   ZR27

 General Results after Stage 3 - Category 4 Wheels

 

- Results Stage 3 - Category Hiking


The Jura in black and white


The 3rd stage, the longest of this 68th Neige et Glace Rally, led the crews to the depths of the Jura, land of cross-country skiing and infinite wilderness. Between a tarmac heated by the generous sunshine and snowy and icy undergrowth, the competitors had to manage their tyres and above all, vary their driving style with changing grip. On the eve of the last stage, traced in a loop around Malbuisson, the race seems to be won for Arnaud and Adeline Euvrard (Subaru Imprezza n°1) who literally fly over the 4x4 category. On the other hand, as since the first ZR of this event, the fight for the victory in the Historic category is once again exciting and undecided until the end with only 4 tenths of a point between the first two of the classification!


A rose for every women. A nice surprise for the ladies driving as a couple on the 68th Snow and Ice Rally. This morning, each of them received a red rose from the organization on the occasion of Valentine's Day. 

The Stratos in the hole. Enthusiasm and ice do not mix well, especially when driving a Lancia Stratos. Philippe Vandromme and Frédéric Vivier learned this the hard way during the second ZR of the morning. In the middle of a recovery following a right-angle turn, the beautiful Italian car rebelled, swinging its magnificent rear axle and planting its nose in the ditch along the snow-covered road, but also with a good carpet of ice... It took a few strokes of the straps and the rushes of the glorious Lancia to get out of this bad situation.

The wailing wall. Several crews broke out in a cold sweat on the ZR18 on a dizzying climb. This 'ice trap' quickly turned into a wailing wall for some crews, who lost precious seconds and a lot of nerve impulses...

Cylinder head gasket for the Ford Escort. Bad news for Patrice Sidrac and Alain Cammas, forced to give up the start of this 3rd stage, their Ford Escort MKII having shown signs of weakness following a problem with the head gasket.

650.00 bottles per year. The stop in front of the Distillerie Guy, partner of the event, allowed the crews of the 68th Snow and Ice Rally to discover one of the flagship products of this family business, one of the only ones to perpetuate for more than a century the tradition of fruity alcohols that allowed absinthe to survive the prohibition. This year it was the Vert Sapin, a fir bud liqueur from the Haut Doubs, that the competitors embarked on for a tasting, with moderation in the evening, once they had reached the Malbuisson stage.

The long quiet river for Euvrard in 4X4. For Arnaud and Adeline Euvrard (Subaru Imprezza n°1) this 68th edition of the Snow and Ice Rally is like a long quiet river. Winners of their 3rd stage in a row, the title holders are literally reigning supreme among the 4X4s. Before the final stage, the couple from Epinal, have a 246 point lead over Daniel Georges and Laurent Perquin (BMW 325 IX n°6), their closest pursuers.

Sanseigne in Historic for 4 tenths ! The fight was once again fierce in the Historic category, throughout this 3rd stage. Romuald Sanseigne and Florin Fornasier (Fiat Cinquecento n°20) started this morning 1,2 points behind the Belgian duo Van Dirk Rompuy/Jens Vanoverschelde (Porsche 914/6 n°12) and won the stage for 6 tenths of a point ahead of the Volvo Amazon n°14 of the Belgians Ansiaux and Javaux. The young Frenchmen, double winners in the last two editions, take the lead of the event for only 4 tenths of points ahead of Van Rompuy! Third in the general standings and still generous in their efforts, Johnny Delhez and Yves Noelanders (Ford Escort n°22) remain on the third step of the provisional podium, less than ten points behind the leaders.

 
Rochejean as a judge of peace. Traditionally drawn around Malbuisson, the rally's HQ, this 4th and final stage of the 68th Neige et Glace Rally will be 243 kilometers long. With 12 ZR on the menu and a passage at the beginning of the afternoon in Rochejean, the real judge of peace of the rally: the competitors will join Malbuisson at 3.00 pm for the final podium before the evening prize-giving ceremony in the village hall in front of the Hotel Le Lac.


INTERVIEWS

Guino Kenis (BMW 325i/Bel): "It was certainly a better day than yesterday. Despite a puncture and a wheel change that made me lose some feeling, I think we are doing much better on this third stage. Unless there is a big incident for the leaders, I doubt that we will be able to join the fight for the victory."
Serge Garosi (Mazda RX2/Fra): "The event is great and perfectly laid out. With my co-driver Jean-Marc Piret everything is going well. There are some differences of expression between Belgium and France, especially the famous 'quitter gauche' that I didn't know. Now I finally know what nonante and septante mean!"

Yves Deflandre (Porsche 911/Bel): "We were finally able to solve our distance calculation problem that cost us a few dozen points in the first two stages. I think we should be much better at the end of this stage. But as usual, everything will be decided tomorrow, especially in Rochejean!"