Demanding, exciting - spectacular: motorsport fans and over 130 teams from all over Europe braved the capricious weather and experienced two exciting days of motorsport at the 58th ADAC KNAUS TABBERT 3 STÄDTE RALLYE. After 168.5 kilometres and 14 special stages in the Czech Republic, Austria and Bavaria, Erik Cais and co-driver Igor Bacigàl set the groundwork for victory in his home country on Friday - and were unbeatable today in continuous rain. The Czech duo came to the finish at the Jägerbild Nordic Centre with a lead of 56.1 seconds. Second place was taken by Philip Geipel and Katrin Becker-Brugger, who finished the rally 0.5 seconds ahead of the Bavarian duo Dominik Dinkel and Pirmin Winklhofer - and thus snatched the title in the German Rally Championship (DRM) from fifth-placed Marijan Griebel and co-driver Tobias Braun.
"It' s just unbelievable, we can't believe all this, I could just cry from happiness and joy. Thanks to everyone!", Geipel struggled to keep his cool and enjoyed the cheers of the fans. Proud and happy was also the winner Erik Cais: "To win here at this 3 country rally is fantastic and we are very proud. It was a tough fight against the clock and the weather on very difficult tracks," said the 23-year-old 3 City Champion, who thus replaced Austrian Simon Wagner. Who was still within striking distance until his home special stage 10 in Peilstein, before he retired. And so the Bavarians Dinkel and Winkelhofer completed the podium in third place: "It was extremely difficult today in this rain - and we really wanted to finish. We are mega happy!
For the first time, the traditional 3 Städte Rallye was held in the Czech Republic in addition to the special stages in Bavaria and Austria. "We have shown at this cross-border event that motorsport knows no borders," emphasised Fritz Schadeck, chairman of the organising committee from ADAC Südbayern. "We would like to thank all those involved who made this event possible!" This year, the rally centre, service area and the Bavarian tracks were located in the territory of the districts of Freyung-Grafenau and Passau. District Administrator Sebastian Gruber (FRG) and Deputy District Administrator Hans Koller (PA) took a look at the event for themselves as co-drivers in the rally taxi, as did Breitenberg Mayor Adolf Barth, on whose territory a special stage took place. In Wegscheid, at the rally centre of the fully electric ADAC Opel eRally Cup, Sonnen's mayor Klaus Weidinger was a guest. The second Bavarian special stage led through his community.
World Championship in the region from 2023? Now the fans and those responsible are turning their eyes towards the FIA, the World Automobile Federation. Because the ADAC, together with the car club from the Czech Republic and the AMF from Austria, are planning to to organise a cross-border round of the World Rally Championship with a rally centre in Passau in autumn 2023. rally centre in Passau.
The three associations have submitted an innovative three-country concept for a sustainable event to the WRC promoter. event to the WRC promoter, which aims to connect the neighbouring countries with a major with a major international sporting event. The three federations are now hoping for a positive FIA and inclusion in the 2023 WRC calendar, which will be published in the middle of this week.
