242 cars are start Saturday morning under a little drizzle, for the 55th edition of the Legend Boucles de Spa. A rally that started badly with the neutralization of the first RT Wanne and the cancellation of the second sector of Basse-Bodeux after the passage of seven competitors following by the ambulance intervention to rescue a spectator victim of a heart attack. Meanwhile, the Citroën of the world vice-champion Mikko Hirvonen gave up with a fuel tank triggering a spectacular fire.
The first of a long series of dropouts fast enough decimating the pack. Thus was losing consecutively the Volkswagen Golf of Kevin Abbring, the Audi Quattro of Bruno Thiry, the Opel of Marc Timmers, the Citroë Visa of Yves Matton, the Opel Ascona of Per-Gunnar Andersson and the Audi Quattro of André Lotterer brillant third early in the race.
No more chance for the local hero Thierry Neuville. Already victim of a broken spool in the first RT, our ambassador was leading the race within two RT' before braking the clutch disc of his Ford Escort. The duel with François Duval will have lasted three stages. Upon the arrival of the RT7 Clémentine, François Duval settled in control of the race.
The driver of Cul-des-Sarts would lead relatively easily to nightfall. But after the correction of one of his first chronos, and with the return of the ice, the Porsche of Bernard Munster came back with great strides. A little more than two points from the final time of Stoumont, Big Bernie cut fog knife to sign the utlimate scratch. But the BMA driver ultimately failed to 63/100 of point of Dudu at the angels.
Second, Bernard Munster had the merit of maintaining suspense until the end. Winner last year, Jean-Pierre Van de Wauwer on Lancia Beta Monte Carlo, completed the podium with a little more than 73 penalty units. The Verviers was ahead of the Escort of another previous winner Stouf and the Opel Manta of the young Cédric Cherain.