Hänninen, leader of the Intercontinental rally challenge, defended his last year's triumph at Mladá Boleslav. Pavel Valoušek, also in a Fabia Super 2000, after a great start to the competition had an accident during the penultimate speed trials of the second day.
"I had to fight hard for victory, because the speed trials were very diverse. I preferred the long Sunday sections. These assisted me in my win. I am still learning on asphalt. But with each kilometre I get better and better. I regarded the competition as preparation for August's Barum rally, which is part of the IRC Championship, even though the asphalt there is faster and less predictable,“ said Juho Hänninen at the end of the competition.
The driver of the Škoda Motorsport company team laid the foundations for victory during Saturday's stage, when he won three measured sections and enjoyed a slight lead over Pavel Valoušek. On Sunday the Finn notched up the best time on four circuits and with the fifth viewer circuit at the autodrome in Sosnov had eight fastest times. In a flash Finn fought off the attack launched by the Frenchman Bryan Bouffier in a Peugeot 207 S2000, who won the last of Saturday's measured sections and the first of Sunday's. He dominated in the twelfth and thirteenth measured section, and sealed victory in the last trial of the competition. He beat the leading man of the Polish championship, which includes this year's Bohemia Rally, by a total of twenty seconds.
As on Saturday, the drivers were not helped on Sunday by the scorching heat, but the furnace did nothing to slow down their incredible speed. Unfortunately, the Škoda Delimax team driver and leader of the preliminary rankings of the Czech championship, Pavel Valoušek, who had won four speed trials on Saturday in a Fabia Super 2000, was a victim of the heat. During the course of the second stage of Sunday he did battle with Bouffier for second place. While chasing down seconds he made an error and had to withdraw from the competition while in third place.
Pavel Valoušek did not hide his disappointment: “A stupid error after a great start. I had a fantastically prepared car and everything was going well until the fatal moment. I apologise to the entire team. There is nothing for it but to learn and prepare myself to the maximum for the next competition. I have to keep working word. I have said this from the start and it is now doubly true.“
The next event in the Škoda Motorsport works team programme will be a rally in the Azores on 15 –17 July 2010. The Škoda Delimax crew of Pavel Valoušek and Zdeněk Hrůza will again be on show to the domestic public at August's Barum Rally.
Final results of the Rally Bohemia: 1. Hänninen, Markkula (Finland, Škoda Fabia S2000) 2:01:35,4 min., 2. Bouffier, Panseri (France, Peugeot 207 S2000) +20,2, 3. Prokop, Tománek (ČR, Ford Fiesta S2000) +2:00,3 min., 4. Kresta, Gross (CR, Peugeot 207 S2000) +2:16,5, 5. Pech, Uhel ČR, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) +4:03,2, 6. Solowow, Baran (Poland, Ford Fiesta S2000) +4:23,5, 7. Kajetanvowicz, Baran (Poland, Subaru Impreza Sti) +4:56,9, 8. Tarabus, Trunkát (CR, Škoda Fabia S2000) +5:01,0.