Evans fends off resurgent Tidemand in Sweden WRC 2
Swede pressures Sweden support category leader
Evans nets back-to-back WRC 2 wins in Sweden
Elfyn Evans claimed his second straight WRC 2 victory at Rally Sweden on Sunday after defeating a pack of eager Nordic drivers on home ground.
In snow and ice conditions that favoured the locals, the Welshman was headed only briefly in Friday's opening leg before taking a lead he retained through to the Karlstad finish after 12 speed tests and 226.48km.
Driving a Ford Fiesta R5, Evans held off a charging Pontus Tidemand to win by 14.7sec. Tidemand lost 50sec in the opening day with a broken driveshaft on his Skoda Fabia R5, but despite a determined recovery, the Swede was unable to reel in Evans.
"We knew this would be a big challenge. It's only my third ever snow rally and normally it has taken me quite a while to settle. It was a bit like that on Friday morning but we got up to speed quicker than normal and by the end of the day we had a decent lead. It was about managing it from there," said Evans.
Anders Grøndal was on course for the final podium place, but Finland's Esapekka Lappi blasted through the rally-closing Power Stage 10.8sec quicker than the Norwegian to snatch third by 2.1sec in a Fabia R5. Lappi recovered from 11th after sliding off the road on Friday.
Eyvind Brynildsen overcame early problems to finish fifth while Ole Christian Veiby snatched sixth from Emil Bergqvist in the final stage on his debut in a four-wheel drive car.
The only man to head Evans was Fredrik Åhlin, but he was delayed by a puncture before retiring when he ripped a wheel off his car.
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