Vota ArticoloThe close collaboration between Eurosport Events, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, and Cyprus Automobile Association, the organiser of the FxPro Cypus Rally, has already resulted in several benefits. Not only has it delivered four hours of live television coverage of the season finale and led to the creation of the innovative Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally, which will get a further two hours of live TV coverage, the annual IRC Awards Ceremony will take place on the island, while Cypriot driver Nicos Thomas has been handed a dream drive in a Peugeot 207 Super 2000. Thomas, who as a 20-year-old won the Cyprus Rally in 2008, is one of the country's brightest rallying prospects, winning two of the four rallies he has tackled so far this season. His drive on his home round of the IRC is part of the mutual package of benefits generated by the successful partnership between Eurosport Events and the CAA, which was established earlier this year. "Getting an opportunity to drive a Super 2000 car is like a dream come true for me," said Thomas, now 23. "It will be my first time driving a Super 2000 car and, at the moment, there is a lot to get used to but I am very excited and very keen to learn as much as I can." Thomas, whose car will be prepared by the Italian Munaretto squad, is no stranger to international competition having contested several rounds of the World Rally Championship in 2009 when he was nominated as one of the five Pirelli Star Drivers. However, a lack of finance has restricted him to only a handful of appearances this year with his last event taking place in the summer. While he has considerable experience of the demanding Cypriot stages, he is prepared for a tough challenge on the event, which got underway with a superspecial stage in Limassol last night (Thursday 4 November). "It's going to be difficult because the Super 2000 car requires a completely different driving philosophy," said Thomas. "The Group N Lancer I normally drive is more like a car for gentlemen. With the Super 2000 car you really have to keep the revs high at all times. It makes it fun to drive even though it is not easy to adapt to it. With some stages using Tarmac, the important thing will be to not make mistakes on gravel tyres when you don't have the same grip." After completing a test in Cyprus on Monday, Thomas is under no illusions that a points' finish will be hard to come by against a competitive field of rival drivers. "If I finish in the top five then it will be like a party," said Thomas. "I have in the back of my mind how got it could be to finish so high up but I know it will be very difficult." The FxPro Cypus Rally is the 12th and final round of the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge and runs from 4-6 November. The following day, Sunday 7 November, the bulk of the crews taking part on the event will contest the inaugural Love Cyprus Golden Stage Rally, which features a single 25-kilometre mixed-surface stage run twice.
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