Freddy Loix has won Barum Czech Rally Zlín following a dramatic climax to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge qualifier.
Loix, who has now won on each of his three starts in the series this year, began the final stage 3.8s in front of Bryan Bouffier.
But when Bouffier was forced to stop to reattach a hose in his Peugeot’s engine after it became dislodged going over a compression, Loix was able to cruise to victory with Juho Hänninen second.
Pavel Valoušek won the stage and inherited third place when Kris Meeke was slowed by a differential glitch. The Czech’s result ensured a podium lockout for the Škoda marque.
Overall positions after SS17:
| Pos. | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Loix Freddy / Miclotte Fréderic | Škoda Fabia S2000 | 2h31m31.0s |
| 02 | Hänninen Juho / Markkula Mikko | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +25.0s |
| 03 | Valoušek Pavel / Hrůza Zdeněk | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +1m20.2s |
| 04 | Meeke Kris / Nagle Paul | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +1m57.6s |
| 05 | Mikkelsen Andreas / Floene Ola | Ford Fiesta S2000 | +2m33.9s |
| 06 | Pech Václav / Uhel Petr | Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX | +3m07.4s |
| 07 | Wilks Guy / Pugh Phil | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +3m41.1s |
| 08 | Tarabus Jaromír / Trunkát Daniel | Ford Fiesta S2000 | +5m18.0s |
| 09 | Kostka Tomáš / Houšť Vít | Škoda Fabia S2000 | +6m13.1s |
| 10 | Bouffier Bryan / Panseri Xavier | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +6m52.2s |
| 11 | Wittmann Franz / Wicha Klaus | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +7m52.2s |
| 12 | Tlusťák Antonín / Škaloud Jan | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +7m55.3s |
| 13 | Peták Josef / Benešová Alena | Peugeot 207 S2000 | +8m48.1s |
| 14 | Jakeš Miroslav / Jakeš Tomáš | Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX | +10m07.9s |
| 15 | Arazim Václav / Gál Julius | Mitsubishi Lancer EVO IX | +10m27.8s |