Dakar 2014 - Official Event Coverage - thank you all, lurkers and posters!!!

Their skills are otherworldly.

From HRC


Joan Barreda 1st 03:47'03 TEAM HRC
This has been a really exceptional special, one like the Dakar has never seen before. Not only for the altitude but also for the hills and the steep slopes that we have had to endure. It was like a trial. In second gear, revved up, then stopping for breath before taking off again. A real trial run where you just had to try and not make any mistakes and keep up the concentration. The navigation was really tough and at no time did I really stop to see if I was on the right path. We crossed a few rivers at the start. I caught up with Chaleco and then Sam, who I saw had taken the wrong route. From then on I did the rest of the special on my own. In the final few kilometres on the way down I was able to open the throttle until the end. It really was a difficult one for everyone.

Helder Rodrigues 15th +37'36 TEAM HRC
A really difficult stage. I got lost and it took me a long time to get back on the right track. But I’m very happy to be back at the bivouac. Today I could have lost the race, but I’m still in with a shout in spite of dropping a few minutes.

Paulo Goncalves 52nd 2:13'56 TEAM HRC
I was up at an altitude of 4,500 metros with Sunderland and Grabham and we couldn’t find the right way. Grabham took a path which wasn’t the right one and we followed him. We lost loads of time looking for the right one. I realize that my Dakar is over. From now on I’ll be focused on helping out Joan Barreda.

Sam Sunderland 54th +2:28'06 TEAM HRC
For a while I opened the way, but I had a fall on a very steep slope. I lost a lot of time looking for the right route... at 4000 metres you get a bit disoriented. I found Gonçalves who was waiting for a helicopter to help Faria and we rode together. I fell several times as well as getting lost a lot. It’s an experience that we will have to learn from.



They are tough and Sam is no exception - no info back from him but this sounds like the toughest day (barring accidents) of his young life to date. We will find out more, but for now it's down to finishing and keeping in the visual frame. He sounds and will be pretty pragmatic and will blame nobody but himself - he didn't make comment on "following"his Brit mate

Onwards and upwards - well, maybe not upwards

Off to a remote location for the next 12 or so hours, so will have to catch up tonight after stage 4 - may get some twitter feed, but not looking forward the the catch up

The end f day 3 and for some of the guys they must feel like it's the end of day 13 - can only be 1 thing - DAKAR

Thanks.....

I couldn't agree more!

By this you mean you should ignore officials?

Were the hell is Dynamo when you need him!

Pilbara

• France 4 not working on my iPad...anyone have a link?
• ES IS working on my iPad!

Thanks MyWay

Maybe stop and ask for some form of identification?

Question

Would a full blown official on the Dakar be pointing the way ? I've only done one rally but we were out there on our own from dss to ass no arrows no clues just the roadbook.

Here's a section of Stage 3 from today. Checkout the hillclimb towards the (north) end of the Google Earth track (same place as snapshot from video). The top is 4400m high (14,400ft), the height of the tallest mountain in the continental USA. This GE track is just a small portion of the whole day, but pretty amazing terrain. I mapped it last night, but didn't believe they would really go there, so I assumed I was in the wrong place and quit mapping. Now I see on video that they did indeed go there. Impressive!

Google Earth File

I've no idea about the DAkar, but I've seen the odd radio marshall in a sticker'ed up orga truck sitting under a pop up tent at km 137, middle of nowhere. It was a nice clue

They are fairly more legit looking than a guy with a clipboard ontop of a 14,000 foot mountain, but there's very little oxygen up ther ewith which to make split decision

I was just asking you who have more experience than a noob like myself. Still I wouldn't think you would ask for ID from every official you get instruction from in the heat of the race.

Aso and sometimes Etienne himself fly to difficult sections of the route

So indeed staff could have been there

Still no news about Kevin?