2013 Dakar Cliff Notes thread

[PackMule]

Originally Posted by Flanny

Word from Pat Beaule (pronounce "Bo-lay") on his FB page:

(crappy Google translation from Frech)

Hello everyone! I am rest day in Tucuman. I'm very tired! I am happy of the results so far considering my bad result on day 4 that sent me farther behind on day 5 was the fast track in the dust .... I try to remain in tops 60 but the priority is to finish!. I do not hurt anywhere except wrist and some blisters. My morale is very good. My mechanic is the best in the world!! The next few days will be very difficult ... The Dakar is more difficult than I expected! So much the better! I'm among good friends in this world of Dakar! Thank you to Frederique Saindon and thank you to Flanny for taking such good care of my page!! And thank you to Helen and Dominic for buying a stage! Thank you all for proudly wearing your Tshirts! I am filled with energy thinking of all of you, thank you! I am mentally prepared and rested for the next 6 days while JF takes care of my baby (KTM 450 Rally) that runs so well! :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) Signed: Pat Beaulé who lives the dream of his life!

Originally Posted by redhat

Have been catching up all day being away yesterday, seems that I have missed something.
Really loving the great pictures and stories here, and sometimes a conspiracy theory

I hope the riders are getting enough rest for tomorrows stage, as it will be a long one if it isn't shortened


First there is 176km connection, follow by refuel and start of special @ 07:40 local

WP1 probably together with CP1 @ 39km
WP2 @ 61km
WP3 @ 95km
CP2 @ 121km
WP4 together with CP2 or @ 131km
WP5 @ 172km
WP6 start neutralisation and refuel @ 226km
Refuel @ 348km
WP7 and end neutralisation @ 353km
WP8 @ 377km
WP9 @ 404km
WP10 @ 430km
WP11 @ 461km
WP12 @ 487km
CP3 @ 499km
WP13 @ 515km
Finish @ 593km

This followed by another 83km connection for a total of 852km

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[PackMule]

Originally Posted by PackMule

Start times have been posted for stage 9. Looks like they didn't re-seed, so Lyndon will start 9th!!

Going to be a hell of a show for him!


Pos. N° Name Hours Time variation
5
BARREDA BORT JOAN (ESP)
03:50:00 - -
33
CAMPBELL JOHNNY (USA)
03:52:00 - -
32
JAKES IVAN (SVK)
03:54:00 - -
44
BIANCHI PRATA PEDRO (PRT)
03:56:00 - -
82
GUINDANI VINCENT (FRA)
03:58:00 - -
10
CASTEU DAVID (FRA)
04:00:00 - -
41
PROHENS FELIPE (CHL)
04:02:00 - -
147
VAN PELT ROBERT (NLD)
04:04:00 - -
168
POSKITT LYNDON (GBR)
04:06:00 - -
3
RODRIGUES HELDER (PRT)
04:08:00 - -
1
DESPRES CYRIL (FRA)
04:09:00 - -

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[PackMule]

Cool Rest Day Bivouac pics from inmate McGuyver:

http://seqtrailrider.typepad.com/my_...bivouac-1.html

http://seqtrailrider.typepad.com/my_...1/bivvy-2.html

http://seqtrailrider.typepad.com/my_...1/bivvy-3.html

[Flood]

Originally Posted by knybanjo

Cyril's on fire!


dakar.com

• 12:59 Bikes: CP1: Despres seizes the lead
  
  Cyril Despres has posted a best time of 34'44' in the motorcycle category,, with Hélder Rodrigues' Honda a mere 27' back. Perhaps he's decided to step it up a notch in today's special following his careful start to the rally, but what's for sure is that the Frenchman has clawed back 1'13' from fellow countryman and overall leader David Casteu.

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[Flood]

Originally Posted by Aquatic

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2013...#ixzz2HxBzHgRj

I don't care much for Senegal, but ASO's arrogance with regards to the copyright of the Dakar name on You tube, etc kinda has me rooting for the Africans on this one!

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[Flood]

Originally Posted by Nitro

Hi guys
damm my internet sucks, this is the 4th time i tried to post this

Hi there guys
Here we are,one week later at the rest day.
It is great to be here after a hectic week at the "office".I had a slow start to it all.I kind of always get so intimidated by all the action around me and need to settle in.The quality / ability of riders has improved tremendously and the advantage I thought I might have in the dunes , did not materialise.I did catch up in the dunes but lost it on the high speed sections that I absolutely hate with a passion.The first week had a lot of really fast sections in it,and dust was a major problem.The stage from Calama to Salta was so fast that the average speed over 276km of special stage was 110 km per hour................that is insane.One could ride the bike at full "taps" for the first 120km, then it slowed down, but the dust was so bad that you could not overtake.
My dislike to quads increased by a 120% ( just joking ) ,because I got stuck twice behind a quad in a stage and had to follow the guy to the finish with a fright train of riders following me.We were all "luss" to wring the guys neck..........bloody fooooool !!!!!
Riding over the Andies was very cold again,but I was prepared for that.I should have duct taped the air vents on my helmet, because the only part of my body that froze was my sculp...........wish I had some hair.But luckily the "solar panel"of mine survived the freezing temperature.
I was very shaken by the tragic accident of the young French rider.Most of us were infront of the rider,so we did not know about the accident until the finish of the liaison.Rumers has it that he fell asleep,because he hit the police car on a bend on a downhill ( he was either going to fast and lost control or fell asleep ).We had past a hight of 4975 meters and on the way down I suffered from a headache and also had to pull over because I was feeling very tired.It is just tragic and it gets you to think how dangerous this is.
The last 2 days were a marathon stage where we as bike riders don't get to see our service crew.It was 2 long stages and the organisers had it in for us.The bivouac was in a gymnastic hall and we were all supplied with sleeping mats/blankets/shoes/t-shirts/toothbrush........you name it, to keep us comfortable.We were only allowed to work with what we could carry on us,but in extreme cases there was a service truck were on could lend tool from.
Yesterday was for a change my day with some magic riding terrain.I felt so at home and was able for the first time to ride the way I know I can.Major luck was involved, I have to add that,but that is all part of it,I guess.The day was devided into 2 special stages,but due to lots of rain the night before the organisers were forced to cancelle the first part because of the rivers that were overflowing.
The cool thing was that the most part of the special was wet,so dust was not an issue.The ride was very technical and very tiring .Lots of riverbeds with rocks,small choppy dunes,fesh-fesh that was wet for a change,but still difficult to ride.I passed a lot of riders. We got to a riverbed were there was mayor confusion with the navigation.The American,Casselli was the culprit ,he headed off in the wrong direction and everybody followed him.The top riders were riding in circles and lost at that time already a good 20 minutes in race time.I followed my road book and took the correct route and just rode on.
I am in absolute shock guys...............15th overall for the day.........I am lost for words.
I am "kakking" myself ( sorry for the French guys ) to start among those super fast guys tomorrow.At least I have Brett there to hold my hand ( he finished in an awesome 17th for the day ) and we made out that we will ride together after the start.
My bike is running like clockwork and for now we are not changing the engine.When Jan does the oil changes he takes special care in studying the oil sieve for metal pieces,and the oil was super clean up to now.The bike is not having trouble to start and is not smoking,so for now we will monitor the situation closely.One gets penalised for engine changes,so we will only do it if it is really necessary.
Having Gilly here is such an amazing experience.She is Daves and my Dakar mummy.She does washing for us every night, see's to it that we take our pills and" buzzes" around us to keep us happy.There is nothing like a women's touch to keep us kids in control.
Charles is taking care of passport / customs when we need to pass borders.He downloads all the Go Pro footage and helps with everything.He is our daddy to the equation."Jannemanne" and Onno are in control of servicing the bikes,changing tyres and driving endless hours.We are a really cool team and have no issues what so ever.
I believe that "Lisa Lips" is in her element of keeping you guys updated.Thanx my bock,I really appreciate that you do this for all of us.
To all of you out there, Thanx for routing for me. Makes me feel special that I can represent our country at this level.Week 2 is upon us, the harder part of the rally, so lets see what lies ahead.
I want to stand on that podium in San Diago.
You all take care and hold thumbs.
All the best
Ingo=

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[Flood]

dakar.com

Olivier Pain has also stopped, 182 km into the special, for some as yet unknown reason. The Frenchman and former overall leader has come to a halt in a forested area where the course of today's special follows a forest road.


Overall leader David Casteu has come to a standstill 210 km into today's special. The rider from Nice had already stopped before to check something on his motorcycle. It looks like he's got a fuel supply problem (a leak, maybe?). But the Yamaha rider stopped 16 km from the refuelling point, could it be that he's run out of petrol?

[Flood]

dakar com

Yamaha's Vincent Guindani stopped next to David Casteu, probably to help him out, and the rider from Nice is up and running again after losing about ten minutes.


___


I think Rod and Chaleco both have broken trackers. They're missing at WP3, show up on the manual CP2, then go missing at WP4 again. That's a textbook behaviour for a broken iritrack. They might get sorted before they start into the neutralization.

[Flood]

dakar com
Chilean Josefina Gardulski's rescue of fellow countryman Axel Heilenkotter didn't earn her any good karma, it seems. She was hit by a mechanical problem which degenerated into a fire. She was 133rd in the overall this morning..

[Flood]

dakar com
The former overall leader fell in the area around km 370. Olivier Pain tumbled into a ditch and was unable to get out from it. He emerged unscathed with some help from Michael Metge and Vincent Guindani, who's doubling up as Yamaha's guardian angel today.

[Flood]

Cyril Despres is in control, still followed by Joan Barreda at 3'47", Alessandro Botturi at 5'29", Ruben Faria at 5'49", Ivan Jakes at 7'25" and Hélder Rodrigues at 7'47". David Casteu has lost 23'46" so far.
dakar.com

[Flood]

Finish!

Originally Posted by 8340su

5 hours 45 minutes 39 seconds, barreda

[Flood]

Originally Posted by 8340SU

Impressive stage for Barreda

Great day for Barreda in the ninth stage of the Dakar Rally. The spanish rider from Castellón, thanks to his victory in the previous stage, was responsible for opening the track for a distance of 593 kms. between the Argentine cities of San Miguel de Tucuman and Cordoba. The rider of Husqvarna by Speedbrain has done an excellent navigation, getting alienate most of its rivals despite having had many difficulties in the last few miles due to excessive wear your rear tire.
A second place finish in stage highly valued by Husqvarna rider.

Joan Barreda: "A very difficult stage, very long. 595 kilometers opening track is difficult. I've Got no rear tire completely flat, so that the second part of the special I found it very difficult to control the bike. Well, is important to have sailed this stage, sorry for a little mistake before neutralization that lost me three minutes, but I'm satisfied with my performance today because I have yielded just four minutes to Despres opening track for almost 6 hours of racing. Pity the rear tyre, it has made me lose a lot of time at the end. "

Barreda FB

[Flood]

DAVID!

dakar.com
David Casteu is still in the special, but now we know more about his mishaps: it's all about a problem with his tank which he hasn't been able to repair by himself. Expect the rider from Nice to plummet down the classification.
__________________

[Flood]

Casteu is finally in, over 2 hours behind. Terrible day for a great rider.