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

I'm not going to drag up old wounds... other than to make a point - and it might not sit too well with our spanish/Barreda fans. And to further point out, I do not dislike the guy... he is a real talent on a motorcycle, we've seen that several time on the footage... It's just that his "choices" and the consequences of them perplex me. In a big way... I feel sorry for him.

But to HRC this is big BUSINESS... you do not fork out MILLIONS in R&D and infrastructure, marketing and logistical racing budget to have a rider - repeatedly - make the same boo-boos. No matter how fast they are in the interim.

So here goes;

In another parallel universe, a factory team manger - faced with the same circumstance; where the rider who had 2nd place (ostensibly) in the bag (and the marketing/PR position for the team Bosses to use the podium publicity etc. and get HQ to approve a project budget to move forward in the coming season) instead falls to 7th place (which in the factories eyes, IS f#¤%ing NOWHERE* )

*and no disrespect in any way intended to ANY of the finishers/privateers that achieve the finish at DAKAR, it is an amazing feat!

I could well envisage a situation where said team manager - when asked by the team mechanics what priority to give the repair of said bike - that Mr Manager simply say's; "leave it... park it" YOU don't get to finish.

Helder Rodrigues has been almost anonymous this Dakar (by factory rider standards). As far as the HRC riders are concerned - possible exception of Pizzolito who from day 1 was always the designated "water carrier", Helders efforts have been regarded by many as "lacklustre". :huh

Remember... HE was the one HRC approached to get this whole project on the roll back in mid 2012... His form has been less than stellar (but reports he has been ill), but still he has plugged away almost invisibly while his team mates , got lost, crashed and burned, bounced there way up until stage 13.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least if Mr HRC feels that Helder Together is the just rewarded highest placed HONDA at dakar 2014... and Bam Bam is given a sword to fall on. :huh

So how's THAT for cruel and controversial commentary for ya'?

But rmhrc said it right... the (corporate) Japanese don't like being embarrassed.

Yes I would have...I have to assume they did and we just don't see the penalty yet....

On a side note everyone keeps saying team HRC....remember there are two different teams. HRC and Speedbrain. Different managers, etc. Rumor mill has they dont get along

Bam Bam and Helder aren't really on the same "team"

That'll work!

Did Honda Team change Barreda's engine yesterday night?

[Speculation mode ON]

If they didn't, my point is that it's not only their rider taking unnecessary risks... maybe the team (or Speedbrain subteam) isn't helping on Barreda's strategy.

[/speculation]

A stern and empowered team manager would do what TSC suggested to good effect, but I don't think we'll see that tomorrow.

Ha! That's witty.

Being relatively new to this race, does Barreda's history include riding demonstrated this year? Is there a hair stuck up there? Maybe some additional incentive to pin it or bin it?

I'm really more interested in the first questions than the speculation on the others..... Should this guy's nickname be pancho pantera?

Twice now.

Any way one looks at the outcome of 2014 my guess is there will be some training sessions & humility courses over the next year. HRC has a fantastic talent here in this kid and a real shot at a team effort win---There is no I in team will be mentioned a lot--- & my bet is Honda will be back after a long absents. Honda r&d in bike development Plus r&d in team tactics will be a plus for Dakar 2015. Next years gonna be fun
but that's jmho

You can read castellano, right? Check JBB's blog on this Dakar. http://blogs.elpais.com/dakar/ It's really insightfull. He doesn't sound shallow or unconscious...

This bit was about the Stage where he got the Speeding Penalty:

Now, today should not have been this strategy ^.

Today should have been "Trail ride day with Booldbaatar on my fresh engine".

Looks like the front hover function on CDP's bike stopped working

No, he isn't.

Machines don't smile like that, nor feel the pain that shows in that smile.

In the Elites, I'm a big fan of Casteu, Duclos, and Giniel. If I were aspire to Dakar, it's them I would try to emulate.

To me, they are Dakar.

More Brain Less Speed

Used to race with a guy, his mom named him Dave.

We used to call him the Lawnmower Man. He was wicked quick, but always mowing the infield lawn with his bike. And his helmet.

Barreda seems to have that same knack for being the first one to the scene of the accident.

He should have been a lawyer.

IIRC he appeared in yesterday's British ES coverage sayin' that "they" decided for a safer Mini 1-2-3..

Yes there is.

Hogwild has already developed, perfected, tested, patented, and sold that technology to the NSA!

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