Heroes-Legend (Paris-Dakar) 2010

[JMo (& piglet)]

With all the fuss around the new KTM450 and who's going to Dakar this year, I guess all eyes are on the Shamrock this year...

However, many of you may also be interested that the Heroes-Legend Paris to Dakar Rally also arrived in Africa this week, with the first competitive stage held yesterday in the north east, and they are currently on their way to the dunes near Merzouga...

You can follow the live action here: http://www.heroeslegend.com/index1.p...rang=1&lang=en

The 'race online' section is the live tracking, and the 'classification' is updated each evening. It's also worth reading the stage summary, and looking at some of those daily distances - make no mistake, this is a tough rally over 13 days!

As you will probably be aware (if not, search on my posts x), I raced this event last year with assistance from Desert Rose Racing, who will be looking after me (and baring the brunt of my temper, no doubt) for the Dakar this coming January...

In the meantime, this year they are looking after a team of both riders and cars:

In the Bike catagory:

#5 Bernard McKevitt (they've spelt his name wrong on the website!) is on a new XT660Z Tenere - don't know where he got that idea from?!

#6 Starrett I believe is his compatriot, on a 690E.

#8 Nick Bridger - you may recall from last year, it was Nick who crashed out badly at the beginning of day 2 and had to be airlifted back to the UK with serious back injuries and concussion - good to see he is back out there!

#9 Sullivan who I believe is friend of Nick's...

In the Car catagory:

This year my mechanic Zippy (Clive Town) is co-driving with Sir Charles Blois (who was one of Tamsin Jones' sponsors for the Dakar last year) in car #231

And Clive Dredge (Patsy Quick's husband and rider #12 last year) is co-driving a classic Range Rover this year - car #221 - having said he'd never do it on a 'bloody bike' again!

So, enjoy the ride - there is certain to be plenty of drama this year - particularly as the course has significant changes from last year, with a lot more sand!

Toot toot!

Jenny xx

[JMo (& piglet)]

Just watched the prologue video - there are some very interesting 4 wheeled vehicles this year - including a bad boy Dodge Ram 'trophy truck', a beautiful Porsche 991 in Rothmans colours, and even an old Renault!

This is going to be fun!

J x

[Gian]

Thanks Jenny for starting this thread. I tried to enter this event, but unfortunately it is way too much expensive for my pockets and no sponsors available. But a couple of friends are doing it and I was able to geto to Montauban with them to help with the long driving from Italy and some friendly support and photos.
My friends are Giovanni Uliana and Claudio Zago, they both entered several rally raids in the past, like Transorientale, Dakar (the first south american one), Pharaons, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and so on, bu t never tried to reach the Lac Rose... so they are on the way now, and with two very special bikes

this is how the bikes looked like only a fe housr before leaving from Italy





Zago is supported by the notorious Michele Zamattia and Uliana is also helped by the Desert Rose team!

the briefing in Montauban


and some photos of what we saw at the "parc fermé"





oh My God an Irish Ténéré!










more later!

[monkeyfez]

I love Rallye threads.

[canadaler]

Great looking vintage Yamaha there!

Lots of hours in that one!

I was kind of hoping to get to this rallye this year...but real life got in the way Oh well...there's always next year.

[Gian]

Patsy!



Hungarian 690 Rally


mmmmh... I love that engine


Miky Zamattia mounting the e-track on Zago's TT


Uliana's Ténéré


Zago's TT


Giovanni Uliana


Claudio Zago


./.

[JMo (& piglet)]

Bernard texted in last night - seems like day 2 was pretty tough:

"Hi, Poor start yesterday. Held at gunpopint in Algeria, lost a few times. Had to replace gear lever. Today towards end of day accident went right into a big dune set. lots of crashes, some damage to bike tho made checkpoint's. now in 3rd. Long day tomorrow."



Thanks to Darren at XT660.com for the update - to follow the thread there:

http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=15225

Jenny x

[JMo (& piglet)]

I'm a little concerned that Bernard (#5) is stuck in the Bivouac (according to the on-line tracking) - the rest of the team seem to be on their way west now (liaison)...

Hope he's been able to repair the damage to the bike from yesterday ???

J x

[Gian]

Originally Posted by JMo (& piglet)

I'm a little concerned that Bernard (#5) is stuck in the Bivouac (according to the on-line tracking) - the rest of the team seem to be on their way west now (liaison)...

Hope he's been able to repair the damage to the bike from yesterday ???

J x

it looks OK now! My friend Uliana lost some part of the rear brake on the first stage and broke the gps yesterday then got lost in the soft dunes , just a pity as he was third overall after the first day. But it's going on

[Hayduke]

[JMo (& piglet)]

6.26pm They are still out in the desert, although Bernard (#5) seems to be leading the UK pack home...

Not sure about the cars though, they seem to be taking a very different route up towards Ouarzazate?! - maybe they have hooked onto the Maroc by mistake?!

I've ridden that sector from Mhamid to south of Foum, and there is a LOT of sand in the Draa valley... and to be faced with that after the morning stage from Tarhrout to Mhamid - boy that is one marathon day already!

Jx

[schattat]

This guy has the exact same TT600 kit from Acerbis like my dad has!
It looks brand spanking new These old tanks will became really dark yellow after a few years...

MORE, MORE, MORE

[Gian]

Found a couple of photos in action:

[tehdutchie]

Couple of recorded interviews on http://www.rallymaniacs.nl/ including patsy.

Left top of the page.

Including some background on guns and Algeria, ie not updating your roadbooks and continuing straight instead of where you should have updated the roadbook and turned right

[Geoff D]

Don't ya just love those old Tenere's.... superb pics thanks for posting