With the first week of this year’s 35th edition of The Dakar done and dusted, and one of the highest attrition rates for week 1 in recent times, it’s not about to get easier for the competitors. Having crossed into Bolivia over the weekend (the rally raid’s first visit to the South American state), the field faced a fresh set of challenges before entering Chile this week.
CARS
Nani Roma remains at the top of the overall car rankings despite significant efforts to topple the Spaniard from his pedestal by compatriot and SMG buggy driver Carlos Sainz, and X-raid Mini team mate Nasser Al-Attiyah on Sunday’s stage – who finished first and second respectively.
“The special was quite good for us, with a very fast course but a very technical sector as well. In all honesty, everything went smoothly, and from now on we’ll be following this strategy: trying to win all the remaining stages until Valparaíso,” Sainz said.
South African title contender and 2009 winner Giniel de Villiers moved into third overall position with the 8th fastest time yesterday in his Imperial Toyota Hilux – 16 minutes behind Sainz.
“I was expecting to lose time in spades in today’s stage, as we have a big power deficit at high altitude. It makes a huge difference. Nani (Roma) overtook me on a fast sector, we tried to follow him, but even going at 100 per cent wasn’t enough. To make matters worse, we lost two more minutes due to a flat. I think things will get much better for us at sea level,” De Villiers said of his chances.
Behind De Villiers, fellow South African Thomas Rundle managed 15th, 33 minutes behind Sainz in his 2013-spec Hilux, with Argentinian Lucio Alvarez in the SA team-run Ford Racing Ranger in 18th and a further 4 minutes behind. De Villier’s team mate and Dakar debutant Leeroy Poulter lost 3 hours 13 minutes to yesterday’s stage winner due to a steering problem.
“It was an encouraging start to the final week. There are some long stages ahead and we still have a long way to go. If we can improve a little each day we will be very happy,” Rundle said.
BIKES
In the two-wheeled category Joan Barreda pushed hard on his Honda to earn the stage victory – the Spaniard trying to make up the deficit to compatriot and overall leader Marc Coma. Coma took it relatively easy on his KTM to maintain his advantage, and played it safe in Barreda’s dust to finish second, with defending champion Cyril Despres not far behind.
SA’s Riaan Van Niekerk managed 11th on his KTM 12 minutes in arrears, while Brett Cummings finished the stage with the 26th fastest time.
OVERALL STANDINGS
CAR RANKINGS
1. Roma #304 (Mini All4) = 27 hours 3 minutes 52 seconds
2. Peterhansel #300 (Mini All4) + 31 minutes 53 seconds
3. De Villiers #302 (Toyota Hilux) + 48 minutes 23 seconds
4. Terranova #307 (Mini All4) + 54 minutes 34 seconds
5. Al-Attiyah #301 (Mini All4) +1 hour 18 minutes 24 seconds
19. Rundle #404 (Toyota Hilux) + 6 hours 7 minutes 22 seconds
30. Poulter #323 (Toyota Hilux) + 10 hours 10 minutes 18 seconds
42. Alvarez #308 (Ford Ranger) + 13 hours 15 minutes 55 seconds
BIKE RANKINGS
1. Coma #2 (KTM) = 26 hours 40 minutes 44 seconds
2. Barreda #3 (Honda) + 38 minutes 14 seconds
3. Viladoms #4 (KTM) + 1 hour 16 minutes 3 seconds
4. Duclos #22 (Sherco) + 1 hour 16 minutes 35 seconds
5. Israel Esquerre #38 (Speedbrain) + 1 hour 39 minutes 29 seconds
13. Van Niekerk #30 (KTM) + 3 hours 31 minutes 19 seconds
30. Cummings #59 (KTM) + 7 hours 7 minutes 49 seconds
QUAD RANKINGS
1. Casale #251 (Yamaha) = 33 hours 21 minutes 2 seconds
2. Lafuente #256 (Yamaha) + 6 minutes 15 seconds
3. Sonik #252 (Yamaha) + 29 minutes 52 seconds
4. Husseini #255 (Honda) + 3 hours 24 minutes 11 seconds
5. Abu-Issa #263 (Honda) + 6 hours 11 minutes 51 seconds
TRUCK RANKINGS
1. De Rooy #501 (Iveco) = 28 hours 21 minutes 42 seconds
2. Karginov #506 (Kamaz) + 37 minutes 50 seconds
3. Nikolaev #500 (Kamaz) + 1 hour 3 minutes 8 seconds
4. Sotnikov #549 (Kamaz) + 1 hour 21 minutes 46 seconds
5. Stacey #507 (Iveco) + 1 hour 45 minutes 20 seconds
