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General Moto | Off-Topic Posts
Dakar has started...Yam 450 2 wheel in first!!
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[QUOTE="Tony Eeds, post: 718899, member: 32023"] [b][i]Stage Thirteen[/i][/b] Stage 13 - 14 January 2004 - BAMAKO > AYOÛN EL ALTROÛS Liaison 230 km Special 478 km Liaison 26 km Total 734 km The Telefonica Dakar 2004 headed back to Mauritania today with a 734kms stage including a twisty 478km special between Bamako (Mali) and Ayoun El Atrous (Mauritania). It was an unexpected tough stage. During the months of fall it has rained a lot in the Sahel-region. Now the tracks in this part of West Africa are littered with deep holes and ruts. The route demanded a lot of power and concentration. Navigation was difficult. David slays the Goliaths as 2-Trac Yamaha wins! David Fretigné manoeuvred his Yamaha to success. Frétigné had captured two specials in Europe (Narbonne and Castellon), he was yet to prove that his bike could perform on another continent. On his 2-wheel drive Yamaha, he proved that he could also manage a good result in Africa. "That was great - I really enjoyed myself," declared the 33-year-old Frenchman. "This morning Franck and Christian (mechanics) told me that I could use 100 percent of my engine's power as they changed it yesterday evening and right from the off I felt good on the bike. When I caught and overtook Fabrizio Meoni (KTM 950) I thought to myself, 'not bad, you're in the top five' and concentrated even harder on the road book so as not to make any mistakes. That wasn't easy because the road book's electric motor became disconnected and for 90km I had to wind it on by hand." "Uptil now, I had taken it easy, it's the first special where I give everyting. The satisfaction is that I can also be able to navigate well. This morning Jean-Paul Cottret (Peterhansel's co-driver) explained that I should keep my eyes on the GPS to see where to go when leaving villages. Normally I lose myself often. It was my day." "This should silence those who said that a 450 wouldn't be able do anything in the desert. It is a small bike but is easy to ride and has the advantage of not tiring you out. I am really delighted for Jean-Claude Olivier (President of Yamaha Motor France) as his confidence in me has been rewarded - and it is very encouraging for the future." Yamaha Motor France's David Frétigné's stage win today moves him up to 10th in the overall standings. His revolutionary 2-Trac uses a hydraulic motor to provide a regulated amount of drive to the front wheel as well as the back. Despres led most of the race, clocking fastest times at all three CPs (kms 139, 286 and 399), and grabbing precious minutes on his main rivals, despite his difficult starting position (1st). But like during stage 8 to Tidjikja, Despres got lost and lost: "I made a mistake. I knew that the GPS point was wrong and I lost myself looking for it. I was looking for a little track but never found it. I wasn't focused". The rally-raid World champion eventually had to settle for 5th place of the special. Cyril Despres rued a late error that forced him down into fourth place: "The road-book wasn't very clear. I was looking for a little track but never found it. I wasn't focused. It's difficult staying careful for 500kms." However, the 29-year-old does not surrender yet. "I'm going to attack again tomorrow." Nani Roma was apparently able to watch and judge Despres' performance today: "I believe Cyril has enormous problems navigating properly. He was going right, he was going left. Obviously he just couldn't find the right way." Meanwhile Roma reflected on an eventful stage on which he was forced to hit the ground: "It was a very complicated special for me. There was a lot of navigation but I also had quite some troubles. I fell to avoid a cow. To avoid a herd I went to the left and a cow came out of nowhere. I slammed on the brakes, slid and fell. But it's OK, my left leg hurts a bit." (Sounds like dual sporting in Montana.) Second spot went to Richard Sainct (KTM n°1) at 3min41 while 3rd was Roma (KTM n°4) at 6min22 and 4th, PG Lundmark (KTM n°6) at 8min06. Richard Sainct is only a few minutes behind Roma in the overall standings: "I'm going to attack farther. Today it wasn't exactly what I had wanted to accomplish. For a long time I was riding in the dust of Lundmark and Ullevalseter. Tomorrow I'll only have one rider in front of me. There is only one goal I'm aiming for: celebrating my victory at Dakar." Unlike everyone else, Sainct thought navigation was too easy: "I'm disappointed that there were so many GPS points. It made things too easy." Alfie Cox: "In spite of my experience I made many mistakes. I don't exactly know why. The navigation was just too difficult for me." Cox fell to 4th overall. Team Red Bull KTM USA Paul Krause, on the KTM 950 finished in 21st place: "The track had lots of zigzags and I had a hard time changing directions again and again," explains the 39-year-old. Team Farmerlips PG Lundmark finished 4th: "Today I wanted to give everything to build up a gap for myself and PålAnders. I suspected Saincts to storm by and after about 90kms he passed me in a drainage ditch. I put out my hand and had just enough time to pull a ticket. Then I tied myself to him and could admire his smooth riding style for 380 kilometres. I understand why he doesn't want to ride the twin. He is slow and steady and then gasses it, where it's safe. In the beginning it didn't feel very fast, because his style lacks the attack that Meoni has, but his style is efficient. He never lets off. He can't be related to my grandfather. In harvest times in July, Hillevi from Grundträsk told me, everything had to be done in a hurry. But when Adrian Lundmark from Baktsjaur Brännet was tired, he said: Let's let up a while. This I didn't experience with Saincts today. He never lost his pace." "The goal is for myself or Ullevalseter (in the Scandinavia team) to finish third. Now, the only way for this to become possible is if another biker has a problem. With the fight in front that could be possible. Since before the start we had decided with Pal-Anders that if one of us had a problem or was slower, then the guy behind would become the carrier for the other. But between us, there is almost no difference. We're having a nice fight against each other." In the overall standings, Sainct gained some ground on Roma's overall leadership but still remains at 7min25. Despite his poor end to the special, Despres overtakes Cox (KTM n°10) for 3rd spot at 49min39 of the leader. Nissan finishes 1, 2, 3! In the car race, the nightmare is over for Nissan. After all the mechanical problems in the first part of the race and the long, the very long way out of stage 9 to get to the rest day in time, the Japanese manufacturer saw its three cars grab the leading 3 positions of the special. Colin McRae (n°202) became the first Brit since Andrew Cowan (winner of a special in Senegal back in 1990), to clinch a Dakar special. Quite a performance for the Scotsman on his very first Rally. Second was Giniel De Villiers (n°208) at 7min40. Ari Vatanen (n°205) took 3rd place. Jutta Kleinschmidt finished 4th in the VW: "It was very difficult today. There were many trees and it was very narrow. The navigation was also very difficult. I'm satisfied with my fourth place. We didn't damage the car and that was important because tomorrow is a marathon stage. We'll therefore not be able to attack. I'm happy for McRae and the three Nissan cars. They're having fun and that's all they can do now." Meanwhile, the Mitsubishi drivers were more concerned by the overall standings. Masuoka (n°201) finished at 7th at 24min21 and Peterhansel (n°203) 8th at 26min35. In the overall the Frenchman keeps a comfortable 1h02min29 on the Japanese. Mitsubishi head of motorsports Sven Quandt: "Mitsubishi has issued no team orders. We have told the two drivers that we wanted to see both cars in Dakar in one piece". Tomorrow is leg one of the 2nd marathon stage, 551 km to Tidjika. As with all marathon stages, the riders will then have to do all their own servicing as assistance is forbidden. This means they will need to be careful with their equipment. At the bivouac there will only be the support of the fast assistance which is driving along the race. The service trucks have already started on their way towards the bivouac at Nouakchott. Since the rest day, Fabrizio Meoni was been looking forward to this stage. There is no chance for him to win the rally this year. Tomorrow he wants to show what he can really do. A farewell performance? Sand and dunes await the competitors. Final comments from PG Lundmark: [url]http://www.pgdakar.com/race/2004_dakar/en/dagar/dag_14_en.html[/url] "D. Fretigne from France who won this stage on his 450 Yamaha with two-wheel drive is no amateur. He won the 250 enduro world championship on a two-stroke some years ago. Today's stage probably suited the transmission and the low speeds we were travelling. Many lost time in their navigation today, so he must be good at that, too. "I feel a sore throat, which isn't good. I eat six garlic capsules every day and hope the cold doesn't break out until after the finish. If there's one time in my life, that I don't need the flu, it's when racing in the Dakar. Tomorrow is a marathon stage without service and a special stage of 500kms and the day after that is a special stage over same distance. This will suck the rest from all riders, be sure of it. After those two days I don't expect the overall standing to change very much to the finish." The main change in overall standings are Despres and Cox exchanging 4th for 3rd, and Lundmark and Ullevalseter 5th for 5th. Sainct is closing the gap on Roma. Fretigne moves up from 12th to 10th: Team Gauloises KTM France 001 Richard Sainct 2nd +7 min 002 Cyril Despres 3rd +46 min 009 Jean Brucy withdrew, broken collarbone in stage 9 Gauloises KTM International 003 Fabrizio Meoni 9th +2hr 57min 007 Giovani Sala withdrew after stage 6 010 Alfie Cox 4th +47 min Repson KTM Spain 004 Juan Roma 1st 011 Marc Coma 11th +3 hr 4 min 019 Esteve Pujol 31st +11hr 11 min, including 1 hour penalty Red Bull KTM USA 016 Larry Roeseler 15th +4hr 44 min 017 Paul Krause 19th +6hr 48 min 025 Scott Harden withdrew, broken ankle in stage 9 Team Farmerlips 006 Per Gunner Lundmark 5th +1hr, 4 min 015 Pal andedrs Ullevalseter 6th +1hr, 21 min Yamaha France 012 David Fretigne on the 2wd Yamaha, 10th +3hr 2 min Off Road Adventure 041 David Casteu, riding Cagiva 900 Elefant 33rd +12hr 3 min Privateer, works for Dutsche Bank 171 Andy Coaker, Australian, 24th, +8hr, 8 min Rally Raid UK 170 Bertil Marcusson XR650, he rode to the start of the rally, in Clermont from Sweden - 68th +33hr, 13 min 130 Yuki Tanaka Didn't start stage 12 - too bad! Cars (no major changes in the standings): SCHLESSER - FORD 200 Jean-louis Schlesser 3rd +2hr 30 min 209 Josep maria Servia 22nd 18hr, 37 min MITSUBISHI MOTORS 201 Hiroshi Masuoka 2nd + 1hr, 2 min 203 Stephan Peterhansel 1st 206 Miki Biasion, withdrawn, stage 7 211 Andrea Mayer 6th, 5hr 4 min NISSON 202 Colin McRea 20th 17hr, 11 min 205 Ari Vatanen 28th 22hr, 39 min 208 Giniel De Villiers 11th 7hr, 50 min VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT 204 Jutta Kleinschmidt 25th 20hr, 38 min 224 Bruno Saby 7th 5 hr, 44 min X - RAID BMW 207 Luc Alphand 4th 3 hr, 57 min 212 Gregiore DeMavius 5th 4 hr, 13 min PRO SYSTEM 232 Eric Vigouroux, hasn't finished stage 13, yet 233 Mark Miller - no info since stage 9, ? withddrawn Tom Warr [/QUOTE]
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Dakar has started...Yam 450 2 wheel in first!!
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