Paris Dakar 2002 is now on

[BunduBasher]

The race is on again, and with only 5 stages to go, only 15 minutes separating the top five it could go to anyone.

Overall standings after stage 11 (yesterday)

Overall: 1 F Meoni (Ita) KTM 20hr 10min 16sec, 2 J N Roma (Spa) KTM at 03min
21sec, 3 C De Gavardo (Chi) KTM 05:32, 4 A Cox (SA) KTM 10:57, 5 J Arcarons
(Spa) KTM 15:14, 6 R Sainct (Fra) KTM 28:00

check http://www.dakar.com/2002/us/ for results, standings and rider info. I don't know how the Americans or Brits are doing, but Alfie Cox of South Africa is having a great race, is lying 4th and is about 13 minutes off the pace after today's leg.

Four days of serious racing remain, and it looks like Meoni on the big KTM LC8 950 is going to do it again ! :debil:

 

[slideways11]

Daai hoendernaaier Alfi Cox is heetemal bosbefok

 

[BunduBasher]

You forgot to add the word 'Bliksem' :)

Yeah, he is crazy in the bush - He is from the same town as me, Pietermaritzburg South Africa, had the oportunity to meet him a number of years back, when he was young and crazy, now he is just 39 and crazy.

'Vat hom Fluffie' :eek:

 

[wayneo426]

Good eye Bundu....

Heres the DAKAR game. So far, I havent finished the race in time. :(

 

[BunduBasher]

Alfie Cox wins stage 12 and moves into 3rd place, he is now 12 minutes off the lead, and 15 minutes ahead of 4th, looks like this is the best he will do, Roma and Meoni are only a minute apart, so it could go either way. Looks like Roma made up over 2 mins 26 on Meoni today.

The next three days are going to be fun. :)

 

[pursang262]

Last year speedvision had nightly coverage, any idea if they plan to show this year's race? I can't wait til they're done "testing" the LC8 so I can buy a v-twin Duke.

 

[BunduBasher]

Stage 13

With three days to go, and two serious racing stages left, it looks like it is between Meoni and Roma, Meoni holds the lead, with Roma 3 minutes behind. Cox came in 5th today, and is now 16 minutes behind the leader.

The way they run the race, it is very tough to catch up, if you are going to win a stage you need to win it big, by 5 or so minutes. If you win a stage you start first the next day, with the rest following off in two minute intervals, this gives the chasers an oportuniity to catch up, stay with the leader, and if possible get ahead, classic hare and hound kind of stuff. If you win a stage, it had better be by at least 2 minutes, otherwise, the next day you have to go like hell and hope no one catches you up. Usually the guy who starts 3rd has a huge advantage. Meoni has played this game well, and has consistently placed in the top riders, without winning too many stages. However tomorrow Roma starts 4 minutes behind Meoni, if he can catch up, and stay with Meoni, he can turn the 3 minute deficit into a 1 minute lead, exciting stuff. Cox will start 8 minutes behind the first man, 2 behind Roma, and 6 behind Meoni, he could make up a lot of time, the advantage tomorrow is probably with Roma.

Looks like that big 950 twin with Meoni is going to do it.

Todays top 10 finish times:
1 007 SALA 6h 10' 06" 00' 00"
2 001 MEONI 6h 13' 51" 03' 45"
3 004 ESTEVE PUJOL 6h 14' 18" 04' 12"
4 009 ROMA 6h 15' 54" 05' 48"
5 005 COX 6h 18' 06" 08' 00"
6 003 DE GAVARDO 6h 32' 22" 22' 16"
7 006 SAINCT 6h 32' 36" 22' 30"
8 002 ARCARONS 6h 47' 38" 37' 32"
9 065 ULLEVALSETER 7h 08' 35" 58' 29"
10 012 BERNARD 7h 09' 01" 58' 55"

Overall top 10 standings.
1 001 MEONI 39h 32' 59" 00' 00"
2 009 ROMA 39h 36' 02" 03' 03"
3 005 COX 39h 49' 18" 16' 19"
4 003 DE GAVARDO 40h 19' 11" 46' 12"
5 002 ARCARONS 40h 44' 52" 1h 11' 53"
6 004 ESTEVE PUJOL 40h 48' 24" 1h 15' 25"
7 007 SALA 40h 48' 46" 1h 15' 47"
8 006 SAINCT 40h 52' 57" 1h 19' 58"
9 012 BERNARD 44h 01' 57" 4h 28' 58"
10 065 ULLEVALSETER 45h 02' 32" 5h 29' 33"

 

[BunduBasher]

Wow, what a wild day of racing, Roma started 2 minutes behind Meoni, took a different track from Meoni, a huge mistake, and ended up in a gully and crashed, Cox was following Roma, and had to back track and lost about 30 minutes to Meoni, De Gavardo chasing Cox in third also took a different route, made up almost 25 minutes, but unfortunately missed the first checkpoint and it cost him a 2 hour penalty.

Roma is out, after his crash he was unable to continue, Meoni scores big, and goes into the next stage with a 45 minute lead over Cox. The best Cox will probably do tomorrow is make up a minute or two, unless something bad happens to Meoni. :eek:

 

[BunduBasher]

It looks like the top bike riders are just riding to finish, today Cox and Meoni took it easy, Meoni extends his lead over Cox by another 2 minutes and leads the South African by 47 minutes. Cox's team mate Sainct is in 3rd 35 minutes back.

Tomorrow is the last stage, and is merely a procession, a 30km ride on the beach of Dakar. Unless someone puts sugar in meonis bike, or his bike dies a horrible death, he will be the 2002 Dakar winner.