Dakar – Dakar 2012 – stage 8: Despres skates but is doing well –

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Dakar 2012 – stage 8: Despres skates but is doing well

Dakar - Dakar 2012 - stage 8: Despres skates but is doing well -

Hard blow for the leader in the general of the Dakar 2012: bogged down from the first kilometers of the special of the eighth stage, Cyril Despres lost precious time while his rival Marc Coma soared to victory…

Hard blow for the leader in the general of the Dakar 2012: stuck in the first kilometers of the special of the eighth stage, Cyril Despres lost precious time while his rival Marc Coma flew to victory…

Mudbath !

First to take the start of this eighth stage linking Copiapo to Antofagasta (Chile), Marc Coma immediately tried to widen the gap on Despres, to whom he absolutely must grab time, stage after stage, in order to hope to take back the reins of the Dakar..

Focused on this single objective, the Spaniard lost his temper and made a slight navigation error in the first kilometers of the very long special of the day (477 km). Losing about a minute, the defending champion quickly got back on track, just ahead of his opponents.

The eternal "Coma-Despres" duel is then relaunched until km 11, where everything changes: Cyril Despres tackles at high speed a perfectly flat Rio and visually covered with fesh-fesh (floury sand layer) … and plunges the head first in a layer of about 50 cm of mud (see the video below) !

“Between the opening car which passed two days ago and today there was a torrent of mud. So it was not indicated by the road-book, and I was the first to get trapped. I could not avoid it ", says the pilot of the KTM n ° 2.

Completely "tanked", Cyril tries to straighten his motorcycle on his own, but his machine weighing nearly 190 kg is deeply buried in the mud. Despite all his efforts, the situation of the leader of the rally does not change one iota and the minutes go by inexorably…

Meanwhile, Marc Coma – who has managed to get around the obstacle – sends big gas at the head of the special, at the risk of hurting his mount: at this moment, Despres understands that he is perhaps in losing the motorcycle race…

Supported by Paulo Goncalves who sportingly stopped to help him (with the consequence of getting bogged down in his turn!), He will however manage to start again after ten long minutes. Covered in mud and furious, Despres crosses the finish line in seventh position behind Coma, Ullevalseter, Faria, Rodrigues, Barreda and Svitko.

"I will wait for the decision of the organization, because after passing Ullevalseter, Goncalves and a few others, they bypassed the race, otherwise there would have been 200 vehicles stuck in the mud. So I don’t see why I would be the only one to pay with them ", fulminates Cyril Depres.

In order not to risk finding his whole caravan stuck in the mud, the organizer has indeed decided to make the competitors drift at the level of this famous rio. Despres, relegated to second place overall with almost 10 minutes behind Coma, therefore has the impression of having "wiped the plaster" for all his opponents and asks for compensation.

Correction of lap times

After deliberation, ASO acceded to his request and corrected the times in the evening, so that the first seven riders of the special were not disadvantaged. The race management then decided to count the stopping times for Coma, Despres, Gonçalves, Rodrigues, Guell, Ullevalseter and Casteu. Overall, Marc Coma remains in the lead, 1’26 ahead of Cyril Despres.

"I was lucky not to waste too much time in the muddy part", analyzes Coma, which however loses a large part of the profits of this "stroke of luck" following the decision to fish Despres. "Then I saw that I could widen a gap, so I really attacked".

"But in the last part I felt that I had problems with my engine, so I calmed things down a bit to be sure to get to the end", relates the Spaniard who started the second part of this Dakar with the same engine on its 450 Rallye, just like Despres, Helder Rodrigues and David Casteu.

The two Yamaha riders also remained in a fight for the podium, Rodrigues retaining his third place overall with a 20’51 lead over Casteu. Penalized by his misadventure in the mud, Paulo Gonçalves (Husqvarna) now ranks 5th overall, 2’19 behind the French. First Sherco representative, Frans Verhoeven finishes the stage in 18th place.

"Chaleco" out

Injured to the knee on Saturday following a fall in the, Francisco "Chaleco" Lopez was unable to resume the start of the Dakar yesterday morning. Auscultated by the doctors at the bivouac during the rest day, the Aprilia rider had to make the painful decision to abandon the rally: the Chilean suffered from a tear in the anterior cruciate ligaments of the right knee.

For Aprilia, the loss of its star driver is a serious setback, especially since his teammate Alain Duclos experienced a severe drop in the standings following his big crash on Saturday with the second RVX 4.5…

Courageously, despite a motorcycle deprived of its fairings and its saddle (!), The Frenchman still managed to rally Copiapo late on Saturday night.

Finishing the special on a motocross saddle collected on site (and attached with two rislan collars!), The n ° 22 recklessly faced the dunes in epic conditions.

"Everything is torn off on the bike but it turns nickel. For the saddle, a local gave me the one for his motocross, I managed with it and I left for the special at 5 pm and I did everything at night!" , comments this big fellow with the contagious smile. "The only problem was that the bike would hold, but it did! The night dunes, all alone off-road, it was war and I put a good one or two. But I didn’t want to. give up, I really want to see Peru! "

At the bivouac, many pilots congratulated Alain Duclos for his courage and tenacity. And on a rally as demanding as the Dakar, such compliments have a sacred meaning! Left with a fully repaired Aprilia during the rest day on Sunday, the Frenchman finished the eighth stage in 18th position and is currently in 90th place overall..

At 7.26am local time (11.26am Paris time), the 120 bikers still in the running started to take the start of the ninth stage which goes from Antofagasta to Iquique (Chile). This part has a short 9 km link and a 556 km special divided in two by a neutralization.

Video summary of stage 8 of Dakar 2012 (before the adjustment of the times)

The stalemate of Cyril Despres in video

Ranking of the 8th motorcycle stage of the Dakar 2012

  1. 1 COMA (ESP) KTM 05:03:52 –  –
  2. 6 ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM 05:05:47 00:01:55 –
  3. 8 FARIA (PRT) KTM 05:10:52 00:07:00 –
  4. 3 RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 05:11:02 00:07:10 –
  5. 23 BARREDA BORT (ESP) HUSQVARNA 05:12:36 00:08:44 –
  6. 32 SVITKO (SVK) KTM 05:13:01 00:09:09 –
  7. 2 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 05:13:06 00:09:14 –
  8. 5 PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) KTM 05:14:23 00:10:31 –
  9. 14 CASTEU (FRA) YAMAHA 05:15:54 00:12:02 –
  10. 10 VILADOMS (ESP) KTM 05:16:27 00:12:35 –
  11. 21 AUBERT (FRA) KTM 05:17:42 00:13:50 –
  12. 20 FARRES GUELL (ESP) KTM 05:19:15 00:15:23 –
  13. 34 BOTTURI (ITA) KTM 05:19:28 00:15:36 –
  14. 16 PAIN (FRA) YAMAHA 05:21:44 00:17:52 –
  15. 7 GONCALVES (PRT) Husqvarna 05:28:18 00:24:26 –
  16. 25 GOUET (CHL) HONDA 05:32:45 00:28:53 –
  17. 22 DUCLOS (FRA) APRILIA 05:34:44 00:30:52 –
  18. 15 VERHOEVEN (NLD) SHERCO 05:35:22 00:31:30 00:15:00
  19. 12 PELLICER (ESP) HUSQVARNA 05:38:26 00:34:34 –
  20. 17 CZACHOR (POL) KTM 05:38:55 00:35:03 –
  21. 24 STANOVNIK (SVN) KTM 05:42:09 00:38:17 –
  22. 39 GYENES (ROU) KTM 05:44:58 00:41:06 –
  23. 35 THIS (ITA) KTM 05:45:14 00:41:22 00:15:00
  24. 89 NASCIMENTO (BRA) HONDA 05:46:45 00:42:53 –
  25. 28 ZANOL (BRA) KTM 05:47:42 00:43:50 00:15:00
  26. 18 KNUIMAN (NLD) KTM 05:47:49 00:43:57 –
  27. 50 SALVATIERRA (BOL) HONDA 05:51:35 00:47:43 00:15:00
  28. 29 BERGLUND (SWE) HUSABERG 05:52:50 00:48:58 00:15:00
  29. 64 SCHRODER (DEU) KTM 05:54:27 00:50:35 00:15:00
  30. 33 BETHYS (FRA) YAMAHA 05:54:53 00:51:01 –
  31. 66 LORMAND (FRA) YAMAHA 05:57:26 00:53:34 –
  32. 42 PROHENS (CHL) HONDA 05:57:29 00:53:37 –
  33. 26 RODRIGUES FILHO (BRA) HUQSVARNA 06:00:41 00:56:49 –
  34. 41 PROHENS (CHL) HONDA (Transformada) 06:02:46 00:58:54 –
  35. 110 BIRCH (NZL) KTM 06:03:20 00:59:28 00:15:00
  36. 82 GUINDANI (FRA) YAMAHA 06:03:33 00:59:41 –
  37. 53 RODRIGUEZ (CHL) HONDA 06:03:54 01:00:02 00:15:00
  38. 67 BALOOSHI (ARE) KTM 06:05:54 01:02:02 –
  39. 144 CURTIS (ZAF) KTM 06:09:25 01:05:33 00:19:00
  40. 145 NUTTALL (AUS) KTM 06:10:41 01:06:49 00:15:00
  41. 68 BARROT (FRA) YAMAHA 06:10:47 01:06:55 –
  42. 46 BIANCHI PRATA (PRT) HUSQUARNA 06:11:53 01:08:01 –
  43. 148 GOMEZ (ARG) YAMAHA 06:12:30 01:08:38 00:04:00
  44. 92 HAMARD (FRA) KTM 06:14:30 01:10:38 –
  45. 154 GAJDOSECH (ARG) YAMAHA 06:15:22 01:11:30 –
  46. 57 WILLEMSEN (NLD) HONDA 06:16:10 01:12:18 –
  47. 49 DABROWSKI (POL) KTM 06:16:12 01:12:20 00:15:00
  48. 43 PISANO (FRA) KTM 06:17:21 01:13:29 00:15:00
  49. 48 LIEFHEBBER (NLD) KTM 06:17:47 01:13:55 –
  50. 40 SERRADORI (FRA) KTM 06:18:02 01:14:10 00:15:00

Dakar 2012 general motorcycle classification

  1. 1 COMA (ESP) KTM 23:24:18 –  –
  2. 2 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 23:25:44 00:01:26 –
  3. 3 RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 00:13:19 00:49:01 –
  4. 14 CASTEU (FRA) YAMAHA 00:34:10 01:09:52 –
  5. 7 GONCALVES (PRT) Husqvarna 00:36:29 01:12:11 00:06:00
  6. 10 VILADOMS (ESP) KTM 00:36:45 01:12:27 –
  7. 20 FARRES GUELL (ESP) KTM 00:39:53 01:15:35 –
  8. 32 SVITKO (SVK) KTM 00:42:58 01:18:40 –
  9. 5 PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) KTM 00:50:49 01:26:31 00:15:00
  10. 6 ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM 00:59:28 01:35:10 00:40:00
  11. 16 PAIN (FRA) YAMAHA 01:06:11 01:41:53 –
  12. 34 BOTTURI (ITA) KTM 01:06:16 01:41:58 –
  13. 8 FARIA (PRT) KTM 01:24:09 01:59:51 00:40:00
  14. 25 GOUET (CHL) HONDA 01:40:15 02:15:57 –
  15. 28 ZANOL (BRA) KTM 02:01:28 02:37:10 00:55:00
  16. 17 CZACHOR (POL) KTM 02:09:10 02:44:52 –
  17. 21 AUBERT (FRA) KTM 02:18:29 02:54:11 –
  18. 35 THIS (ITA) KTM 02:34:54 03:10:36 00:15:00
  19. 39 GYENES (ROU) KTM 02:42:48 03:18:30 –
  20. 18 KNUIMAN (NLD) KTM 02:42:53 03:18:35 –
  21. 24 STANOVNIK (SVN) KTM 02:42:54 03:18:36 –
  22. 23 BARREDA BORT (ESP) HUSQVARNA 02:50:22 03:26:04 00:45:00
  23. 26 RODRIGUES FILHO (BRA) HUQSVARNA 02:52:09 03:27:51 –
  24. 15 VERHOEVEN (NLD) SHERCO 03:04:44 03:40:26 00:15:00
  25. 12 PELLICER (ESP) HUSQVARNA 03:17:37 03:53:19 –
  26. 82 GUINDANI (FRA) YAMAHA 03:34:04 04:09:46 –
  27. 33 BETHYS (FRA) YAMAHA 03:35:41 04:11:23 –
  28. 43 PISANO (FRA) KTM 03:39:47 04:15:29 00:15:00
  29. 40 SERRADORI (FRA) KTM 03:52:55 04:28:37 00:15:00
  30. 64 SCHRODER (DEU) KTM 03:58:39 04:34:21 01:00:00
  31. 89 NASCIMENTO (BRA) HONDA 04:22:18 04:58:00 –
  32. 144 CURTIS (ZAF) KTM 04:32:42 05:08:24 00:59:00
  33. 42 PROHENS (CHL) HONDA 04:34:54 05:10:36 –
  34. 41 PROHENS (CHL) HONDA (Transformada) 04:39:23 05:15:05 –
  35. 48 LIEFHEBBER (NLD) KTM 04:49:53 05:25:35 –
  36. 49 DABROWSKI (POL) KTM 04:54:37 05:30:19 00:15:00
  37. 66 LORMAND (FRA) YAMAHA 05:04:26 05:40:08 –
  38. 145 NUTTALL (AUS) KTM 05:22:57 05:58:39 00:56:00
  39. 110 BIRCH (NZL) KTM 05:35:06 06:10:48 00:20:00
  40. 53 RODRIGUEZ (CHL) HONDA 05:40:43 06:16:25 00:15:00
  41. 60 WATT (GBR) KTM 06:03:32 06:39:14 –
  42. 183 RODRIGUEZ (ARG) HONDA 06:06:23 06:42:05 –
  43. 67 BALOOSHI (ARE) KTM 06:47:22 07:23:04 –
  44. 29 BERGLUND (SWE) HUSABERG 06:49:23 07:25:05 00:55:00
  45. 51 ARREDONDO (GTM) KTM 06:50:30 07:26:12 00:15:00
  46. 50 SALVATIERRA (BOL) HONDA 06:58:27 07:34:09 00:15:00
  47. 46 BIANCHI PRATA (PRT) HUSQUARNA 06:59:32 07:35:14 –
  48. 57 WILLEMSEN (NLD) HONDA 07:02:11 07:37:53 02:10:00
  49. 71 BUTUZA (ROU) KTM 07:03:30 07:39:12 –
  50. 45 SANZ PLA-GILIBERT (ESP) GAS – GAS 07:06:38 07:42:20 00:55:00

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