Dakar moto – stage 7: Meo is causing a sensation! (Update)
Antoine Meo signs a fantastic first stage victory in the Dakar on the seventh day, marked by a cancellation of the second part because of thunderstorms. In the lead at each checkpoint, the Frenchman offers a convincing success on his official KTM ahead of the Honda of Kevin Benavides and the French …
Antoine Meo signs a fantastic first stage victory in the Dakar on the seventh day, marked by a cancellation of the second part because of thunderstorms. In the lead at each checkpoint, the Frenchman offers himself a convincing success on his official KTM in front of the Honda of Kevin Benavides and the tricolor Mickael Metge. Rodrigues returns strongly to the provisional thanks to a nice 4th place on his Yamaha.
- Update of January 11:
Meo in, Walkner out
For his first Dakar, Antoine Meo does not disappoint. Better still: the five-time world enduro champion impresses! In the game since the start in Buenos Aires, the French player has been placed at each stage, surprising his rivals with his consistency. Modest, he nevertheless claims to take his marks every day, as if his repeated performances in the Top 5 were the result of chance…
But in the Dakar, luck has no place: Meo seems to have all the assets required to become a future great in the discipline. The former enduro cracker proves it with a clear and flawless victory on the 7th stage between Uyuni and Salta (Bolivia), a success which propels him to 5th place in the provisional.
The only downside for the Habs: the interruption of the race at the start of his second timed part because of the weather will prevent him from driving the point home. Severe thunderstorms causing an impressive rise in water levels in a rio forced the organizers to stop the race.
"The first part was very difficult, we couldn’t see the relief well because we had the sun in our eyes," comments Meo. "After the neutralization, I found it very nice to ride, I had the chance to catch two riders and as it was fluid and there was no dust … Impeccable!"
"I rode well, I didn’t make any mistakes, I sailed well at the end. I felt a lot better than yesterday, so I pushed a bit. I’m satisfied. I’m discovering the Dakar, it’s still complicated to judge. I wanted to be in the 10, and for now I’m even better. I’m trying to be consistent and not to tire myself too much. I’m going to try to continue riding like I ride. Physically I feel good, but I know that after we will attack the most difficult week. I will stay calm and we will see well ".
Solidarity in the Dakar: values and people…
Winner for the third time, Toby Price signs the fifth fastest time behind Meo, Benavides, Metge and Rodrigues. In the provisional, the Australian takes the lead from Paulo Gonçalves, 31st of the day. The Honda official finished the special more than 13 minutes behind the leader, but almost all (10’53) will be credited to him because Gonçalves stopped almost 11 minutes to rescue Matthias Walkner, who fell heavily at the start of the stage..
First to arrive on the scene, Gonçalves immediately came to the aid of his competitor KTM, taking the risk of losing the rally he is leading with his official Honda. The HRC pilot only resumed his race after the arrival of another pilot: such solidarity commands respect towards Gonçalves, especially as Walkner is none other than the water carrier of Toby Price, the one of his most serious rivals in the KTM clan.
"Yesterday, today I don’t know where I am exactly because the drivers who stopped near Matthias are going to be credited for lost time. It’s a good thing to take care of each other", Toby Price told the arrival, touched by the initiative of Gonçalves.
Once Gonçalves is officially credited with time spent near Walkner, his position should move up from 31st to 2nd place on the stage. When this change is effective, the Honda official should retain his first place in the provisional: the rankings below will therefore be updated from tomorrow..
It should be noted that Adrien Van Beveren also saw his performance reconsidered after the race management credited him with the time that the Frenchman spent helping a competitor. The double winner of Le Touquet thus dropped from 16th to 9th place in yesterday’s stage and is currently in 13th place in the provisional.
Finally, Joan Barreda Bort did not show up at the start of this 7th stage this morning … Victim of one, the Honda official had courageously reached the finish of stage 6 with 5 hours late, towed at the rope by one of his teammates.
All his hopes of victory dashed, the Spaniard has apparently preferred to throw in the towel … Stay tuned to discover the final rankings and the video summary !
- Final results and rankings in our
Results and classification of stage 7 of the Dakar motorcycle 2016 (before the modification of Gonçalves)
- MEO (FRA) KTM 02:27:27 – –
- BENAVIDES (ARG) HONDA 02:29:20 00:01:53 –
- METGE (FRA) HONDA 02:31:18 00:03:51 –
- RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 02:31:55 00:04:28 –
- PRICE (AUS) KTM 02:32:00 00:04:33 –
- CERVANTES MONTERO (ESP) KTM 02:33:00 00:05:33 –
- FARRES GUELL (ESP) KTM 02:33:28 00:06:01 –
- SVITKO (SVK) KTM 02:33:30 00:06:03 –
- BRABEC (USA) HONDA 02:33:44 00:06:17 –
- MONLEON (ESP) KTM 02:33:44 00:06:17 –
- PAIN (FRA) KTM 02:33:45 00:06:18 –
- DUCLOS (FRA) SHERCO TVS 02:33:46 00:06:19 –
- PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) SHERCO TVS 02:33:51 00:06:24 –
- VAN BEVEREN (FRA) YAMAHA 02:34:01 00:06:34 –
- METGE (FRA) HONDA 02:34:11 00:06:44 –
- SANZ (ESP) KTM 02:34:30 00:07:03 –
- BOTTURI (ITA) YAMAHA 02:35:16 00:07:49 –
- VERHOEVEN (NLD) YAMAHA 02:35:42 00:08:15 –
- PATRAO (PRT) KTM 02:35:53 00:08:26 –
- DE SOULTRAIT (FRA) YAMAHA 02:35:55 00:08:28 –
- GYENES (ROU) KTM 02:37:07 00:09:40 –
- CERUTTI (ITA) HUSQVARNA 02:37:11 00:09:44 –
- DUPLESSIS (ARG) KTM 02:38:03 00:10:36 –
- VAN PELT (NLD) HUQSVARNA 02:38:24 00:10:57 –
- PIATEK (POL) KTM 02:38:33 00:11:06 –
- KLYMCIW (CZE) HUSQVARNA 02:38:36 00:11:09 –
- BLYTHE (USA) KTM 02:39:08 00:11:41 –
- VOGELS (NLD) KTM 02:39:30 00:12:03 –
- QUINTANILLA (CHL) HUSQVARNA 02:39:31 00:12:04 –
- THIS (ITA) HONDA 02:40:04 00:12:37 –
- GONCALVES (PRT) HONDA 02:40:24 00:12:57 –
- GIMENO GARCÍA (ESP) KTM 02:40:39 00:13:12 –
- VAYSSADE (FRA) SHERCO TVS 02:40:53 00:13:26 –
- ARANA (ESP) HUSQVARNA 02:41:08 00:13:41 –
- CASTEU (FRA) KTM 02:41:09 00:13:42 –
- VILADOMS (ESP) KTM 02:41:36 00:14:09 –
- SOLA TARRADELLAS (ESP) YAMAHA 02:41:54 00:14:27 –
- SALVATIERRA (BOL) KTM 02:42:51 00:15:24 –
- ENGEL (CZE) KTM 02:43:43 00:16:16 –
- TIMER (FRA) KTM 02:44:31 00:17:04 –
- PABISKA (CZE) KTM 02:45:04 00:17:37 –
- CABRERA (CHL) KAWASAKI 02:45:09 00:17:42 –
- CARDONA VAGNONI (FRI) KTM 02:47:07 00:19:40 –
- DA COSTA (FRA) YAMAHA 02:47:38 00:20:11 –
- SMITH (USA) HUSQVARNA 02:47:41 00:20:14 –
- VAN GERVEN (NLD) KTM 02:48:28 00:21:01 –
- FUENTES (BOL) KTM 02:49:37 00:22:10 –
- METELLI (ITA) KTM 02:51:44 00:24:17 –
- GOMEZ (ARG) YAMAHA 02:52:33 00:25:06 –
- LUCCHESE (ITA) YAMAHA 02:52:56 00:25:29 –
Provisional Dakar motorcycle classification 2016 (before the modification of Gonçalves)
- PRICE (AUS) KTM 22:55:42 – –
- SVITKO (SVK) KTM 23:01:54 00:06:12 00:01:00
- GONCALVES (PRT) HONDA 23:03:31 00:07:49 –
- BENAVIDES (ARG) HONDA 23:13:31 00:17:49 –
- MEO (FRA) KTM 23:13:36 00:17:54 –
- RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 23:15:14 00:19:32 –
- QUINTANILLA (CHL) HUSQVARNA 23:17:48 00:22:06 00:01:00
- FARRES GUELL (ESP) KTM 23:22:27 00:26:45 –
- DUCLOS (FRA) SHERCO TVS 23:23:02 00:27:20 –
- PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) SHERCO TVS 23:24:15 00:28:33 00:02:00
- BRABEC (USA) HONDA 23:30:37 00:34:55 00:02:30
- BOTTURI (ITA) YAMAHA 23:32:07 00:36:25 00:03:00
- VAN BEVEREN (FRA) YAMAHA 23:34:22 00:38:40 –
- ARANA (ESP) HUSQVARNA 23:35:04 00:39:22 00:01:00
- SANZ (ESP) KTM 23:37:06 00:41:24 –
- METGE (FRA) HONDA 23:42:56 00:47:14 00:17:00
- VILADOMS (ESP) KTM 23:46:29 00:50:47 00:01:00
- CERVANTES MONTERO (ESP) KTM 23:48:29 00:52:47 00:01:00
- METGE (FRA) HONDA 23:55:56 01:00:14 –
- GYENES (ROU) KTM 23:57:16 01:01:34 –
- CASTEU (FRA) KTM 23:57:35 01:01:53 –
- BREAD (FRA) KTM 23:58:10 01:02:28 –
- MONLEON (ESP) KTM 24:00:59 01:05:17 –
- KLYMCIW (CZE) HUSQVARNA 24:01:17 01:05:35 00:01:00
- PATRAO (PRT) KTM 24:05:39 01:09:57 00:01:00
- VERHOEVEN (NLD) YAMAHA 24:06:54 01:11:12 00:02:00
- CERUTTI (ITA) HUSQVARNA 24:08:38 01:12:56 –
- DE SOULTRAIT (FRA) YAMAHA 24:08:45 01:13:03 00:02:00
- PIATEK (POL) KTM 24:13:13 01:17:31 00:01:00
- VAN PELT (NLD) HUQSVARNA 24:25:39 01:29:57 00:02:00
- DUPLESSIS (ARG) KTM 24:33:27 01:37:45 –
- GIMENO GARCÍA (ESP) KTM 24:39:34 01:43:52 00:01:00
- SALVATIERRA (BOL) KTM 24:42:33 01:46:51 –
- BLYTHE (USA) KTM 24:47:45 01:52:03 00:08:00
- SOLA TARRADELLAS (ESP) YAMAHA 24:52:33 01:56:51 –
- VAYSSADE (FRA) SHERCO TVS 24:57:35 02:01:53 00:01:00
- VOGELS (NLD) KTM 25:02:13 02:06:31 00:14:30
- PABISKA (CZE) KTM 25:04:21 02:08:39 00:01:00
- CABRERA (CHL) KAWASAKI 25:06:48 02:11:06 –
- ENGEL (CZE) KTM 25:14:07 02:18:25 00:05:00
- CARDONA VAGNONI (FRI) KTM 25:40:47 02:45:05 –
- DA COSTA (FRA) YAMAHA 25:59:29 03:03:47 00:04:00
- RODRIGUEZ (ARG) KTM 26:08:22 03:12:40 –
- VAN GERVEN (NLD) KTM 26:12:00 03:16:18 00:02:00
- FUENTES (BOL) KTM 26:21:45 03:26:03 00:00:30
- VAN DEN GOORBERGH (NLD) KTM 26:23:42 03:28:00 –
- SMITH (USA) HUSQVARNA 26:27:21 03:31:39 00:01:00
- BIANCHI PRATA (PRT) HONDA 26:30:27 03:34:45 00:14:00
- RIOS (PER) KTM 26:40:21 03:44:39 –
- KOZAC (ARG) YAMAHA 26:54:29 03:58:47 00:01:00
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