Team DESSSOUDE: A very special stage! 13.01.2014: - DAKAR 2014 Leg 7 - Salta / Salta - 01/12/2014 Liaison : 230 km - SS : 533 km

- DAKAR 2014 Leg 7 - Salta / Salta - 01/12/2014
Liaison : 230 km - SS : 533 km




Today’s stage, a loop around Salta, wasn’t less than 533 kilometers on a pace alternating slow, fast and technical at an average altitude of 3500 m . On wide tracks where it has rained a few days ago, the pleasure was maximum while keeping an eye on potential traps.


This loop was an opportunity for service teams to have a real rest day in Salta today awaiting the return of the cars. Tiomorrow, the rally will cross the Andes to join Chile. Valparaiso is each day a little more closer ...


The Team Dessoude crews had an eventful seventh leg. Frédéric Chavigny and Guy Leneveu started the stage on a very fast pace but at km 177 the duo had the unpleasant surprise of being hit from behind by BJ Baldwin, who instead of using the Sentinel system to express his wish to overtake, preferred giving a mighty shock in Fred’s bumper at 100 km/h ... Not sure the process is allowed in Nevada either? This left rear shock has changed the Atacama’s handling and seriously disturb the crew.


"We did not understand what was happening. We were very pleased with our early stage but after this incident, we were so surprised that we were slightly destabilized. We slowed the pace, not knowing what was the damage to the car. Baldwin did not even stop ...


The mechanics will check the car and a scrutineer of the rally went to estima te the damage. Eric Vigouroux, team manager of Baldwin, came to André (Dessoude) to apologize for his driver’s behavior and can not be explained either such an attitude. Nevertheless, our motivation and morale are intact! Tomorrow we enter Chile, maximum concentration as Valparaiso is the end of this long way. "
 


The Buggy of Jean-Pierre Strugo and Bruno Cattarelli decided today to rebel. Early on the stage, electrical problems affected the progress of the crew. Bruno Cattarelli has solved the problem to restart the car with the invaluable help of Yves Tartarin.


"Bruno found the origin of the problem, a broken wire, and after half an hour of effort, we could restart with Yves. This incident wasted our chance to have a good stage but it does not change significantly our position in overall classification. We will have to wait for the major stages of Chile to try to get into the Top 30! "
 



Good Samaritan, Yves Tartarin has watched over Jipé’s Buggy, that thanks to his intervention, was back on track. But the Pickup 03 driver did not race today as expected due to many engine cuts, probably because of the altitude. An altitude of about 3500 m, ubiquitous on the special.


Tomorrow, the Dakar will cross the Andes to enter Chile. Before reaching the bivouac in Calama, competitors will first embark on a "short" stage of 320 km, quite fast where overtaking seems to be very trick…”
 
     
Géraldine DESHAYES, photos DPPI