BIKES first news form stage 9 CP1 14.01.2014: Dakar Rally 2014 Stage 9 Calama - Iquique January 14th, 2014

Dakar Rally 2014  Stage 9
Calama - Iquique
January 14th, 2014





    10:38 Bikes: After the top 3 at CP1

    After 201 km, Alain Duclos still occupies fourth place, 2’56” behind the stage leader. Jeremias Israel Esquerre is now in fifth, 4’05' behind Coma, in front of Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues, 4’36' behind the leader and Spaniard Juan Pedrero Garcia, who trails his countryman by 5’12”.

    10:07 Bikes: Coma in command at CP1

    Small gaps separate the occupants of the virtual podium: 37” between leader Marc Coma and his countryman Joan Barreda Bort.

Cyril Despres is currently in third place, 2’21’’ behind Coma. The Catalan Honda rider has caught up with him and is having to ride in his dust at present.



    09:43 Bikes: Behind the leading trio after 124 km

    Joan Barreda still leads Coma and Despres, with the trio within 1’30”. Behind them, change is afoot, although Alain Duclos is still fourth, 1’55' behind the leader.

Helder Rodrigues now occupies fifth place, 3’07' behind Barreda, in front of Ivan Jakes who trails the Catalan by 3’09'. The Sherco ridden by Juan Pedrero Garcia is 3’21' behind the leader and ahead of Laia Sanz and Stefan Svitko, respectively 3’31' and 3’57' behind Barreda.



    09:21 Bikes: Barreda takes the initiative after 87 km

    The Spaniard’s Honda is now in the lead, 48” ahead of the KTM ridden by Marc Coma and 52' in front of Cyril Despres’ Yamaha.


A close fight is being fought for provisional sixth place between Van Niekerk and Metge who are only 20 seconds apart. Olivier Pain’s problems are confirmed, since he now lost 8’15” to the stage leader since the start of the day’s special.


    09:16 Bikes: Problems for Pain after 39 km?

    At the 39-km point, Olivier Pain, already 5’49' behind Despres has probably encountered some sort of problem that for the moment remains unknown.



    08:55 Bikes: Svitko and Duclos fighting for 3rd place after 39 km

    The Slovak’s KTM and the French rider’s Sherco are currently in third and fourth place, respectively 13” and 28' behind the stage leader.


Behind Joan Barreda, in fifth, Jordi Viladoms trails Despres by 38' in sixth and Laia Sanz is seventh, 40' behind the current leader.



    08:22 Bikes: Coma ahead of Barreda after 39 km

    8” Behind stage leader Cyril Despres, Marc Coma occupies second place. Joan Barreda is third, 32” behind the Frenchman.



    08:20 Bikes: Despres leads after 39 km

    Frenchman Cyril Despres (Yamaha) has completed the first 39 km in a time of 22’54'.



    08:06 Bikes: Top 10 still possible

    For three esteemed bikers grouped together within less than 10 minutes, there is still a possibility of improving.


The most discrete among them, Ivan Jakes, has not exactly shone this year, but his consistency has placed him in between two of the “Jack-o’-lanterns” of the Dakar 2014: Michael Metge, 15th and Riaan Van Niekerk, 13th.


All three are in the process of starting the special stage finishing in Iquique with a place in the top 10 in their sights.



    08:00 Bikes: And what about David Casteu?


    In 11th place, starting at 8.13 AM local time with a strapped shoulder, probably in no small amount of pain and discomfort, will David Casteur make it to Iquique?


The Frenchman had singled out this stage and the following ones as his main objective on the Dakar 2014, promising to put on a show. However, is fractured collar bone changed the situation. Or perhaps not as we will find out later today.



    07:55 Bikes: Despres starts the special

    At 10.45 AM local time, the first bike ridden by Cyril Despres (Yamaha) started the special stage. He will be followed by Joan Barreda Bort (Honda) and Marc Coma (KTM). The stage that awaits them includes crossing of dunes and navigation after a quick first section.



    07:49 Bikes: Bikes and quads on the link stage

    At 6.45 AM local time, the first bike left the bivouac at Calama, heading north to the start of the joint special stage scheduled for this Tuesday.


On the 37 Km of road, Cyril Despres is leading the convoy to the start, followed by Juan Barreda Bort and Marc Coma. The timed section is 422-km long. 83 bikes and 17 have been cleared to start.




stage 9 virtual standing at CP1

1    002    COMA (ESP)    KTM    001:42:22        00:00:00

2    003    BARREDA BORT (ESP)    HONDA    001:42:28    00:00:06    00:00:00

3    001    DESPRES (FRA)    YAMAHA    001:44:03    00:01:41    00:00:00

4    022    DUCLOS (FRA)    SHERCO    001:44:18    00:01:56    00:00:00

5    007    RODRIGUES (PRT)    HONDA    001:46:09    00:03:47    00:00:00

6    023    PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP)    SHERCO    001:46:20    00:03:58    00:00:00

7    019    SVITKO (SVK)    KTM    001:46:56    00:04:34    00:00:00

8    038    ISRAEL ESQUERRE (CHL)    SPEEDBRAIN    001:47:05    00:04:43    00:00:00

9    016    JAKES (SVK)    KTM    001:47:08    00:04:46    00:00:00

10    050    SANZ (ESP)    HONDA    001:47:21    00:04:59    00:00:00


- ASO -   also photo