BIKES news from Stage 10 - updated 15.01.2013: Dakar 2013 Stage 10 January 15th, 2013 1st start (GMT-3) : 7:45 AM 2013 - Argentina/Chile -

Dakar 2013  Stage 10 January 15th, 2013
1st start (GMT-3) : 7:45 AM
2013 - Argentina/Chile -





14:31 - bike
Despres takes charge of the general standings

The Frenchman now holds the best place in the general standings, replacing his team-mate Ruben Faria who now lies second, 1'37" behind. Francisco "Chaleco" Lopez in third place trails Despres by 13'41". Ivan Jakes in fourth place now finds himself 18'21" behind the rally leader.


Behind him, Italy's Alessandro Botturi is the first Husqvarna rider, 24'25" behind the title holder, whilst Helder Rodrigues, flying the flag for Honda occupies sixth place, 34'19 behind the leader.

14:01 - bike
004 - Viladoms in difficulty

Spanish rider Jordi Viladoms has been at a standstill for several hours at the 170-km point of the day's special. With mechanical problems that he cannot repair alone, he is forced to wait for the arrival of his assistance team.



13:42 - bike
029 - Caselli finishes in fifth

American Kurt Caselli, with a total time of 4:50'10" has slipped into the top five of the stage's rankings behidn Juan Pedrero Garcia and trailing the day's winner by 6'56".



12:45 - bike
005 - Barreda wins the special

The first two riders have reached the finishing line and Joan Barreda has beaten Cyril Despres by 1'15” on completion of the 357 kilometres.

12:24 - bike
005 - Firm grip on the lead for Barreda after 306 km

The Spanish rider who has dominated the special so far has a firm grip on command of the stage, 1'49" ahead of Cyril Despres, who himself could become general standings leader at the end of the day.


11:28 - bike
017 - Botturi falls but carries on…

Before the CP, Alessandro Botturi suffered a fall, but not a serious one, at the 140-km point on the special stage. He is now at the refuelling point where he is having treatment for bumps and bruises before resuming riding in the following minutes.



11:12 - bike
005 - Barreda opens the gap at CP1

After 223 km, the Spanish Husqvarna rider has been recorded in first place with a lead of 1'20" over the KTM of Frenchman Cyril Despres.


Furthermore, Juan Pedrero Garcia has caught up with Paulo Gonçalves and the two men are in joint third. Ivan Jakes is fifth, 4'47" behind Barreda, Helder Rodrigues is sixth, 5'42" behind, Ruben Faria is seventh, 6'24" behind and Alessandro Botturi is eighth, 6'34" behind the stage leader.



10:18 - bike
005 - Barreda leads by 1 second after 164 km!

The battle is raging between Joan Barreda and Cyril Despres, even though it could be said that the Frenchman may not be at 100% since he has the general standings at stake unlike the Spaniard. One second only separates the two bikers, who have opened a small gap on their pursuers:


Paulo Gonçalves in third, 1'14" behind, Juan Pedrero Garcia in fourth, 1'53" behind, Ivan Jakes in fifth, 2'39" behind, Helder Rodrigues, in sixth, 3'05" behind and Alessandro Botturi in seventh, 3'40" behind. Ruben Faria rounds off the provisional top 8, 3'51" behind the stage leader.



10:07 - bike
013 - Farres Guell in difficulty

The Spaniard has ground to a halt after 127 km of the special. He is having mechanical problems and is attempting to repair and restart in the coming minutes.



10:05 - bike
Gonçalves still in the reckoning after 132 km

Occupying third place, Portugal's Paulo Gonçalves is only 13 seconds behind stage leader Joan Barreda and therefore 4 seconds behind Cyril Despres.


 Italian Alessandro Botturi trails Barreda by 1'59" and lay in fourth at this point, but stopped a short while after for several minutes and will therefore lose time on the three men in front...


Slovak Ivan Jakes is fifth, Helder Rodrigues is sixth and Ruben Faria seventh, respectively 2'02", 2'07" and 2'55" behind the provisional stage leader.



10:00 - bike
Despres and Barreda almost neck and neck after 132 km

With a time of 1:31'44", Frenchman Cyril Despres is still fighting for command of the race at this time check point even if the scales have tipped in favour of Joan Barreda, since only 9 seconds separate the two men.



09:02 - bike
020 - Gonçalves battling with Despres after 64 km

The Portuguese Husqvarna rider only trails the provisional stage leader by 8 second. Behind them, Juan Pedrero Garcia is in fifth place between Barreda and Jakes, 54" behind Despres. 1'04" behind the Frenchman, Gérard Farres Guell in turn currently leads Alessandro Botturi and Ruben Faria.



08:59 - bike
First time check after 64 km

Cyril Despres seems to have set out to cement his domination of the rally today. He has been the quickest so far ahead of Helder Rodrigues, 33" behind.


Joan Barreda has lost 42" on Despres in this section, whilst Ivan Jakes, Alessandro Botturi and Ruben Faria trail the provisional stage leader by 56", 1'14" and 1'18" respectively. These provisional positions are likely to change, seeing as only the first six riders have finished this portion so far.




08:20 - bike
The first bikes start the special

At 7.45 AM local time, Cyril Despres started the day's stage ahead of Joan Barreda and Alessandro Botturi. 357 kilometres against the clock await the bikes and the quads on a route different to the cars and trucks, even if the two routes include a considerable amount of shared mileage.



08:17 - bike
After thirtieth place in the bike category…

It is a little strange for a rider who lit up the stage yesterday to be lying in thirty-fifth place. However, at 3:11'40" behind the leader, Spain's Joan Barredal (Husqvarna) can no longer hope for much in the general standings.


He leads a small group formed by Alain Duclos, Romain Souvignet, Nicolas Alberto Cardona Vagnoni, Kurt Caselli and others, with only several minutes separating each of them, right up to around forty-second place. In this segment of the general standings, changes are also expected today.




08:12 - bike
Behind the leaders in the bike category (cont.)

A little after twentieth place, Michel Metge is on the move, having gained two places in the general standings yesterday, and perhaps more depending on withdrawals this morning. He boasts a lead of around ten minutes over Chilean Felipe Prohens and Argentinean Pablo "Cacha" Rodriguez.


Somewhat further behind lies Marc Gasch, the Gas-Gas rider whose team-mate Laia Sanz arrived at the bivouac at Villa Carlos Paz at 5.07 AM local time after a terrible night of setbacks, in the company of another Spaniard, Miguel Puertas Herrera, who stopped to help her and towed her come hell and high water for a considerable part of the day yesterday and all the night.




08:05 - bike
Behind the leaders in the bike category…


Yesterday's long stage held a number of surprises amongst the leading men, but not only for them... Behind them the standings also underwent significant modifications. As a result, in fifteenth place lies Dutchman Frans Verhoeven, 55'59" from the leader.


Just behind him comes Australian Rodney Faggotter, an almost newcomer, since he didn't last further than the fifth stage last year on his first participation. He in turn leads South African Darryl Curtis by almost 22 minutes.


Another Australian, Ben Grabham, lies a little more than 3 minutes further back, himself followed by Paulo Gonçalves, who is riding under the close surveillance of Pal Anders Ullevalseter (twelve minutes behind the Portuguese rider). This is what makes this group of fast and experienced bikers one of the main points of interest today.



07:49 - bike
001 - Despres in transit...

The first bike, ridden by Cyril Despres has left Villa Carlos Paz towards the start of the special stage. 357 kilometres of special stage await the bike/quad competitors, after the initital 37 km of link stage. 137 bikers were authorised to start this morning.





20:24
Córdoba–La Rioja: parallel lines

All the competitors must cover the same distance, but that doesn't mean the cars and trucks race on the same course as the motorcycles and quads. Nevertheless, the challenges on their respective menus are quite similar. Today we'll alternate winding tracks and fast roads as they move from forested sectors to much more open plateaus.


A typical course for the Argentinean Rally. After 37 km on the road, they'll have to tackle a sector just over 350 km long before a 242 km link section. Seeing the many unexpected turns of events during yesterday's stage in the Car, Truck and Motorcycle categories, it goes without saying that the overall classifications are still up for grabs.


Stéphane Peterhansel's buffer grew considerably but isn't insurmountable, the KTM pilots have a wafer-thin margin, and the battle of the juggernauts is yet to be decided.



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