Motorcycle Nation Podcast » Dakar

Return to Dakar – Finally

Steve — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:35:44 +0000

It is all over for 2010. As expected, Frenchman Cyril Despres was the winner in the bike class. Despres bested nearest competitor Ullevalseter (NOR) by 1h02′52″. Chilean Contardo finished third about 7″ behind Ullevalseter. As well as Despres rode in this rally I feel that the most impressive ride has to go to Spaniard Mark Coma. After a huge penalty midway through the rally that cost him six hours and another twenty-two minutes on top of that Coma rode to a fifteenth place finish 6h32″42″ behind Despres. Take away the penalty time and Coma would have placed second only ten minutes off the winning pace. I would call that some very skilled riding. What a disappointment for Coma.

American Jonah Street did the Stars and Stripes proud bringing home a seventh place finish. Street maintained the seventh place position from Stage 5 on. His best finish was in Stage 11 where he raced to a fourth place honor. The other American finisher, Ludovic Boinnard, completed the rally in fortieth position nearly sixteen and one half hours off the pace. The ladies were led across the line by Sweden’s Annie Seel 18h45′ behind Despres while Giannetti (67th) and Meier (85th) rounded out the female scoring.

One hundred fifty motorcycles started this grueling rally and whether for mechanical or rider problems sixty-two failed to complete. Off seasons will be spent trying to make the bike problem proof and the riders more tough. Some riders will be lamenting about all the what ifs that could have made them more competitive. We hope they don’t cry in their beer too long. Dakar 2011 is closer than you think!

Life Happens on the way to Stage 11

Steve — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:38:09 +0000

Family and work responsibilities called me away for a couple of days which means that I have missed out on two days of the rally. As I check in today, fifty-three motorcycles have checked in for Stage 11 and there are some new faces showing up there. Of course, the current order may change once the race stewards validate the results but the leader of the stage, Netherlands Frans Verhoeven (51st overall after stage 10) surprised everyone crossing the line in first. US rider Jonah Street shows in second for the stage while the normal faces we see, Contardo (5th), Despres (7th), and Coma (9th) finish in the top ten.

We will check back in after the results are validated.

Bad News Before Stage 8

Steve — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:01:55 +0000

Talk about bad decisions. Spain’s Mark Coma has consistently found himself at the top of the overall standings throughout the first half of the Dakar Rally making it to the rest day in second overall with two stage wins under his belt. On rest day, he was handed a very harsh penalty of 6 hours for accepting help during a non race portion of a stage. Coma had a new tire installed prior to Stage 7 which is viewed as a major advantage. After the penalty was handed down, Coma was said to be considering withdrawing from the rally.

But, as the riders began Stage 8, Coma was lined up and ready to go. He must have taken some aggression out as he finished the stage 42″ behind Chile’s Lopez Contardo to place second for the stage. Overall rally leader Cyril Despres finished 6′01 behind Coma in fifth position. Amazingly, Coma’s finish brought him five spots up the overall leaderboard to nineteenth.

Jonah Street completed the stage in thirteenth position holding on to seventh overall. Ludovic Boinnard hangs out in forty-fifth overall as he continues to plug along. The ladies remain in the rally. Meier is in 89th position, Giannetti in sixty-eighth, and Seel in fiftieth overall. Stage 9 is under way as I finish this post up and you will see it either tonight to tomorrow. Stick around as competition heats up on the race back to Buenos Aires!

Street On the Move

Steve — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:48:47 +0000

After missing out on updating the blog for a couple days, we return to some great news. As Stage 4 closed out today we find out that American KTM rider Jonah Street has moved from 14th position in the overall standings to 8th. The move up the leaderboard is the result of stages 2 through 4 finishes of 11th, 8th, and 15th. Street is 43′06″ behind the leader and still the top American rider. Ludovic Boinnard finds himself in 66th position over 5 hours off the leader’s pace but still moving up the leaderboard. Final USA rider Dirk Kessler failed to finish Stage 3 and is out of the race.

As for the ladies, Dutch rider Christina Meier brings up last place at position 118. Italian Silvia Giannetti has scraped to 79th overall and Swede Annie Seel continues to lead the ladies in a respectable 48th position, only 3h44′12′ off the leaders pace. If you caught the comment about Christina Meier bringing up the rear, you will notice that the motorcycle class has dropped 32 riders through the first 4 stages! Did I forget to tell you that this is a rigorous course?

Tomorrow, Stage 5 will take the riders on the second longest route at 668 km of which 483 km will be timed for placement purposes. This stage will move the riders from Capiopo to Antofagasta. They will experience some rocky terrain as well as Chilean fesh fesh, a very soft dirt that is very fine as well. If they are in a pack they will surely eat some dirt here. Frenchmen Despres and Casteu lead the two wheeler on the next stage with Despres leading by 8′53″ over his fellow countryman. These guys were considered two to beat from the very beginning and they are not disappointing.

We will be back tomorrow with Stage 5 results. Stay tuned for the update.

Da-what? Dakar

Steve — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:51:47 +0000

2010 kicks off with various rides all over the US with names like Hangover Rally and Frozen Bun Runs to name a few. But the biggest news in motorcycling to kick off the new year comes from Buenos Aires, Argentina as the 2010 Dakar rally kicks off. The Dakar Rally, seventeen days of the most rigorous off road motor racing, started today and will bring those lucky enough to finish the grueling race right back to Buenos Aires for the podium on January 17. Entrants race either motorcycles, quads, cars, or trucks. Merely saying trucks does not do justice to the monsters that tackle this course. Check out this so called truck.

But, we are here because we are enthusiasts of the two wheel kind, so our focus will be on the motorcycles. In the motorcycle class there are 34 countries and 12 different manufacturers represented. I plan on following the rally and will watch the leader board with my main focus on the American riders.

As I write this, Stage 1 shows that Frenchman David Casteu lead his fellow countryman Cyril Despres by 3 seconds at the end of the stage. Casteu finished the stage in 1h50′42″ over the 219 km sand and gravel covered terrain. American rider Jonah Street leads the home boys finishing the stage in 14th position. Fellow Americans Ludovic Boinnard pulled in 29th, 12′04″ behind the leader and Dirk Kessler completes 58′57″ behind the leader earning him the 139th position.

I am impressed that, in what may just be the most rigorous, physically taxing motorcycle races in the world, there are at least three female entrants in the bike class. Well, I think there are three. I don’t proclaim to be an expert on foreign female names so when I read through the entrants I leaned the way of a male when faced with one that could possibly go either way. Swede Annie Seel leads the ladies across the line in 45th position, 18′35″ behind Casteu.

Stage 2 will run on Sunday taking the participants from Cordoba to La Rioja. The terrain of the stage will change slightly while covering 294 km. We will be back with you tomorrow to check in on the Americans.

Ride Safe