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TODAY'S ROUTE: JAN 8. 2010 Stage 7: Iquique > Antofagasta
Connection 37 kmSpecial 600 kmConnection 4 km
DESPRES IS THE BOSS; AL-ATTIYAH ASSERTS HIS POSITION
January 8, 2010: Before the day of rest that the Dakar will be spending in Antofagasta on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, Cyril Despres wins a stage in which Marc Coma has returned to being his fiercest contender in the overall standings. In the car category the day’s stage won by Al-Attiyah also allowed the BMW X-3 of Guerlain Chicherit and Stéphane Peterhasel to reposition themselves in 4th and 5th places in the overall standings. With a sixth stage victory in seven stages, Vladimir Chagin is more than ever THE race leader.
Some stages can represent – alone – several episodes of a race. The stage taking the Dakar contenders to Antofagasta today – with its 600 km of special stage – was precisely a mix of different terrains and led to many events. Marc Coma and Cyril Despres who had started first paid the price – for a while – of their hesitations in a vast sand dunes area. The riders behind them ended up catching up. At the different intermediary check points both two-times winners ended up losing ground and giving opportunities to Ullevalseter (1st at CP1 and CP2), Frétigné (1st at CP4) and Lopez (1st at CP5 and CP6).
14:20 - Quad
256 - 52’ delay for Gonzalez Corominas at CP5
Third in the overall standings at the start of the stage this morning but victim of a breakdown at km 339, Spanish rider Juan Manuel Gonzalez Corominas (Yamaha) just cleared CP5 (km 355), 52’04 behind stage leader Alejandro Patronelli (Yamaha). The Spaniard is therefore losing - at this point - his thrid place on the podium to the benefit of Alejandro.
14:15 - Bike
1 - Coma back in the lead
The first four bikes have now reached km 509 of today’s special stage and Spaniard Marc coma (KTM) is again granted best time 13" ahead of French rider David Frétigné (Yamaha) and 3’13 ahead of the leader in the overall standings Cyril Despres (KTM).
13:45 - Quad
277 - The objective is still reachable for Alejandro
The first five quads have reached CP5 (km 355) of today’s stage. Argentina’s Alejandro Patronelli (Yamaha) still leads the stage, 3’19 ahead of his "little brother" Marcos (Yamaha), 21’26 ahead of Poland’s Rafal Sonik (Yamaha)... Moreover, Alejandro Patronelli’s main rival to access the top 3 of the overall standings, Spain’s Juan Manuel Gonzales Corominas (Yamaha), had to stop at km 339 where he has already spent 10 minutes.
13:35 - Car
301 - "Peter" still in the lead at CP5
The first four cars have reached CP5 (km355) on today’s stage. Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (BMW) has the best provisional time with a 1’45 lead over Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah (VW) and 4’17 ahead of US driver Mark Miller (VW).
13:20 - Bike
12 - Frétigné in the lead at CP6
As the first 5 bikes have cleared CP6(km448), French rider David Frétigné (Yamaha) is now best provisional time 38" ahead of Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM) and - hence - 1’22 ahead of "Chaleco" (Aprilia).
13:00 - Bike
1 - Coma back in the lead at CP6
As the three first bikes have now reached CP6 located at km 448 of today’s special stage, Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM) was timed with the best provisional clock. The title holder was 44" ahead of Chile’s Francisco Lopez Contardo (Aprilia) and 3’38 ahead of the leader in the overall standings Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM).
12:20 - Bike
12 - Frétigné provisionally second fastest at CP5
The first 12 bikes have now passed CP5 located at the km 355 marker of the day’s special stage and Frenchman David Frétigné (Yamaha) is now second best time 2’40 behind the leader "Chaleco" Lopez Contardo (Aprilia), but 52" ahead of Ullevalseter (KTM) now ranking third.
12:00 - Bike
9 - "Chaleco" best time at CP5
The first five bikes have now cleared CP5 located at km 355 of today’s special stage and it is now Chilean rider Francisco Lopez Contardo (Aprilia) who is in the lead with best provisional time. "Chaleco" is 3’32 ahead of Norwegian rider Pal Anders Ullevalseter (KTM), and 4’28 ahead of Spanish rider Marc Coma (KTM).
11:30
Awaiting km 355...
After the race neutralisation foreseen on today’s special stage between km 177 and km 228, the leaders in the four categories are now back on the against-the-clock section and are now racing towards CP5 (km 355) of today’s special stage...
11:10 - Car
301 - "Peter" takes the lead on km 141
The first 8 cars have cleared km 141 of today’s special stage and it is again Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (BMW) who is in the lead 2’12 ahead of Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah (VW), and 5’17 ahead of US driver Mark Miller (VW).
11:00 - Truck
501 - Chagin... as usual
After winning 5 of the 6 special stages already in this 32nd edition of the Dakar and ending up solid leader in the overall standings, Russia’s Vladimir Chagin (Kamaz) checked in the lead at CP2 (km 79) of today’s special stage. The "Tsar" was respectively 4’39 and 4’43 ahead of his two countrymen and teammates Ilgizar Mardeev second and Firdaus Kabirov third.
10:25 - Car
306 - Al-Attiyah in the lead at CP2
The first 8 cars have now cleared CP2 located at the km 79 marker of today’s special stage and it is now Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah (VW) who is in the lead with the best time 13" ahead of Stéphane Peterhansel (BMW) and 2’46 ahead of his teammate Spanish driver Carlos Sainz (VW).
10:00 - Car
301 - Peterhansel in the lead at CP1
As the first 5 cars have now cleared CP1 (km 63) of the day’s special stage, Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (BMW)gets the best provisional time just 6 short seconds ahead of Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah (VW) and 2’19 ahead of the leader in the standings Spain’s Carlos Sainz (VW).
09:35 - Truck
501 - IT’S A GO FOR TRUCKS!
Starting 11th of the car/truck pack, the leader in the overall standings in the truck category, Russian driver Vladimir Chagin (Kamaz) started the day’s special stage at 9:22AM as per schedule. The "Tsar" was followed 7 minutes later by his countryman and teammate Firdaus Kabirov (Kamaz) who - for the anecdote - started 18th of the car/truck pack just before US driver Robby Gordon and his Hummer.
09:30 - Quad
277 - Alejandro has already gained 14’01"...
The first 8 quads just cleared CP2 (km 79) of today’s special stage and Argentinean Alejandro Patronelli (Yamaha) is still in the lead with the best time 3’20 of his brother Marcos (Yamaha) and 9’49 ahead of his countryman Santamaroina (Can-Am). More importantly Alejandro already had a 14’01 lead at CP2 on his main rival for third place on the podium, Spanish rider Gonzalez Corominas (Yamaha).
09:05 - Car
301 - IT’S A GO FOR CARS!
The winner of yesterday’s sixth stage, Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (BMW) has started the day’s special stage at 9:03 as per schedule and was followed two minutes later by the leader in the overall standings, Spanish driver Carlos Sainz.
08:55 - Quad
277 - Alejandro Patronelli: his mission... third place
After a superb return in yesterday’s stage 6, Argentine rider Alejandro Patronelli (Yamaha) intends to get back on the provisional podium before the rest day and to this end he must regain about 40’ today from Spanish rider Gonzalez Corominas (Yamaha). It is therefore logical to find the older of the Patronelli brothers in the lead of today’s special stage as the three first quads have now cleared CP1 (km 63). Alejandro was ahead of his younger brother and leader in the general standings Marcos (Yamaha) by 3’29, and ahead of his countryman Jorge Miguel Santamarina (Can-Am) by 8’54.
08:35 - Bike
12 - Provisional second fastest time for Frétigné at CP2
Three more bikes have now cleared CP2 (km 79) of the day’s special stage and it is now French rider David Frétigné (Yamaha) who gets provisionally the second fastest time 1’14 behind the Norwegian stage leader so far Ullevalseter (KTM), but also 1’13 ahead of this teammate and fellow countryman Olivier Pain (Yamaha), who gets provisional third place.
08:30 - Bike
4 - Stable gap at CP2
The first 5 bikes have now cleared CP2 (km 79) of today’s special stage and Norwegian rider Pal Anders Ullevalseter (KTM) is still in the lead with the best time 2’36 ahead of "Chaleco" Lopez Contardo (Aprilia) and 3’52 ahead of Portugal’s Rodrigues (Yamaha).
08:15 - Bike
4 - Ullevalseter in the lead at CP1
The first 8 bikes have now cleared CP1 (km63) of the day’s special stage and Norwegian rider Pal Anders Ullevalseter (KTM) is in the lead 2’20 ahead of Chile’s Francisco Lopez Contardo (Aprilia) and 3’47 ahead of Portuguese rider Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha).
07:25 - Bike
1 - READY, STEADY, GO!
Good morning to all. At the end of stage 6 yesterday 235 teams - 99 bikes, 16 quads, 78 cars and 42 trucks - were granted permission to start today’s stage 7. Yesterday’s winner in the bike category, Spanish rider Marc Coma (KTM) kicked off the day’s stage at 7:10AM as per schedule. The title holder was followed two minutes later by the leader in the overall standings, Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM).
21:11
STAGE 7 : IQUIQUE – ANTOFAGASTA
641 km are on the menu of stage 7 including 600 km (!) against the clock, i.e. the longest stage in this 32nd edition. No chance of boredom however for the contenders who will have to face the most versatile route of the Dakar this year. The stage will start with 40km of sand dunes; then contenders will hit brittle or even very brittle terrain and even a 3km "Salar" (salt flat) they will need to cross and where it will be hard to drive faster than 10 km/h!... Other peculiarity of stage 7 is the neutralization of the race at km 177 for a 50-km liaison on asphalt to drive around a natural reserve. The contenders will start racing again at km 227, with a fast track cut off by windy sections and some off-track on rocks... In a nutshell a particularly varied menu with a lot of spicy parts just before the rest day, which allowed the organizers to push the end to 6:00PM the next day so that a maximum number of contenders would have the opportunity to reach Antofagasta within the time limits and go on with their rally raid.
