Ranking General Bikes

after 8 stages from Buenos Aires(Colon) - Cordoba stage 1

3 009 LOPEZ CONTARDO (CHL) APRILIA 35:10:42 01:24:21

4 005 RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 35:11:36 01:25:15

5 014 DUCLOS (FRA) KTM 35:38:50 01:52:29

6 012 FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA 35:48:54 02:02:33

7 024 STREET (USA) KTM 36:14:53 02:28:32

8 016 PAIN (FRA) YAMAHA 36:28:20 02:41:59

9 023 BERGLUND (SWE) KTM 36:35:02 02:48:41 05:00

10 034 PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) KTM 36:36:36 02:50:15 02:00

　And this is the summary from stage 1Stage 1

Colon - Cordoba

Frenchman David Casteu created a big surprise on this first stage by picking up his second special stage victory on the Dakar. With a time of 1.50:00, the rider from Nice, who chose to set up his own team using 450cc bikes made by French constructor Sherco, takes control of the general standings, but is only 3 tiny seconds ahead of his friend and rival, Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM). Last year’s winner, Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM), came home in 3rd position, 12 seconds behind the leader.

Stage 2

Cordoba - La Rioja

French rider David Frétigné confirmed the great performance of the 450cc against the restrained 690cc. With a time of 3h59’20, i.e. 43″ faster than his fellow countryman David Casteu (Sherco), the Yamaha rider gets an eighth special stage victory on the Dakar. Marc Coma (KTM) was the third fastest today arriving 1’08 after the day’s winner but the Spaniard lost much more than a big minute today. Indeed, caught speeding when crossing a village in yesterday’s stage, the title holder received a 22-min penalty. Consequence in the general standings, if David Casteu is still - logically - in the lead, it is now his “best enemy” Cyril Despres (KTM), who is ranking second 2’10 behind the Nice rider and just 4 short seconds ahead of the day’s stage winner who ends up in a great third place in the standings… As for Coma he is now 14th some 22’37 behind the leader.

Stage 3

La Rioja - Fiambala

Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM) has grabbed his first stage victory on this 32nd edition of the Dakar and the 19th of his career. More importantly, with a time of 3.01:09, respectively 10’40 and 12’09 ahead of Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) and Paulo Goncalves (BMW), the adoptive Andorran has already improved his chances of outright victory, because at the same time his main rivals Spaniard Marc Coma and Frenchmen David Casteu and David Frétigné all encountered problems. In spite of his battery problems, Casteu suffered the least, only losing 12 minutes to Despres, as opposed to the 22 minutes lost by Coma, due to his engine cutting out, and the 1 hour 35 minutes lost by Frétigné, who was hampered by electrical problems… As a result, in the general standings, Cyril Despres has taken control, 10’03 ahead of Casteu and 17’57 in front of Rodrigues, whereas Coma lies back in 8th place, 42’04 behind the leader.

Stage 4

Fiambala - Copiapo

Spain’s Marc Coma (KTM) gets his first stage victory on this 32nd Dakar, his eighth stage victory in the rally raid. After losing more than 40’ in two days the title holder has started his crazy climb back to the top of the standings; even if he only regained 2’04 on to David Casteu and 3’14 on to Cyril Despres (KTM) today. Nothing to worry about for the now Andorran who remains firmly established at the top with a now 8’53 lead on Casteu and a 23’45 on Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha)… As for Marc Coma, he is now 6th 38’50 from the leader.

Stage 5

Copiapo - Antofagasta

Chilean rider Francisco Lopez Contardo (Aprilia) has won his second stage on home turf on the Dakar, his first stage victory of the year. With a time of 5h52’40, the man whose nickname is “Chaleco” arrived 1’30 ahead of Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM) and 13’13 ahead of his countryman David Frétigné (Yamaha)… More importantly, this fifth stage was marked by the misfortunes of Frenchman David Casteu who had to withdraw after a bad fall and of Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM). Victim of a blown rear tire at km 376, the title holder lost almost 40’ today… In the overall standings, the coast is now clear for final victory for Despres who now has a 37’37 lead on Chile’s Lopez Contardo and a 44’01 lead over Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha)… As for Marc Coma, he is now 7th 1h16’55 behind the leader

Stage 6

Antofagasta - Iquique

Spanish rider Marc Coma (KTM) gets his second stage victory on this 32nd Dakar, his ninth in a Dakar. With a time of 4h46’59, the title holder arrived 10’34 before Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM), and 10’38 before Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha)… In the standings, even if he says he won’t, Cyril Despres can now “manage” his lead which is now at 42’15 against Chile’s Lopez Contardo and 44’05 against Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha)… As for Marc Coma, he is ranking fourth but still 1h06’21 away from the leader.

Stage 7

Iquique - Antofagasta

Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM) gets his second stage victory in this 32nd Dakar, his 22nd in a Dakar. With a time of 6h34’14, the already comfortable leader in the overall standings beat his biggest rival, Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM)by 29″ and his countryman David Frétigné (Yamaha) by 5’00. By a way of consequence, at mid-race, Cyril Despres is more than comfortable leader with a 1h06’50 lead on Spain’s Marc Coma (KTM) and a 1h20’08 lead on Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha)…

Coma penalisedAlerted by several riders due to heavy suspicion of illegal assistance in a neutralised section of the stage leading to Antofagasta, the race stewards have decided to penalise Marc Coma. The Catalan is said to have changed a wheel before starting the second part of the stage, using a new tire that can be subjected to much more intense use. But, according to the terms of article 18-4 of the Dakar’s rules, only assistance between competitors is allowed during racing time. Convinced by images taken by France Televisions, the stewards handed out a six hour penalty to Coma, who in turn denies what seems to be blatantly true to many.　

Stage 8

Antofagasta - Copiapo

After one day of Rest

Chilean Francisco Lopez Contardo gave a 2nd special stage victory to the Italian constructor Aprilia on the 32nd Dakar, his 3rd personal triumph in the event. With a time of 5.29:25, “Chaleco”, as he is known in the bivouac, beat Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM) by 42″ and Norwegian Pal Anders Ullevalseter (KTM) by 1’22. The consequences for the general standings, dramatically shaken by the 6-hour penalty handed out yesterday to Marc Coma for illegal assistance on the 7th special, are that Frenchman Cyril Despres remains very comfortably out in front with a lead that now stands at 1.20:31 over Norway’s Ullevalseter, the new 2nd-placed rider, and 1.24:21 over Chilean Francisco “Chaleco” Lopez

Carlos Galaretto News Monday 11, January, 2010 at 4:12 hs.