All 3 Aussies are in and holding their places in the overall standings. A couple of very big days ahead the Dakar never gets easier. A special mention to Jaapie Brett Cummings who is in the Malle Moto class. He is a young man and running in position 30. Extraordinary given his age and the very real difficulties that Malle Moto presents! Keep an eye on him for the future. A bit of gossip. Laia Sainz (who looks hot even at the end of a special) apparently sleeps all night in an oxygen tent! The Dakar rules are shall we say nuanced. Reading between the lines and knowing what you can and cant get away with is essential as is good contacts among the organisations officials. Knowing when to apply pressure and when not to. Assistance during the specials stage is not allowed for service trucks. So the big bike teams have water boys who follow and give up parts, work on team bikes if there are issues etc. Its the same in the other classes! Then there are the ghost riders. They look like competitor x, ride the liaison and then pull over just before the special and a swap occurs. This can also happen at the end of the special, if the final liaison is long. Last year one competitor it is rumoured put his bike inside a taxi to complete a liaison - as he was so buggered from the special! The guys that drive the meat wagons and pick up pilots and bikes that are in trouble or have quit, apparently occasionally assist by throwing on the riders helmet and jacket and giving the pilot a break and a chance for a few zzzzs. Its aint cricket - but is the Dakar! Sent from my iPad
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 02:25:23 +0000
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