Dakar 2015 Stage 5 - 458kms Copiapó - Antofagasta Today Robby Gordon showed a little of what might have been had he not been beset by mechanical issues in the last three stages. In yesterdays race he set a blistering pace, reaching the first timed waypoint second fastest for the day, just five seconds off the lead car, before problems with his vehicle’s drivetrain ruined his race. Today the Gordini held together and Robby reacquainted himself with the success he had in the opening stage, scoring a third place, just one and half minutes behind the stage winner Vladimir Vasilyev. Guerlain Chicherit too has had rotten luck this Dakar. Today, in a repeat of last year, his car caught fire only three kilometres into the stage. Thankfully no one was hurt and Guerlain and navigator Alexandre Winocq managed to put the fire out quickly. It seemed certain that his Dakar was over, with Guerlain even declaring the end on his Facebook page but three hours later, with his Zebra Buggy fixed he was back on track and fighting to the bitter end, eventually reaching the finish of the special stage 5 hours after the leaders. Team Toyo driver Philippe Raud also struggled today but managed to finish 3 hours 15 minutes behind in 68th, sadly the rest of the Toyo drivers - Pierre Tuheil, Daniel Marrochhi and Ali Gharib - all fell in yesterdays stage and where on the list of non-starters for todays race. Stage 5 results will not change the face of the general standings much, which are comfortably dominated by Nasser Al-Attiyah, who was fourth today. Giniel de Villiers remains in second place after his sixth-placed finish today. Tomorrow the journey up the Pacific coast continues towards Iquique. Drivers will be confronted by still more dunes and no doubt, a lot more drama. General Ranking 1 #305 Al-Attiyah (QAT) Mini 16:53:26 2 #303 De Villiers (ZAF) Toyota +00:10:35 3 #325 Alrajhi (ARG) Mini +00:20:29 32 #308 Gordon (USA) Hummer +05:45:46 71 #400 Raud (FRA) Toyota +30:30:07 Not yet finished #323 Chicherit (FRA) DNS #417 Tuheil (FRA) #420 Gharib (DEU) #433 Marrocchi (ARG)
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 02:30:37 +0000
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