The cancellation of the sixth stage of the 2012 Dakar Rally led to a strange series of events as the desert classic crossed from Argentina to Chile.
Stage Six – Fiambala to Copiapo
The day started with the entire fleet of competitors setting off in a convoy from Fiambala. The plan was to give a sense of safety in numbers against the torrential weather warnings that the race organisers had been receiving. On arrival in Copiapo the competitors were then left to fend for themselves as they waited many an hour for their service crews to complete their own perilous path through the Andes.
Despite the spectacular scenery on show from 4700 metres above sea-level along el Paso de San Francisco there was an obvious sense of anticlimax with no timed racing taking place.
“Yesterday was the first time I finished a stage feeling really happy with the job I had done. Later that night I was just drifting off to sleep when someone shouted into the tent that today’s stage had been cancelled. I was gutted because it was looking like a kick ass stage but I ended up getting a full night’s sleep for the first time since I got here. Now I’ll be fresh to get stuck in tomorrow.” – Chris Birch
One biker who was smiling all the way through the long liaison stage was Chaleco Lopez as he looks forward to once again racing the Dakar Rally in his native Chile.
“Coming home with the Dakar has been the highlight of my year for a while now. After the crash I suffered in Tunisia this has been the happiest I have ever been to come to Chile with the race. My country has everything you need to host great Enduro riding and the dunes of Copiapo are going to be great fun tomorrow.” – Chaleco Lopez.
You could be forgiven for thinking that one less stage to worry about would be good news for Cyril Despres and the 10 minute lead he holds at the top of the bike race. However, the Frenchman did not become a three-time Dakar winner by shirking the challenges whenever they present themselves.
“It’s all a bit confusing at the moment because I have arrived at the bivouac in Copiapo before the rest of my team. Usually everybody else gets here before me because I have three hours of racing to negotiate. It’s a disruption to the rhythm that I have worked so hard to built up at this race. Finding your rhythm is the key to a successful Dakar, not just on the bike but also in the bivouac at the beginning and the end of each day.” – Cyril Despres
One thing the lack of racing on the road out of Argentina has done is to increase the determination to make a difference when the serious business begins again.
“My former team-mate Nasser (Al-Attiyah) starts behind us tomorrow and I’m looking forward to seeing how things work out. We have already seen the speed of Nasser’s Hummer this year and we all know his ability of driving in the dunes. We expect to see him at some point during the day and in a best-case scenario we can push each other up the rankings. My co-pilot Dirk has already told me there’s no way we’re going to let Nasser get past us!” – Giniel de Villiers
Dakar Digit: 7
Day six of the 2012 Dakar Rally saw the race cross the Andes Mountains for the seventh time since coming to South America. Heavy storms of rain and snow in the area forced the organisers of the rally to call off any racing in the area in the interest of protecting the safety of the competitors. Yet more evidence for anyone in doubt of the very real dangers that exist for everyone involved in the desert classic.
Want more?
- Check out Marc Coma's profile page
- Visit redbull.com's Dakar 2012 event page
- More Red Bull motor sports
- Dakar 2012: Ones to Watch | Bikes
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