As the 2010 Dakar Rally came to an end in Argentina yesterday, only the strongest were left standing. It’s the familiar headline-grabbers who will step onto the podium today, but everyone completing the gruelling race has given their all.
For riders such as Philip Noone of Team Ireland, finishing represents not just a two-week, 14-stage slog in the height of the South American summer but a lifetime’s dream fulfilled. When the dust finally settles in Chile and Argentina, the competitors who tackled the 2010 Dakar will still be questioning their sanity for taking part in the first place.
In the cars, it was a perfect one-two-three finish for the Red Bull Volkswagen team as the Race Touareg and their crews claimed the top prize for the second year running. This year it wasn’t Giniel de Villiers who brought home the bacon for the German manufacturers – the South African claimed seventh – but Carlos Sainz instead.
'A very, very important day for me. I am really happy and relieved' – Carlos Sainz
El Matador managed to put the disappointment of crashing out last year to hold off the challenge of his team-mate Nasser Al-Attiyah to win by the narrowest of margins. The race for top spot was kept alive right to the end by these two great competitors, and in the end it was only 2m 21s which separated them after over 47 hours of racing.
In the end, with age on the side of Nasser, you guessed that Carlos might have wanted this victory just a little more than the man from Qatar.
“A very, very important day for me, I am really happy and relieved,” said Sainz. “I would first like to thank my co-pilot Lucas Cruz for his wonderful work, and the team, as well as all of those who trusted me for so long.”
After crossing the line, the Spaniard was quick to thank Nasser for pushing him so hard and bringing the best out of him.
“It was a tough and daily fight against my team-mate. I knew it would be like that. I fought so hard. Today was a very special stage. I could not afford any mistakes. Straight ahead, crossing, straight ahead, crossing… We had to master everything and control our emotions. But it has been like this for a week!”
Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Photofiles
Over in the bikes, the formality of Cyril Despres’ win was finally rubber-stamped with the completion of stage 14. This is Cyril’s third win in the Dakar, but he is savouring his most recent victory more than the previous two. That must be what keeps the Frenchman on top of his game.
'We can only be moved by this third victory' – Cyril Despres
“All victories are nice, but this one is particularly beautiful,” he commented. “It’s the victory of hard work, of expertise and of an incredible team. There are nine of us in the team and not one of us ever let go. We all wanted to win – we all wanted to fight hard, and we did win. It’s just fantastic.”
After growing accustomed to success, Cyril admitted it has been hard to take being beaten in the last few Dakars.
“We have had three tough years, three years of injuries, training… hard times. We can only be moved by this third victory. I am still human – I know I have been riding this bike for 15 days and I am exhausted, but the little strength I had left just went in tears. It was a tough Dakar, a beautiful Dakar and I am so glad I won.”
Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Photofiles
Another win that was on the cards for a while was also confirmed yesterday in the truck class as Vladimir Chagin in his Red Bull Kamaz claimed his sixth Dakar win. ‘The Tsar’, as he is affectionately known in the bivouac, was in total control of the race from day one, and so were his team. Chagin may have broken a few personal records along the way, but Team Kamaz also sealed a new record by winning every stage of the truck class this year.
“It’s our team’s ninth victory. There are not many teams with such a track record. This is a result of several years of work,” said Chagin. “Last year was good with Firdaus [Kabirov]’s victory – this year is an even bigger success. A fabulous result for Kamaz. Our team are really strong. I think they wanted the victory more than the other teams.”
As well as the Russians, the local fans had plenty to cheer, with Argentinean Marcos Patronelli winning the quad class. It has been a real family affair in this category this year, with Marcos’s older brother Alejandro taking second spot. Marcos could hardly contain himself as he crossed the finish line first in his homeland.
“I would never have imagined this, not even in my wildest dreams. It’s incredible that two brothers finish first and second in the same raid!” said the delighted Marcos. “This Dakar was very hard. I cannot say more than that, except that I must thank my team. We are a family pushing hard, doing what it takes. I am also happy for my brother: it’s his first Dakar and he finishes second! Who wouldn’t be proud?”
The quads may not be the blue riband event of the Dakar, but Marcos explained how they have to put up with exactly the same punishing terrain as everyone else out there.
“The toughest part in this edition was really the stages in Northern Chile. They were endless and very complicated. Navigation was hard there. We had to be really focused with all the waypoints. I am thrilled, and I think that the fact that two brothers finish first and second is just making history. We will celebrate that!”
Daily Dakar Daiquiri Moment: Red Bull and...
With Red Bull hiring out Buenos Aires’ hippest clubs, there was only one thing the riders were discussing on the finish line. Where’s the party at?
After putting their heart and soul into completing the Dakar, it remains to be seen how much fuel they have left in their tanks. Despite giving his all over 9,000km of South America, Red Bull rider Rubin Faria seemed particularly keen to get over to Crobar last night and throw a few shapes on the dancefloor.
As with the rest of the competitors, Rubin richly deserves his night on the tiles. The Portuguese rider stepped in at the last moment to be Cyril Despres’ team-mate for the Dakar.
It was nice to see on the final stage that team orders from Red Bull KTM went out of the window as Rubin was allowed to set his own pace and ended up winning the stage. No doubt he’ll be dining out on that stage win for a while yet, and why not?
For all the final standings, head to www.dakar.com
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