Dakar 2004. Stage 12

Joan Roma, third today, consolidates his leadership
The Repsol rider has an advantage of 10.06 over Richard Sainct
The Dakar has begun its decisive week with Joan Roma clearly leading the race. The racing got back underway after a three-day standstill, two days due to stage neutralisation plus the scheduled rest day. The participants continue crossing borders and after moving from Burkina Faso to Mali, tomorrow they will be crossing the Mauritanian border in a very complicated and demanding stage with a total 734 Km including a 478 Km special. The length of the stage will force them to get up at two oclock in the morning because the bikes will be starting the first liaison at 03.25 a.m. It will be a classical stage in the Sahel area, with a lot of navigation and vegetation conditioning the route.Todays stage, where the Repsol KTM riders have made an efficient team tactic, had very particular features. The special was very similar to an international Enduro event, with some fast sections including very technical passages where good riding style was needed. However it was also very dangerous given the large amount of people along the track and the laterite, a dust that remains suspended for some time after the riders pass. The clouds of dust, which the riders found during the whole special, hindered them from distinguishing narrow sections, ditches and very narrow bridges.Roma, Esteve and Coma have worked hard and well. Isidre who started fourth behind Sainct, waited for Nani, seventh, to leave the track clean of dust for his team-mate and those who came before him. Thus, Nani and the other riders were able to get closer to Sainct and increase their advantage in the overall standings. Furthermore, the French rider had problems with the seat of his bike, loosing some additional time.The Spanish rider has now a 10.06 advantage, consolidating his leadership and although the advantage is not at all determining, it is increasing day by day. In the overall standings, Coma is seventh, De Gavardo tenth and Esteve thirty-first.Joan Roma: ‘Todays stage had a lot of traps, with a lot of dust, complicated tracks and a lot of people. It was a dangerous route we had to run though without risks. I counted on the help of Esteve who stopped after the start to ride with me and the team work allows us to ride safe. Sainct had a little problem with the seat, proving that in this race inconveniences can appear any time’.Isidre Esteve: ‘ Yesterday Jordi, Nani, Marc and I had a little talk to plan todays stage. We decided that I should stop after the start to ride with Nani under better conditions. Today has been more dangerous than it seemed and we have been riding absolutely concentrated ‘.Marc Coma: ‘The truth is that the roads were quite broken, we found a lot of animals and people everywhere, and holes and I decided to ride taking the least possible risks ‘.Carlo de Gavardo: ‘Short but dangerous stage, with dust, narrow tracks and a lot of holes. The difference between riders was not enough to clear the dust of the road and therefore I decided to take it easy without taking any risk ‘.Jordi Arcarons: ‘Todays special was important because after the rest day the racing rhythm had been broken. Everything went well, better than expected. Wherever there was visibility, Nani went fast, and he slowed down when there wasnt. He gained a few minutes on Sainct and that is what counts. Esteve has made great team work helping him. We hope that hell be able to do it every day.