Step by step the Team Repsol KTM is completing the final legs before arriving in Buenos Aires. The lead rider, Marc Coma, stays at the top of the leaderboard and what is more his two teammates, Jordi Viladoms and Gerard Farrés, are still in the race, keeping close at hand. On today`s stage, one that the organisers defined as one of the toughest in the second half of the Dakar 2009, passed without any incident of note for the three Repsol riders. Marc Coma riding in a group alongside Chaleco López, Cyril Despres, Frans Verhoeven and David Fretigne.
On today`s stage the riders entered the Atacama desert, one of the most arid on the planet. The rote was a technical one, with the first parts on stony tracks, these were followed by ones along the coast that needed a good level of navigation. Many of the tracks went off towards the sea so the riders had to get things right so that they did not go off course and end up far away from what was in the roadbook. After that the special went into the desert towards a zone full of dunes. The organisers announced yesterday that the final part of the special, 19 kilometres long with a long incline in a zone of dunes, had been cancelled.
With Coma`s fourth position in the ninth leg today the Team Repsol KTM stays at the top of the leaderboard, with a gap of 1 hour 4 minutes over the second placed rider, Fretigne. Jordi Viladoms, with some navigation problems today – made a mistake when interpreting the roadbook – finished eleventh, 18 minutes behind the winner, the Dutchman Verhoeven. Gerard Farrés, with nothing to report today but suffering with his wrists again, finished in a good thirteenth position, 30 minutes behind the Dutchman and continues to climb in the overall.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, is the Copiapó loop, no less than 666km, the longest special and the longest and most difficult in the whole rally. Coming after the ninth and very demanding leg the tenth stage puts the riding level needed even higher: more kilometres, temperatures that may reach 45ºC, a route at over 3 000 metres, and once again sections with a lot of stones before facing a final 100km of dunes. At the same time the navigation will oblige the riders to be very aware of what is written in the roadbook.
Marc Coma
“Today we had a typical technical leg in a Rally Raid, with a lot of navigation. One part was on a very technical terrain, similar to that in Morcco, and then through a zone along the coast, full of tracks that made it hard to see which one was the right one and which made the navigation really complicated. At the end we had a track that was a little more used, faster and a few kilometres of dunes at the end. In the end Cyril [Despres], Chaleco [López] and myself ended up together, until we reached a spot where because of the navigation we had to find a reference but couldn`t, and Fretigné caught us up. We all formed a group and then somebody would get away but then we would catch them up, that made the leg much more fun. I used run-flat mousse tyres, and the truth is that the rear tyre is holding up well. It was a very technical leg, very sinewy, with a lot of cross-country and changes of track that did not let you pick up speed. Around Mendoza we went up to 3 000 metres and more, and you noticed it, but personally it did not affect me and I feel fine.”
Jordi Viladoms
“Today we had some problems because the special, as was expected, was difficult. I had started with a conservative pace, and even though until the refuelling I had lost some time it was what I was expecting. But afterwards I got lost at a point where I had to find some tracks and I lost a little more time, more than I would have liked. The most important thing is that I finished eleventh and that is not too far behind. I feel fine, the bike is going well too, and we have fufilled our objective on this leg.”
Gerard Farrés
“Today`s leg, for me, was the most positive when it comes to learning. I learnt a lot as there was a lot of navigation and the fact that we started seventh meant that I rode the whole day alone. In fact, I made a couple of mistakes, but in the end I was able to find my way. I overtook two or three riders, but I am just pleased to have arrived, in spite of having, as always, pain in my hands. Apart from that I did not have any problems and the bike is going very well.”
