Marc Coma and the Team Repsol KTM are close to being proclaimed the overall winners of the Dakar 2009, but as those close to the rider insist there is still one stage left – 227km long – and that means that they have to keep their concentration right up to Buenos Aires. Even though the gap over the second-placed rider is quite big – 1 hour 28 minutes – the team cannot lower its guard. With the leg between La Rioja and Córdoba finished, the Dakar caravan is now just 753km from Buenos Aires. Tomorrow the Dakar 2009 will finish in the capital of Argentina.
The organisers of the event, the ASO, announced yesterday evening that today`s special had been shortened due to the terrible conditions on the first part of the leg, impassable after the recent heavy rains. So the riders had to do a liaison of 364km before passing the CP4 at 200 metres and then tackling the special of 220km. At the end of the special there was a liaison of 47km to the bivouac, installed in the outskirts of Córdoba.
Today`s special was short, only 220km, and the route lacked any navigation at all and so the rider became very important as the route was very demanding. It was not easy as there was mud at some points and very slippery. Coma said at the end of the leg that he had tried to maintain his own pace forgetting about his important safety margin. Moreover, he repeated that unlike the usual Dakar in Senegal with a short final at the Pink Lake, this year it is a long special and that he will keep his concentration right to the end.
Jordi Viladoms, starting towards the rear after yesterday`s complicated special, started with a good pace but when he caught Duclós he could not get past him without taking too many risks. In the end he followed in his wake and lost some important time; Jordi Viladoms finished fourth today and stays in seventh position in the overall.
Gerard Farrés, third yesterday, did today`s special at his own pace without taking any risks at all, and he finished in tenth position. This means Farrés is now twentieth in the overall.
Tomorrow, the final special of this Dakar 2009 is expected to be very fast, across tracks on flat ground very similar to those on the first two stages, and so once again tyres may be the most important factor; care will be needed when making the selection. The riders have a liaison of 224km at the start and then a special of 227km, finally a long liaison of 341km to Buenos Aires. In total 792km separate the riders from the end of this intense edition of the Dakar.
Marc Coma
“It was a short special, just 220km, but it was a demanding ride. The truth is that it was not easy because at some points there was mud and we did not have a lot of traction. But on the other hand there was not much navigation and I tried to find my own pace, forgetting about my important safety margin. I did what I have been doing over the last few days, which is to avoid problems by finding my own rhythm, and so reach the end of the race. Tomorrow we still have a special of over 200km – a lot of kilometres – and you have to do it so we will keep our concentration and continue along the same lines as we have done so far. This is very different from previous Dakar where it was practicaly an excursion on the final stage to the Pink Lake. If nothing serious happens things should go very well, but in this race you can never lower your guard. Except for the first three or four days we have used run-flat mousse instead of inner-tubes, and the truth is that it is working very well.”
Jordi Viladoms >> Audio
“Today`s special did not go too well. We did not have any problems and things went as we would have liked. But I am a little disappointed with the fact that I started out thirty seconds behind Alains Duclós, and although I caught him very quickly, I rode the whole day in the dust he lifted up without being able to overtake him. And in the middle we caught other riders who also took some time to get past. I think I had a good pace and even though I was fourth I think I could have got a much better result.”
Gerard Farrés >> Audio
“Since the Repsol Mitsubishi physical trainer, Xavier, began to treat my wrist a couple of days ago things have gone much better, without any pain in my hands, and I am riding happily. And finishing third yesterday meant that I began in a good position today and so I did not come across any dust. I had a relaxed pace, always thinking about finishing and whether Marc [Coma] might need some help, and so I stayed close to him. Luckily everything went well, and it was a leg where we did not have too much navigation, enduro style and I was able to finish, so I am pleased to be here.”
