The World Of Rallies (Car)

**Rasputin** · 01-06-2007, 06:43 AM

Incidents

In 1982, Mark Thatcher, son of the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, along with his French co-driver Charlotte Verney and their mechanic, went missing for six days. On January 9, the trio became separated from a convoy of vehicles after they stopped to make repairs to a faulty steering arm. They were declared missing on January 12; after a large-scale search, a Lockheed L100 search plane from the Algerian military spotted their white Peugeot 504 some 50km (30mi) off course. Thatcher, Verney and the mechanic were all unharmed.

In 1986, the organiser of the rally, Thierry Sabine, died in a helicopter crash.

Six people were killed during the 1988 race, three participants and three local residents. In one incident, Baye Sibi, a 10-year-old Malian girl, was killed by a racer while she crossed a road. A film crew's vehicle killed a mother and daughter in Mauritania on the last day of the race. The race participants killed, in three separate crashes, were a Dutch navigator on the DAF Trucks team, a French privateer, and a French rider. Racers were also blamed for starting a wildfire that caused a panic on a train running between Dakar and Bamako, where three more people were killed.

In 2005, Spanish motorcyclist José Manuel Pérez died in a Spanish hospital on Monday, January 10 after crashing the week before on the 7th stage. Italian motorcyclist Fabrizio Meoni, a two-time winner of the event, became the second Dakar Rally rider to die in two days, following Pérez on January 11 on stage 11. Meoni was the 11th motorcyclist and the 45th competitor overall to die in the history of the race. On January 13, a five-year-old Senegalese girl was crushed beneath the wheels of a service lorry after wandering onto a main road, bringing the total deaths to five. Many other African non-participants are said to have been killed because of the Dakar rally, but unlike the participants, no official figures are available and the names of the victims are usually not given.

In 2006, 41 year old Australian KTM motorcyclist Andy Caldecott, in his third time in the Dakar, died January 9 as a result of neck injuries received in a crash approximately 250km (155mi) into stage 9, between Nouakchott and Kiffa, only a few kilometers from the location where Meoni had his fatal wreck the year before. He won the third stage of the 2006 event between Nador and Er Rachidia only a few days before his death. The death occurred despite efforts by the event organisers to improve competitor safety, including speed limits, mandatory rest at fuel stops, and reduced fuel capacity requirements for the bike classes. On January 13, a 10-year old boy died while crossing the course after being hit by a car driven by Latvian Maris Saukans, while on January 14 a 12-year old boy was killed after being hit by a support lorry .

**Rasputin** · 01-06-2007, 06:44 AM

Criticism

The race has been subject to criticism from several sources, generally focusing on the race's impact on the inhabitants of the countries through which it passes. The rally was criticised for crossing through the disputed, non-decolonized territory of Western Sahara, without consulting the Polisario Front, which is considered representative of the Sahrawi people. After the race officials began asking for formal permission from the Polisario from 2000 onwards, this has not been an issue.

After the 1988 race, when three Africans were killed in collisions with vehicles involved in the race, PANA, a Dakar-based news agency, wrote that the deaths were "insignificant for the [race's] organizers". The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano called the race a "vulgar display of power and wealth in places where men continue to die from hunger and thirst."

During a 2002 protest at the race's start in Arras, France, a Green Party of France statement described the race as "colonialism that needs to be eradicated".

Some local residents along the race's course have said they see limited benefits from the race; that race participants spend little money on the goods and services local residents can offer. The racers produce substantial amounts of dust along the course, and are blamed for hitting and killing livestock, in addition to occasionally injuring or killing people.

**Rasputin** · 01-06-2007, 06:47 AM

2007

IT WAS THIRD IN CARS, WITH ISIDRE ESTEVE QUARTER IN MOTOS

Carlos Sainz teaches his letters in the first stage of the Dakar

Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen) began with force the Dakar. The Spanish pilot finished in third position of the category of cars, after his companion Sousa, the first stage of rally, disputed between Lisbon and Portimao. Also the Spanish Nani Rome was seventh. In motos the Portuguese Rubén Faria prevailed and the best Spanish was Isidre Esteve, quarter, with Marc Comma, that defends title, thirteenth.

The stage, with much sand and great amount of public in the opened sections, had a special one of 117 kilometers cronometrados. The only reviewable incident was the fall of Esteve, that in spite of everything carried out sensational a cronometrada one.

Exhibition of Volkswagen

The Portuguese were prophets in their earth. In cars, Sousa imposed its law in a day of net dominion of Volkswagen, that won the five first position. In a land that knows perfectly, it marked a time of 1.20:38, 2:31 less than Of Villiers and 2:38 less than Sainz and Vatanen.

The first Mitsubishi in goal was the piloted one by the Spanish Nani Rome, third of the last edition, that arrived seventh, to 4:53 of the winner. The French Stéphane Peterhansel, teammate of the Spanish, went eighth, to 5:17, whereas the French Light Alphand, defender of the title, went eleventh a 10:51 of the winner.

The cross of the day was for the German Jutta Kleinschmidt, who lost half an hour because of the electrical problems of her BMW.

Comma, thirteenth

In motos, Faria, that the last year already adjudged the second special one, surpassed in 16 seconds to its compatriot and teammate Helder Rodrigues and in four minutes and 47 seconds to the French David Casteu. The French Cyril Despres, second the last year, entered tenth, with an advantage of 16 seconds on which he assumes will be his great rival in the fight by the final triumph, the Marc Spanish Comma. The race, in any case, will begin ' of verdad' in Africa.

The second stage will take the competition of Portimao (Portugal) until Malaga, with a special one cronometrada of 67 kilometers.

**Rasputin** · 01-07-2007, 03:07 AM

RODRIGUES IS THE NEW LEADER OF MOTOS, WITH MARC EATS EIGHTH

Esteve stays third after disputing the second stage

Spanish pilot Isidre Esteve (KTM) stays third in the classification of motos of the Rally Lisbon-Dakar after disputing the second stage, between Portimao and Malaga, with a route of 545 kilometers. Like in the inaugural day, the Portuguese pilots imposed their law, this time with Helder Rodrigues - new leader in front of Rubén Faria.

Esteve, that concluded the stage to 1:45 of Rodrigues, returned to be third, whereas Marc Comma, winner of the last Dakar, went fifth and ascends to the eighth place of the general classification. Esteve has at the moment more than three minutes of advantage on Comma and more than six on the Despres French, without a doubt the three great favorites to the final triumph in rally African.

CARS
1. Sousa (POR/Volkswagen) 1h.20:38
2. Villiers (RSA/Volkswagen) to 2:31
3. Sainz (ESP/Volkswagen) to 2:38
4. Vatanen (FIN/Volkswagen) to 2:38
5. Miller (USA/Volkswagen) to 3:56
7. Rome (ESP/Mitsubishi) to 4:53

MOTOS
1. Rodrigues (POR/Yamaha) 2h.25:07
2. Faria (POR/Yamaha) to 47
3. Esteve (ESP/KTM) to 6:29
4. Casteu (FRA/KTM) to 7:01
8. Comma (ESP/KTM) to 9:52

**Rasputin** · 01-08-2007, 02:34 AM

Spain's Sainz wins second stage of Dakar Rally

Spain's Carlos Sainz won the second stage of the Dakar Rally yesterday, ahead of Mitsubishi's Nani Roma and Luc Alphand.

Sainz, driving for Volkswagen, clocked 59 minutes 26 seconds, while Roma and Alphand both timed 59.55 to finish second and third, respectively.

"The important thing was to get through these two stages and now we move on to Africa where the picture changes,'' Sainz said.

Volkswagen driver Carlos Sousa, who won Saturday, retained the overall lead. He finished ninth in the second stage which ran from Portimao, Portugal, to Malaga, Spain, through a mountainous 545 km, with 67 km timed.

**Rasputin** · 01-09-2007, 02:54 AM

COMMA PREVAILED IN THE THIRD STAGE

Esteve, new leader of the Dakar in motos and Sainz in cars
The Marc Spanish Comma prevailed in the third stage of rally Dakar, disputed between the Moroccan localities of Nador and Er Rachidia, with an advantage of 56 seconds on the American Chris Blais and 2:57 on Isidre Esteve, that is the new leader of the race in motos. In cars, the surafricano Giniel de Villiers prevailed in front of the Spanish Carlos Sainz, who happens to lead the general classification of cars.

Comma, that defends the obtained title the year last in the Dakar, did a time of 3.07:39 hours, which allowed him to surpass to Blais, that had marked the best marks in the intermediate points of cronometraje.

Leadership for Esteve

Esteve, third in the two first stages, reaches the leadership with an advantage of 26 seconds on Comma and 1:03 on the French David Casteu. The French Cyril Despres, runner-up the last and winning year does two, crumbled and lost 22:26 in the goal, which locates to him far from the best ones in the general. After its fall, in which it lost almost six minutes, Despres returned to undergo a mishap, since in the intermediate point of cronometraje it had obtained the third better mark.

Their options to add his second victory in the Pink Lake, for which he was one of the main favorites, see thus very it jeopardize, since it already accumulates a delay in the general superior to the 25 minutes. The Brazilian Jean de Azevedo went eighth in the goal to 10:46 of the winner, which places to him tenth in the general to 17:37 of Esteve. The Chilean Francisco ' Chalecó Lopez was tenth in at the end of the special one of today and seventeenth a 27:08 is placed.

Sainz, new leader in cars

The surafricano Giniel de Villiers prevailed in the third stage of rally Dakar, between Nador and Er Rachidia, in front of the Spanish Carlos Sainz, who happens to lead the general classification of cars.

Both four Volkswagen Mitsubishi, those of the French Stephane Peterhansel and Luc Alphand preceded to, whom the title defends, the Japanese Hiroshi Masouka, in addition to the Spanish Nani Rome, third of the last year, that was left more than nine minutes in the goal.

Of Villiers it surpassed in 25 seconds Sainz, in 3:18 to Peterhansel, 3:42 to Alphand and 5:40 to Masouka

CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE THIRD STAGECARS1. Giniel De Villiers

(RSA/Volkswagen) 2
h46:12. 2, CARLOS SAINZ (ESP/Volkswagen) to 0:25. 3, Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA/Mitsubishi) 3:18. 4, Light Alphand (FRA/Mitsubishi) 3:42. 5, Mark Miller (USA/Volkswagen) 3:55. 6, Carlos Sousa (POR/Volkswagen) 5:36. 7, Hiroshi Masuoka (JPN/Mitsubishi) 5:40. 8, JOAN ' NANÍ ROME (ESP/Mitsubishi) 9:18. 9, Guerlain Checherit (FRA/BMW) 9:20. 10, Nasser Saleh To Attiyah (QAT/BMW) 12:16. ... 35, JOSE LUIS MONTERDE (ESP/BMW) 42:29. 51, SANTIAGO ANGLADA (ESP/MITSUBISHI) 52:50. 56, MANUEL SEAT (ESP/MITSUBISHI) 56:12. 62, JOSE MANUEL SALINERO (ESP/NISSAN) 58:31. 68, XAVIER FOJ (ESP/TOYOTA) 1:01:14. 77, JAVIER SANDS (ESP/BOWLER) 1:04:08. 84, ALFONSO NICHOLAS (ESP/BOWLER) 1:10:02. 91, JOAN PUJOLAR (ESP/TOYOTA) 1:16:46. 98. TRIM OFF LOWER BRANCHES OF YOU LIVE
(ESP/TOYOTA) 1:22:52. 102, PERE MAIMI (ESP/TOYOTA) 1:24:02. 107, ALBERT BOSCH (ESP/MITSUBISHI) 1:26:29. 112, JOSE NICHOLAS GONZÁLEZ (ESP/BOWLER) 1:30:58. 113, TONI MANRESA (ESP/NISSAN) 1:30:58. 114, GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ (ESP/MITSUBISHI) 1:32:16. 115, JAVIER HORSESHOER (ESP/BOWLER) 1:32:33. 116, JUAN MIGUEL FIDEL MEDERO (ESP/NISSAN) 1:32:44. 117, GERMA'N FIDEL (ESP/NISSAN) 1:32:48. 118, JOSE LUIS LEON (ESP/NISSAN) 1:33:44. 120, JOSEP BUSQUETS (ESP/MITSUBISHI) 1:34:34. 124, MANUEL DURÁN (ESP/TOYOTA) 1:39:40. 128, JOAN LLOBET (ESP/MITSUBISHI) 1:54:02.

MOTOS

1. MARC COMMA (ESP/KTM) 3 H07:39. 2, Chris Blais (USA/KTM) to 0:56. 3, ISIDRE ESTEVE (ESP/KTM) 2:57. 4, David Casteu (FRA/KTM) 3:28. 5, Jonah Street (USA/Pai) 6:34. 6, Alain Duclos (FRA/KTM) 8:05. 7, JORDI VILADOMS (ESP/KTM) 8:53. 8, Jean De Azevedo (BRA/KTM) 10:46. 9, Frans Verhoeven (HOL/KTM) 12:20. 10, Francisco Lopez (CHI/Honda) 14:54. ... 12, PABLO GARCI'A TORAL (ESP/YAMAHA) 17:45. 36, ANTONIO BRANCHES MARTINEZ (ESP/KTM) 34:36. 41, VÍCTOR CREEK (ESP/RIEJU) 36:21. 57, ARTURO CASANOVA (ESP/RIEJU) 44:58. 58, CARLOS AVENDAÑO (ESP/SUZUKI) 45:00. 64, RAFAEL CISCAR (ESP/HONDA) 48:07. 68, JUAN MANUEL GONZÁLEZ (ESP/CAN-AM) 49:22. 77, ARAGONESE ARTUR (ESP/KTM) 55:37. 91, JUAN ORTA GOMEZ (ESP/RIEJU) 1:06:43. 98, FRANCISCO GO'MEZ PALLAS (ESP/YAMAHA) 1:09:18. 100 PEDRO MATESANZ MERINO (ESP/KTM) 1:11:10. 120, MIGUEL DOORS HERRERA (ESP/KTM) 1:21:03. 135, ENRIQUE MEDINA (ESP/KTM) 1:28:24. 143, ENGLISH JORDI (ESP/KTM) 1:30:18. 149, MANUEL BARNES PEREZ (ESP/KTM) 1:35:11. 155, HOLY DIONISIO (ESP/CAN-AM) 1:38:34. 163, LLUIS PEDRALS (ESP/YAMAHA) 1:42:47. 165, JOAN PUIG COTET (ESP/IMPALA) 1:45:41. 166, GIANI MELLONI (ESP/YAMAHA) 1:47:11. 192, SHELTER AUSINA (ESP/YAMAHA) 2:12:16. 200, JOSE GUTIÉRREZ (ESP/YAMAHA) 2:26:19. 208, JOSE MARIA ROCK (ESP/CAN-AM) 2:32:15.

**Rasputin** · 01-10-2007, 02:42 AM

MARC WAS EXHIBITED IN The FOURTH STAGE And CARLOS FINISHED THIRD

Comma takes the control in motos and Sainz is more leader in cars

the Spanish pilots returned to be protagonists in the fourth stage of rally Lisbon-Dakar, since Marc Comma, effective champion, dominated the day and, with it, locates themselves to the front of the classification of motos, whereas Carlos Sainz was third and strengthens his leadership in cars. The day was marked by the fatal accident of the surafricano pilot of motos Elmer Symons.

With two consecutive triumphs, Marc Comma marked the territory with respect to its rivals, who could not follow their wake in the 405 kilometers cronometrados between the Moroccan localities of Er Rachidia and Ouarzazate, that covered in 4.27:54 hours. The one that better it held the rate of the champion was also the Spanish Isidre Esteve, that lost 12:16 in goal and let save the obtained leadership the eve. Its distance with Comma in the general ascends now to 11:50 minutes.

Also Esteve shone

The French Cyril Despres, who did not have fortune in the two last stages, marked the third better registry, to 18:56 of Comma, which places to him in the sixth temporary position in the general, to 44:25 minutes of the head. The accumulated difference by Marc, the facility with which gained the test and the fact that it did opening it route, as corresponds to the winner of the preceding day, enlarge the condition of favorite with which the Spanish arrived at the beginning of the test in Lisbon.

In cars, Carlos Sainz finished the stage third, after the French Jean-Louis Schlesser, and the Portuguese Carlos Sousa, reason why he strengthened his leadership in the test. The Madrilenian remained to 7:58 of the French in the 405 kilometers cronometrados between the Moroccan localities of Er Rachidia and Ouarzazate. Quarter went Nani Rome, to 8:05, and the fifth surafricano Giniel de Villiers, to 8:51.

Rome already is quarter

Sainz increased to the advantage in the general on his more direct rivals, since the only one that surpassed to him in the stage, the Schlesser French, was to more than 20 minutes of him. The distance of Sainz is of 1:55 minutes on Of Villiers, second the year last, and 7:20 over the Portuguese Carlos Sousa, second in the stage.

Rome, third in the last edition of the test, is placed quarter in the general, to 11:44 of Sainz, whereas the French Stéphane Peterhansel had problems with the clutch and lost 26 minutes in the goal. The ex- French skier Light Alphand, defender of the title, was seventh in the stage, to 12:09, which leaves him in the sixth seat, to 16:10 of the leader.

Sainz not only holds the pull of the African tests, but that in the Moroccan second envite increases the advantage on the Mitsubishi, its main rivals. Lack to know if the Madrilenian will negotiate better the sands of the mauritano desert, that were their main problem in the last edition in which it made debut.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE FOURTH STAGEMotos

1. Marc COMMA (ESP)
KTM 4h.27:54 2. Isidre ESTEVE (ESP) KTM a 12:16 3. Cyril DESPRES (FRA) KTM a
18:56 4. David CASTEU (FRA) KTM a
23:43 5. Pale Anders ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM a
26:34 6. Chris BLAIS (USA) KTM a
26:53 7. Frans VERHOEVEN (HOL) KTM a
29:31 8. David FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA a
31:38 9. Janis VINTERS (LET) KTM a
32:29 10, Michel MARCHINI (FRA) YAMAHA
a 33:50 Cars1. Jean Louis SCHLESSER (FRA) SCHLESSER-FORD
3h.59:542. Carlos SOUSA (POR) VOLKSWAGEN a
7:52 3. Carlos SAINZ (ESP) VOLKSWAGEN a 7:58 4. Nani ROME (ESP) MITSUBISHI a 8:05 5. Giniel OF VILLIERS (AFS) VOLKSWAGEN a
8:51 6. Hiroshi MASUOKA (JAP) MITSUBISHI a
9:30 7. Light ALPHAND (FRA) MITSUBISHI a
12:09 8. Guerlain CHICHERIT (FRA) BMW a
13:27 9. Benoit ROUSSELOT (FRA) NISSAN a
23:56 10, Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) MITSUBISHI
a 25:5614, Jose Luis MONTERDE (ESP) BMW to 45:29

**Rasputin** · 01-11-2007, 02:52 AM

IT FOLLOWS The RECITAL OF The SPANISH PILOTS IN MOTOS And CARS

Esteve wins and it approaches Coma and Carlos Sainz is more leader

Isidre Esteve (KTM) and Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen) said to good bye to the Moroccan land of the Dakar extending a day plus the Spanish festival in rally more duro of the world, when adjudging itself the victories in motos and cars in the fifth stage, that ran So from Ouarzazate and Tan on 775 kilometers, 325 of cronometrados them.

Marc Comma, second in the stage, maintains the leadership in the category of two wheels with almost 10 minutes of advantage on Esteve, whereas in Sainz cars will confront the first mauritana stage with 3:36 on its companion Of Villiers.

Esteve added its first triumph of stage in the present Dakar and trimmed 1:54 on Comma. Third it was Cyril Despres, that lost five minutes in the line of impact and quarter in the general stays, behind also the French David Casteu. The Spanish Jordi Viladoms, who makes workings of assistant of Comma in rally, marked to the quarter best time, to almost eleven minutes of the winner, and he already is sixth in the general.

After the dispute of a third of rally, the classification of motos is outlined as a hand by hand between Coma and Esteve, with Despres on the lookout.

Second victory of Sainz

In cars, Carlos Sainz obtained his second triumph of stage, that serves to him to consolidate its leadership of the test. The Madrilenian pilot covered the 325 kilometers with special in 3h.36:39, 30 second less than the French Stéphane Peterhansel and 1:41 less than the surafricano Giniel de Villiers. The defender of the title, the ex- French skier Light Alphand, was fourth and the Spanish Nani Rome, third of the last edition, was fifth.

With these differences, Sainz has 3:36 of advantage on Of Villiers, 11:17 on Carlos Sousa and 16:16 on Rome. Alphand is fifth, to 20:27, and Peterhansel, another one of the great favorites, occupies the seventh position to more than 24 minutes.

Like the last year happened, Sainz holds the first African stages well and continues adding victories and maintaining the head of the general classification, at the delay from which the mauritanas dunes arrive, where the last year yielded before the Mitsubishi.

The champion of trucks leaves

On the other hand, Vladimir Tchagine, winner of four editions of the Rally Dakar and leader of the present one, left the test after undergoing numerous problems. The Russian pilot upset in kilometer 292 of the special one, reason why he lost more than 20 minutes, a time that tried to recover later, reason why forced his machine.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE FIFTH STAGEMOTOS

1. Isidre Esteve (ESP/KTM)

3h.56:22. 2, Marc Eats (ESP/KTM) to
1:54. 3, Cyril Despres (FRA/KTM) 5:02. 4, Jordi Viladoms (ESP/KTM) 10:50. 5, Chris Blais (USA/KTM) 14:26. 6, Ruben Faria (POR/KTM) 14:34. 7, Francisco Lopez (CHI/Honda) 14:57. 8, David Casteu (FRA/KTM) 15:15. 9, Giovanni Room (ITA/KTM) 18:36. 10, Jean De Azevedo (BRA/KTM) 19:27.20, Toral (ESP/Yamaha)
30:58. 41, González (ESP/Can-Am)
54:54.42, Branches Martinez (ESP/KTM) 55:38. 45, Creek (ESP/Tot Curses)
56:21.50, Císcar (ESP/Honda)
1:02:21.CARS1. Sainz-
Périn (ESP-FRA/Volkswagen) 3h.36:39. 2, Peterhansel-Cottret (FRA-FRA/Mitsubishi) to 30. 3. Of Villiers-Von Zitzewitz (RSA-ALE/Volks.) 1:41.4, Alphand-Picard (FRA-FRA/Mitsubishi) 4:17. 5, Roma-Cruz Senra (ESP-ESP/Mitsubishi) 4:32. 6, Checherit-Baumel (FRA-FRA/BMW) 5:03.7, Sousa-Schulz (By-ALE/Volkswagen) 6:57. 8, Miller-Pitchford (The USA-RSA/Volkswagen) 7:38. 9, Rousselot-Mondésir (FRA-FRA/Nissan) 10:10. 10, Masuoka-Maimon (JAP-FRA/Mitsubishi) 12:30.19, Monterde- Lurquin
(ESP-BEL/BMW) 26:18.

**Rasputin** · 01-12-2007, 02:44 AM

JORDI OBTAINED HIS FIRST VICTORY OF STAGE IN RALLY DAKAR

Coma and Sainz follow leaders in the happiest day of Viladoms
EFE. Zouerat
the Spanish pilots returned to be protagonists in the sixth stage of the Rally Dakar, first in mauritano ground, that was disputed So between Tan and Zouerat on a route of 817 kilometers. Jordi Viladoms (KTM) gained in the category of motos in front of its Marc companion Comma, that extends its advantage to the front of the general classification, whereas Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen) was quarter in cars and maintains the leadership.

Viladoms surpassed in 57 seconds Comma and 1 minute the American Chris Blais, whereas Isidre Esteve was quarter, 3:08. Another one of the favorites, the French Cyril Despres, who chose an alternative way to the one of the favorites to reach the goal, lost almost eleven minutes. Comma now has an advantage of 12:07 on the second classified, Esteve, and of 47:39 on Blais.

It is the first victory in the Dakar de Viladoms, a pilot of 26 years who completes the raid for the second time and that he has like main objective to help Comma to revalidar the obtained triumph the last year. "It continues being my objective, but if also I can better be taken some good thing like this victory then better than", it said the Catalan, that he recognized that still is not created absolutely that has managed "the dream" to gain a stage of the Dakar.

First contact with Mauritania
The first contact of the race with Mauritania, a stage of 817 kilometers, 394 of cronometrados them, was marked by the complex climatic conditions, with much wind and rain in some section. The pilots had to review their machines at the beginning of the special one because of the mud and that did that the first section of union was not, like normally, a simple stroll.

With the chronometers in march, Esteve was first in sending itself to the track, but to the one hundred kilometers Comma it reached to him, reason why they made the rest of the stage together. Neither it wanted to risk more, to the delay of which the land still becomes hardened more in the seventh stage, considered by many like most complicated, and than it will precede to the stage reigns.

"the mechanics was not question today to force too much", affirmed Esteve, whereas Comma was satisfied by to have increased the advantage with its main rivals.

Problems for Nani Rome
In cars, Sainz maintains the leadership after concluding in fourth position the first stage in mauritano territory, that finished with victory of Robby Gordon. The Madrilenian only was itself surpassed by the American, who run to the controls of a spectacular Hummer, by the French Jean-Louis Schlesser, who trimmed seven minutes to Sainz, and by the surafricano Giniel de Villiers, teammate of Carlos and who took 25 seconds.

The other Spanish who fights by the general, Nani Rome, entered tenth position of the day, to 28:32 of the winner, which places to him in the seventh position of the general to 37:31. The Catalan, third of the last edition, punctured the wheel, had problems with the hydraulic system to change it and stopped to attend another competitor, reason why he hopes that they give back some to him of the minutes.

Sainz, that sometimes put its 180 Volkswagen to km/h, showed solution in the first contact with mauritanas dunes, in a difficult land that, in addition, complicó by the wind and even rain. Its advantage in the general with Of Villiers is now of 3:11, with the Portuguese Carlos Sousa to 14:03, Light Alphand - last winner to 23:55 and Stéphane Peterhansel to 25:03.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE SIXTH STAGEMOTOS

1. Jordi Viladoms (ESP/KTM) 3h.45:45 2, Marc Eats (ESP/KTM) to 57 3, Chris Blais (USA/KTM) 1:00 4, Isidre Esteve (ESP/KTM) 3:08 5, Frans Verhoeven (HOL/KTM) 3:29 6, Giovanni Room (ITA/KTM) 5:54 7, Helder Rodrigues (POR/Yamaha) 7:09 8, David Casteu (FRA/KTM) 7:55 9, Pale Anders Ullevalseter (NOR/KTM) 8:34 10, David Frétigné (FRA/Yamaha) 8:4311, Cyril Despres (FRA/KTM) 14:1623, Pablo Toral (ESP-Yamaha) 34:4727, Víctor Creek (ESP-Tot Curses) 37:05

CARS

1. Robby Gordon (USA/Hummer) 2h.58:57 2. Jean-Louis Schlesser (FRA/Ford) to 17 3. Giniel De Villiers (RSA/Volkswagem) to 6:52 4. Carlos Sainz (ESP/Volkswagen) to 7:17 5. Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA/Mitsubishi) to 7:49 6. Saleh To Attiyah (QAT/BMW) to 8:24 7. Carlos Sousa (POR/Volkswagem) to 10:03 8. Light Alphand (FRA/Mitsubishi) to 10:45 9. Mark Miller (USA/Volkswagem) to 12:38 10, Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL/Nissan) to 19:4314, Nani Rome (ESP/Mitsubishi) to 28:32 19, Jose Luis Monterde (ESP/BMW) to 38:31

**Rasputin** · 01-13-2007, 04:25 AM

De Villiers wins seventh stage of Dakar Rally

ATAR, Mauritania — Volkswagen driver Giniel de Villiers won the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally on Friday.

De Villiers completed the 542-kilometre stage in four hours, zero minutes, 46 seconds, going from Zouerat to Atar, Mauritania.

France’s Stephane Peterhansel, driving a Mitsubishi, trailed the South African by 2:46. Carlos Sainz of Spain came in third for Volkswagen, 4:50 behind de Villiers.

Sainz, a former world rally champion, lost the overall lead to de Villiers. With eight of 15 stages left, de Villiers leads Sainz by 1:39.

The next stage is on Sunday — 589 kilometres across the desert to Tichit.

**Rasputin** · 01-13-2007, 09:56 AM

WAS CONTENTMENT TO HAVE INTACT ITS OPTIONS OF VICTORY

Comma: "the three next stages will decide the Dakar"

Marc Comma (KTM) was "to contentment" when maintaining intact its options of victory in the Dakar and aimed at the three next stages in Mauritania like the key to take control of the final triumph. "Now three days in Mauritania come that are going to be very hard, before beginning the race, already I said that these stages will be those that decide the race, and surely it is fulfilled. Soon already they will be left other three stages that also count, and in that navigation will continue being complicated ", it aimed.

Comma did not doubt in emphasizing the "hardness" of a Rally that Sunday will live one more a new stage, eighth, of more than 600 kilometers between Atar and Tichit, nevertheless, also was contentment because the victory options follow intact and at the moment "the objective has been fulfilled ".

"We are where we wanted"

"Perhaps in Morocco more duro of which was a little we thought, and the day to day is passing invoice. I consider that we are well, where we wanted, because important us it was to get To tie with options to win, and have fulfilled this objective which we had noticeable ", indicated.

Comma, winner of the Rally the last year, assures that all march perfectly, but also it recognizes that the Dakar is a one race in which until the last day can pass any thing, for that reason it pleads for the calm and the caution. "It is certain that the things are coming out to us well, but still is left half of the Rally, it lacks to finish off the work, and it is not going to be easy. Until now the only hard blow for us it has been the accident of Viladoms who I hope that one recovers as rapidly as possible ", stressed.

It does not discard any rival

Mark, member of equipment KTM, also made to its satisfaction with the operation as much of his moto as of its equipment clear, to which it got to describe like the best one. "moto is always perfect, and working very well at any moment, we have not had any problem. All the mechanics are working very well, and Jordi Arcarons also. I have always said that like equipment, we are the best one without doubt, more than an equipment we are a group of friends, in whom each one knows very well as it is his work, and the function to carry out at every moment ", added.

The Catalan pilot, who occupies the first seat of the Rally once disputed the seven first stages with more than ten minutes of advantage on also the Spanish Isidre Esteve, did not want, nevertheless, to mention names to the being asked for his maximum rivals. "I never want to discard to anybody, which I am not going to do is to obsess to me watching the classification. The important thing for me is not to commit errors, to continue making the race like until now, and when it is the moment already us we study it well ", it concluded.

**Rasputin** · 01-14-2007, 03:00 AM

VW well placed for Dakar

Last year’s Dakar Rally runner-up Giniel de Villiers (South Africa) and his German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz are leading the Dakar Rally at the halfway point in Mauritania ahead of their team-mates Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (Spain/France).

Five of seven possible stage victories have so far gone the way of Volkswagen which, in addition, has been leading the rally since it started on 6 January. This means that on the rally’s rest day in Atâr Volkswagen is presenting itself in a favourable position for the remaining stages until the finish in Dakar, Senegal, on 21 January.

Since the first day of the 2007 Dakar Rally Volkswagen has been proving the advance being made by TDI diesel power: The Portuguese-German duo Carlos Sousa/Andreas Schulz took the lead on the first of two European stages in the Race Touareg fielded by the customer squad "Lagos Team" and defended it for two days. On the third stage from Nador, Morocco, to Er Rachidia the Spanish-French factory pairing of Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn became the front runners. The Spaniard won the second and fifth stage with the 285-hp prototype, lying in front of Giniel de Villiers and Carlos Sousa up to the sixth day of the rally. Immediately before the rest day de Villiers/von Zitzewitz after a total of two stage victories took the lead at the halfway point, 1.39 minutes ahead of Sainz/Périn. Main rival and "Dakar” record winner Mitsubishi, without any stage victory this year so far, follows with Stéphane Peterhansel in third position and a 24.38-minute gap.

With Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/South Africa) in eighth place and Sousa/Schulz in ninth, two other drivers of a Race Touareg are among the top ten. Ari Vatanen/Fabrizia Pons (Finland/Italy), on the other hand, retired on the seventh stage when their car caught fire. In the second half of the rally that is being staged for the 29th time seven more difficult legs in Mauritania, Mali and Senegal are on the agenda, among them a marathon stage on 14 and 15 January, with regular service by the team being prohibited on the first evening.

Kris Nissen (Volkswagen Motorsport Director) "The difficult part of the rally only started today. This makes the fact that after another stage victory two of our cars are running in front even better. We have further expanded our advantage over the best Mitsubishi. We are fully aware of the difficulties of the special stages in Mauritania, and now we’re starting the rest day at the top of the leader board for the first time. The second week of the rally will again start with very tough stages. Only there the decision will be made. On the day of rest we’re going to prepare ourselves as best we can."

Giniel de Villiers (RSA), 1st place (leg) / 1st place overall "I’m happy that we’ve taken the lead by claiming stage victory on such a difficult day. After ten kilometres we took the wrong way, after that, we formed a group of vehicles with Stéphane Peterhansel, Robby Gordon and Carlos Sainz. The car was running very well, even on an 80-kilometer leg across camel grass it felt like a charm.”

Carlos Sainz (E), 3rd place (leg) / 2nd place overall "Visibility was absolutely poor in the sand storm today, nevertheless the day generally went quite well for us. We lost the lead because twice we got stuck in the dunes. In these incidents the improved sand panels and, above all, our intensive practice paid off tremendously because we got out in a relatively short time. When things threatened to get tough again a third time we stopped in time to let some air out of the tyres.”

Mark Miller (USA), 11th place (leg) / 8th place overall "After 75 kilometres we had a fuel pressure problem. Ultimately, we had to stop and analyse the cause. Fortunately we managed to repair the defect, even though it cost us 45 minutes. After that, the TDI engine was running perfectly again. When we reached the finish we were surprised to still be in eighth position overall.”

Snippets from Volkswagen bivouac

- The longest day: At 817 kilometres, the eleventh leg of the Dakar Rally from Tan Tan to Zouérat was the longest of all, and it turned the night into day: At five a.m. the first team members got up to warm up the engines of the four Race Touareg diesel prototypes in preparation for the team members’ departure. In the evening the factory drivers arrived at the bivouac at around 5 p.m. where no technical crew was waiting for them for a change. The reason was that the accompanying squad was only allowed to start its journey after the competition vehicles. On account of the 720-kilometre service route the service vehicles did not reach the day’s destination in Mauritania until after 6 p.m.

- Guests in the bivouac: On rest day (13 January) in Dakar the Volkswagen factory team will be visited by 42 VIP guests and journalists flying to Atâr to meet with the squad and Volkswagen factory drivers at the Dakar Rally’s halfway point. In the morning, two "meet the team” events with different groups of guests are on the agenda. In addition, the Volkswagen drivers are scheduled for a series of interviews and other sessions. "For us, the rest day is also a good opportunity to sort our baggage for the second half of the rally and to sleep a little longer,” said co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz.

- No rest for technical crew: The day of rest in Atâr means a small break to recharge their batteries for Volkswagen’s factory drivers. The factory team’s mechanics, though, are in for a long night because at the halfway point the Volkswagen Touareg prototypes are subjected to technical inspections and prepared for the seven stages before the finish in Dakar on 21 January. Furthermore, scheduled changes of the gearbox, differentials, brake disks and steering box are on the agenda as well as thorough inside and outside cleaning of the vehicles.

Three questions to Dieter Depping, driver of a race truck in the Volkswagen team

As a three-time German Rally Champion you’re making your debut in the race truck. How are you feeling at the halfway point? "I’m surprised because I hadn’t expected to be in for such a rough and bumpy ride at the wheel of a race truck. In the beginning I was having a difficult time driving through dry rivers and across heavy rocks at 20 km/h – in classical rally sport this is impossible. Another new thing for me was to be driving through the dust kicked up by the other vehicles. Then, in Morocco, I had a really great duel with the truck of the Mitsubishi team. I followed it for more than 150 kilometres and waited for the perfect time to overtake it.”

How did you prepare for this rally? "This is my first time driving a truck in a competition. Before that, during test drives in Tunisia, I drove a truck on sand and already feel very comfortable with the vehicle.”

The race trucks are seen as "blue angels”, you’re allowed to rush out to help the Touareg contenders during the competition. Have you been called yet? "Fortunately, the four Touareg vehicles have not needed our help yet. We merely pulled one of the race trucks of our team that had gotten stuck out of the sand. Still, we maintain a high level of concentration. Our mission is very demanding because we have to be very quick in order to deliver help swiftly, if necessary, but at the same time we must not take any risks ourselves.

**Rasputin** · 01-15-2007, 02:44 AM

IN MOTOS, COMMA ONE HOLDS FAST LIKE LEADER WHILE ESTEVE SINKS

Sainz says practically good bye to the triumph in the Dakar

Marc Comma flew over the eighth stage of the Dakar and strengthened its leadership in the category of motos in the middle of a sand storm in which Isidre Esteve and Carlos Sainz were shipwrecked. The gear box of moto of Esteve and the attended direction of the Volkswagen de Sainz ruined their options to celebrate a triumph in the Pink Lake and cooled the Spanish euphoria in rally, that now puts all its hopes in Comma. Esteve lost more than two hours, whereas Sainz was left more than one.

Sainz left the free land to its companion Giniel de Villiers, who gained his third stage, the second consecutive one him and now is comfortably installed in the leadership with half an hour of advantage on the best one of its rivals. To the Spanish it happened to him of everything in the 589 kilometers cronometrados between Atar and Tichit, one bared and it broke his attended direction, reason why the arm had to roll many kilometers forcing, that arrived at the sore goal.

Now it has the difficult problem to overcome more than one hour before arriving at Dakar, leaves from it in a dune land, similar to the one of today, that is not much nor with the favorite of the Madrilenian. In addition it must count both on the good state of form of the South African Of Villiers and on Mitsubishi of the French Stéphane Peterhansel and Luc Alphand, who won the second and third seat, respectively. Peterhansel is to more of half an hour of the leader and the defender from the title to almost three quarters.

Comma smoothes its way towards the victory

More cleared it appears the panorama of Comma, that immediate pursuer tells on a mattress of one hour on his, the French Cyril Despres, to whom it removed ten minutes more. The way towards its second consecutive title hangs only now of which it does not have mechanical problems, because sport it does not seem that there is nobody able one to prevail to him of the victory.

Esteve, that seemed that it could carry out a hand between Spaniards by hand, saw truncated its race by a failure that forced to him to cross last the 359 kilometers in first a 40 per hour, reason why it appeared in the goal with a disadvantage of more than two hours ten minutes, a rent that resembles much a giving up.

The Catalan drowned his deception in jokes and wanted to bad weather put good face to him to, so ironizó when saying that "to 40 I have at least been able to enjoy the landscape". But with great difficulty he could to hide that between Atar and Tichit left dream, because Esteve did not stop to repeat that this one was its Dakar, to which arrived better prepared than ever.

All the opposite who Comma, that he had to make an effort to restrain the euphoria that floods its surroundings, because everything seems writing for the victory. The Catalan denied that the triumph was a giant passage towards the victory and described it as simple "pasito".

- 8ª stage:

- MOTOS

1. Marc COMA (ESP) KTM 7h.46:13 2. Cyril DESPRES (FRA) KTM to 10:02 3. Pale Anders ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM to 24:00 4. David CASTEU (FRA) KTM to 26:22 5. Frans VERHOEVEN (HOL) KTM to 29:16 6. Chris BLAIS (the USA) KTM to 38:33 7. Jean OF AZEVEDO (BRA) KTM to 38:56 8. Giovanni ROOM (ITA) KTM to 44:23 9. Thierry BETHYS (FRA) DEEP to 47:44 10, Jaroslav KATRINAK (SLQ) KTM to 52:01

- CARS

1. Giniel OF VILLIERS (AFS) VOLKSWAGEN
7h.31:52 2. Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) MITSUBISHI a
6:35 3. Light ALPHAND (FRA) MITSUBISHI a
9:11 4. Nasser To ATTIYAH (QAT) BMW a
12:09 5. Mark MILLER (the USA) VOLKSWAGEN a
27:22 6. Jean Louis SCHLESSER (FRA) SCHLESSER-FORD a
48:50 7. Carlos SAINZ (ESP) VOLKSWAGEN a
1h.04:12

**Rasputin** · 01-16-2007, 02:59 AM

THE FRENCH PILOT IS THE NEW LEADER IN THE CATEGORY OF CARS

Peterhansel gives ' hachazó in another skillful day of Comma
AGENCIES. Sealling
Spanish pilot Marc Comma was third of the ninth stage of the Dakar, that ran between the mauritanas cities of Tichit and Nema with a route of 497 kilometers, and yielded 22 seconds with respect to Cyril Despres, although it maintains an advantage of almost one hour on the French in the general classification of motos. The great triunfador of the day was Janis Vinters, first lituano that gains a stage of rally African. In cars, total upset: Schlesser gained the stage and Of Villiers it lost the leadership in Peterhansel please.

Comma gave to everything a recital, since it returned to open track, in its quality of winner of the eve, with which it made all the stage in solitaire. Marc now has a 54:36 advantage on Despres, its main rival. In spite of the rents, the Spanish flees from all euphoria and assured that "the Dakar still is not gained". "I have seen so many things in the races that I do not consider that it is won. I only work in the stage of every day. Now I do not want to think that this is gained, because it is not it ", affirmed.

Comma does not lower the guard
Comma emphasized the importance of being leaders after to have disputed the two harder stages of Mauritania, but it indicated that it will not lower the guard, because otherwise can lose rally. "It is left a stage in Mauritania and soon the black Africa, that is very complicated of navigation and, although physical and mechanically is not so demanding, an error is paid there very expensive", commented.

Isidre Esteve, on the other hand, concluded the stage in eighth position and is sixth in the general classification.

Problems for Of Villiers and Sainz
In cars, the French Jean-Louis Schlesser (Schelsser-Ford) was fastest in the special one, in front of his compatriots Light Alphand and Stéphane Peterhansel, new leader of the general classification in damage of Giniel de Villiers, that lost all its options of victory when burning itself I disturb of its Volkswagen.

The pass by Mauritania has been demolishing for Sainz and Of Villiers. The surafricano was not victim of dunes, but of the mechanics, who also made bitter the existence to him to the Madrilenian. From Friday, Volkswagen has not stopped to receive the bad news. The closing arrived in the ninth stage, when the motor of the Touareg of Of Villiers said is enough in kilometer 129, next to the emblematic ' Passage of the Elefantes'.

Shortly after, the one was the Volkswagen de Sainz that underwent electrical problems. The Madrilenian was towed by his companions Mark Miller and Carlos Sousa, but the options of podio disappear definitively for the Madrilenian after losing almost seven hours.

The day of Mitsubishi
All these infortunios were not failed to take advantage of by Mitsubishi. Peterhansel, eight winner of Dakar, six in motos and two in cars, took the leadership from the general and now it counts with more than seven minutes of advantage on his companion and compatriot Light Alphand, winner in 2006.

On the other hand, Nani Rome (Mitsubishi) fulfilled a good day and finished in the fifth position, to more than 14 minutes of the winner, to stay within ' top ten' of the general classification.

In trucks, no newness: the Dutch Hans Stacey continues to the front of the classification with a comfortable advantage of másd and 3 hours.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF THE NINTH STAGE

MOTOS

1. Janis VINTERS (LET) KTM 6h.08:51 2. Cyril DESPRES (FRA) KTM a 7:31 3. Marc COMA (ESP)
KTM a 7:53 4. Pale Anders ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM a 7:53 5. Jean OF AZEVEDO (BRE) KTM a 9:34 6. Chris BLAIS (the USA) KTM a 10:47 7. David CASTEU (FRA) KTM a 15:53 8. Isidre ESTEVE (ESP) KTM a 19:07 9. Helder RODRIGUES (POR) YAMAHA a 28:09 10, Jacek CZACHOR (POL) KTM a
34:5632, Víctor CREEK (ESP) TOT CURSES a 1h.22:28 34, Antonio BRANCHES MARTINEZ (ESP) KTM a 1h.31:00 35, Rafael CÍSCAR CHISBERT (ESP) DEEP to 1h.31:47

CARS

1. Jean-Louis SCHLESSER (FRA) SCHLESSER 5h.32:03 2. Light ALPHAND (FRA) MITSUBISHI to 13 3. Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) MITSUBISHI to 4:14 4. Hiroshi MASUOKA (JAP) MITSUBISHI to 8:38 5. Nani ROME (ESP)
MITSUBISHI to 14:27 6. Nasser Saleh To ATTIYAH (QAT) BMW to 14:34 7. Carlos SOUSA (POR) VOLKSWAGEN to 30:21 8. Jutta KLEINSCHMIDT (GER) BMW to 31:09 9. Sergey SHMAKOV (RUS) BUGGY to 31:45 10, Mark MILLER (the USA) VOLKSWAGEN to 31:52

The World Of Rallies (Car)

The World Of Rallies (Car)

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