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Dakar, Tappa 11, Moto: Coma tenta la fuga decisiva
Con la terza vittoria di speciale, lo spagnolo mette più di 50' tra la sua KTM e la Honda di Barreda Bort
Il marchio di Marc Coma è sempre più impresso a fuoco in questa Dakar 2014. Il pilota della KTM si è imposto anche nell'11esima tappa, che prevedeva oltre 600 km di speciale nel tratto tra Antofagasta ed El Salvador, ed forse in questo modo ha messo una seria ipoteca sulla vittoria finale.
Per lo spagnolo si tratta della terza affermazione parziale in questa edizione, ma arriva in un momento chiave della corsa, ovvero a sole due tappe dal termine e soprattutto gli consente di tornare a mettere la bellezza di 52'36" tra la sua KTM e la Honda del diretto inseguitore Joan Barreda Bort, oggi solo quinto al traguardo, con un ritardo di 8'12", dovuto anche ad una leggera caduta.
Ora solo una vera e propria disfatta sembra poter privare Coma di un successo che si meriterebbe ampiamente, ma è anche vero che alla Dakar l'imprevisto è sempre dietro l'angolo, quindi forse è ancora presto per cantare vittoria per il pilota iberico.
Alle spalle dei primi due, la lotta per il gradino più basso del podio resta molto accesa, anche se Jordi Viladoms oggi è riuscito a limitare decisamente i danni, cedendo solamente pochi secondi al diretto inseguitore Olivier Pain e poco più di tre minuti a Cyril Despres, secondo nella speciale odierna. Dunque, il pilota della KTM può ancora amministrare poco più di 13' su Pain, mentre la Yamaha del vincitore della passata edizione rimane in sesta piazza.
La top five però ora è davvero vicina per Despres, che ha recuperato minuti preziosi su Helder Rodrigues: il portoghese della Honda lo precede di appena 43" nella classifica generale.
DAKAR 2014, Undicesima Tappa, 16/01/2014
Classifica generale Moto (primi dieci)
1. Marc Coma - KTM - 48.24'41"
2. Joan Barreda Bort - Honda - +52'36"
3. Jordi Viladoms - KTM - +2.07'56"
4. Olivier Pain - Yamaha - +2.21'40"
5. Helder Rodrigues - Honda - +2.30'35"
6. Cyril Despres - Yamaha - +2.31'18"
7. Kuba Przygonski - KTM - +2.43'55"
8. Daniel Gouet - Honda - +3.24'35"
9. Stefan Svitko - KTM - +3.46'32"
10. David Casteu - KTM - +4.07'56"
17:40 Bikes: Top 6 in the general standings after stage 11
This evening, Marc Coma now boasts a lead of 52’36 over Joan Barreda. It’s a lot, but not enough to say that the rally is finished. The slightest technical problem good change the situation. The same is true for the third place of Jordi Viladoms, 2:07’56 behind Coma, who only has 14 minutes separating him from Olivier Pain in fourth. The Frenchman can still be troubled by Helder Rodrigues or Cyril Despres is only ten minutes behind his French Yamaha team-mate’s fourth position.
15:59 Bikes: Pain finishes third
Frenchman Olivier Pain has finished in third place at the end of this stage, 5’28' behind the winner, marked by his main rival and current holder of third position in the general standings, Jordi Viladoms, 5’53' behind Coma. Joan Barreda Bort, having suffered a fall on the special, finishes 8’13 behind the day’s victorious biker.
15:05 Bikes: Rodrigues under threat
Sixth placed Helder Rodrigues finishes 9’23' behind the stage winner and especially 6’32' behind Cyril Despres in the fight for fifth place in the general standings.
15:03 Bikes: Pain finishes third
Frenchman Olivier Pain has finished in third place at the end of this stage, 5’28' behind the winner, marked by his main rival and current holder of third position in the general standings, Jordi Viladoms, 5’53' behind Coma. Joan Barreda Bort, having suffered a fall on the special, finishes 8’13 behind the day’s victorious biker.
14:59 Bikes: Pain finishes third
Frenchman Olivier Pain has finished in third place at the end of this stage, 5’28' behind the winner, marked by his main rival and current holder of third position in the general standings, Jordi Viladoms, 5’53' behind Coma. Joan Barreda Bort, having suffered a fall on the special, finishes 8’13 behind the day’s victorious biker.
14:42 Bikes: Coma reigns supreme at the finish
Already leader of the general standings, with a comfortable advantage, Marc Coma did not need this victory, but visibly he likes winning. He finishes 2’51” ahead of Cyril Despres and 8’12” in front of Joan Barreda Bort. However, the Honda rider’s time is likely to be beaten by Olivier Pain and Jordi Viladoms.
13:37 Bikes: Viladoms second after 465 km
Marc Coma still leads, with an advantage of 2’46' over Jordi Viladoms, who has moved one minute in front of Cyril Despres, the third placed rider 3’51' behind Coma. Olivier Pain is fourth, 6’07' behind the stage leader, in front of Joan Barreda and Helder Rodrigues, respectively 8’09' and 8’21' behind Coma.
13:13 Bikes: Positions and gaps stable after 400 km
There has not been any significant change in the dunes: Marc Coma leads Cyril Despres by 2’49', Jordi Viladoms by 4’07' and Olivier Pain by 6’55'. In fifth place, Joan Barreda is 6’59' behind Coma and is riding with Despres. Helder Rodrigues is in sixth, 8’19' behind the leader and 5’30 worse off to Cyril Despres in the general standings.
12:32 Bikes: Barreda rinding blind
Joan Barreda apparently fell one hundred kilometres back and damaged his navigation systems to the extent where he has to follow traces of bike tyres without being able to check his direction or road-book.
12:23 Bikes: In the dunes at Copiapó
Marc Coma still has a solid lead and is opening a gap as he arrives on the sandy part of the special. He currently leads Cyril Despres by 2’52' and Olivier Pain by 5’48', who has gained a bit of time back on his French team-mate Joan Barreda is fourth, 7’15' behind Coma and Helder Rodrigues, 8’33' behind the stage leader, has lost 5’41' so far to Despres. However, the time for Jordi Viladoms has not yet been recorded.
11:29 Bikes: Status quo at CP3
Marc Coma still leads the stage with an advantage of 29' over Cyril Despres. In third place, Jordi Viladoms trails his countryman by 4’06'. Olivier Pain is 4’44' behind the stage leader, in front of Joan Barreda Bort. Helder Rodrigues is sixth, 5’47’’ behind Coma. At this point Despres has gained a little more than 4 minutes over Pain and 5 minutes over Rodrigues.
10:56 Bikes: A slight lead for Coma after 240 km
32 short seconds now separate the Spaniard from second placed Cyril Despres. Joan Barreda follows, 1’48' behind Coma, ahead of Olivier Pain and Helder Rodrigues, respectively 4’42' and 5’31' behind the stage leader. So far, Despres has therefore gained 4’10 in the general standings over his team-mate, but especially 5 minutes over Rodrigues, who is no only 2’16” ahead in the virtual general standings.
10:35 Bikes: Little between Coma and Despres after 201 km
Marc Coma now has a five second advantage, meaning that the two stage leaders have not been able to make a genuine difference so far. However, Despres has gained some time back on Rodrigues and Pain: 4 minutes on the Portuguese rider and 3’30' over his team-mate and countryman. Joan Barreda is third, 1’02' behind Coma and Jordi Viladoms trails the stage leader by 1’55'.
10:02 Bikes: Viladoms and Pain fight for 3rd after 177 km
Third place is at stake on the stage in the struggle between Olivier Pain and Jordi Viladoms. However, for Olivier Pain, it also includes protecting his fourth place against a possible comeback by Cyril Despres or Helder Rodrigues. The two men are fourth and fifth, with the Spaniard ahead of the Frenchman. Viladoms has taken a further advantage of 2 minutes and Pain has lost 3’10 of his lead over Cyril Despres, but gained 6' over Rodrigues.
09:53 Bikes: Despres leads at CP1 after 177 km
With a lead of 14 seconds over Marc Coma, Cyril Despres now heads the stage in the bike special, 32” ahead of third place Joan Barreda and 3’16' in front of fourth place Helder Rodrigues. The aim of the Frenchman today is most likely to gain time on the Portuguse rider, who yesterday led him by 7’16' in the general standings. He has already clawed back more than a third of that time.
09:32 Bikes: Viladoms 3rd after 120 km
Spaniard Jordi Viladoms has moved into the top 3 behind Marc Coma and Cyril Despres, trailing his team-mate and stage leader by 1’00'.
09:27 Bikes: Coma takes the lead after 164 km
The Spaniard is now alone out in front of the provisional stage standings, with Cyril Despres 22 seconds behind. Joan Barreda now lies 1’26' behind Coma, in front of Helder Rodrigues and Olivier Pain, respectively 2’36' and 2’37' behind the stage leader.
08:56 Bikes: 4 seconds between Despres and Coma after 80 km
The two leaders of the special have set off like rockets: only 4 separate Cyril Despres and Marc Coma! Behind them, Joan Barreda trails by 53', Olivier Pain by 1’18', tied on the same time as Helder Rodrigues.
08:35 Bikes: Despres leads by a whisker after 43 km
Five riders have completed 43 km and Frenchman Cyril Despres is out in front, with a time of 21’46'. Marc Coma trails him by just 6', Joan Barreda by 20', Olivier Pain by 44' and Kuba Przygonski by 50'.
07:55 Bikes: Start of the bike special!
The bikes have got to grips with 605 kilometres of special in the desert on the way to El Salvador. A first section of 350 kilometres awaits before 120 kilometres of sand in the dunes of Copiapo. Joan Barreda Bort kicks off proceedings, ahead of Helder Rodrigues and Cyril Despres, with the first intermediate time check after 43 km.
07:50 Bikes: The bikes head to the start
Since 5.15 AM local time, the bike and quad riders have been on the 144-kms link stage to the start of this Thursday’s special, the eleventh since the start of the Dakar 2014: 605 kilometres of special stage await the 80 bikes and 16 quads cleared to start.
