STAGE 14: TAMBACOUNDA - DAKAR
576 km, including 225 against the clock are on the menu for the 14th and penultimate stage. Once again, a very quick route awaits the competitors, which will please the rally drivers amongst them, even if this last genuine special stage will be difficult to navigate with, as is the tradition, an inextricable clutter of interwoven tracks.
The Volkswagens will have one last shot at glory, whereas the Mitsubishis will focus on protecting their lead on the route to a glorious 7th consecutive success.
START OF LIVE COVERAGE on www.dakar.com
Welcome to all. Winner of yesterday’s 13th special stage and new leader in the overall rankings, Frenchman Cyril Despres was the first to get to grips with the day’s special stage at 7h55 GMT as scheduled.
12:23 - car 313 - Sousa in the lead at CP1
Nr 313, SOUSA/SCHULZ - VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER PRODUCTION As the first 5 cars passed CP1 (km 114), Portuguese Carlos Sousa was provisionally timed in the lead of the day’s special stage, 40" ahead of his teammate American Mark miller and 1’12 ahead of his Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz. It is to be noted that Frenchman Luc Alphand, 2nd in the overall rankings, took back 3’45 to rally leader and teammate Stéphane Peterhansel during the first part of the stage.
12:04 - bike 5 - De Azevedo provisional winner of the special stage
Nr 5, JEAN DE AZEVEDO - KTM, SUPER PRODUCTION As the first 5 bikes have now reached the end of the 14th special stage, Brazilian Jean De Azevedo seems to be getting his 2nd stage victory on the Dakar, the first one in this year’s edition, 5’05 ahead of Latvian Janis Vinters and 5’12 ahead of US biker Chris Blais.
11:42 - car 303 - It’s a go for cars…
Nr 303, SAINZ/PERIN - VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER PRODUCTION Winner yesterday of his 4th special stage in this 2006 edition, Spaniard Carlos Sainz was the first to get to grips with the 14th special stage at 9H46 GMT.
11:40 - bike 83 - Blondel doing repairs...
Nr 83, GREGOIRE BLONDEL - HONDA, SUPER PRODUCTION Victim of a mechanical problem at km 111, French biker Grégoire Blondel is now stopped off trail and tries to repair to get back to the normal course of the stage.
11:12 - bike 5 - De Azevedo in the lead at CP1
Nr 5, JEAN DE AZEVEDO - KTM, SUPER PRODUCTION As the first 30 bikes passed CP1 (km 114), Brazilian Jean De Azevedo was timed provisional leader of the day’s special stage, 3’03 ahead of Portuguese Helder Rodrigues and 3’32 ahead of Latvian Janis Vinters.
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