BIKES News from Dakar stage 12

Dakar Rally 2016
January 15th - stage 12 - 481km
San Juan to  Villa Carlos Paz




    14:41 : Bikes: all gone wrong for Quintanilla

    There has been a development at Way Point 9. Pablo Quintanilla, who had not left the front of the race, has suddenly slipped down the day’s rankings. After 344 kilometres, the Chilean is in 6th position with a lead of only 1’10’’ over Antoine Meo, who is now in virtual overall third place by 23 seconds.



    14:33 : Bikes: hats off for Duclos

 Alain Duclos, twentieth in the overall ranking, has had a very bizarre setback. After a minor fall, the Frenchman removed his helmet to get up and repair his bike. When he was about to resume racing, his helmet had disappeared!!! The Sherco rider has therefore stopped at the side of the tracks after around 290 kilometres and is hoping to find a solution quickly. But what sort of solution? Without his helmet, he cannot resume racing for obvious safety reasons.



    13:50 : Bikes: Rodrigues wants it!

    The official Yamaha rider appears determined to grab the stage victory today. The Portuguese rider again leads at Way Point 8 (after almost 344 km). At this point of the special, he leads Kevin Benavides (Honda) by 2’41’’ and Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) by 4’01’’.





    13:16 : Bikes: Blythe out of petrol

    The American rider has suffered a blow due to a stoppage 12 kilometres from CP3 (after 248 km), having run out of petrol It is all the more of a pity, because CP3 is the refuelling point for the bikes.




    13:02 : Bikes: Rodrigues accelerates again

    After 270 km, Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) has regained time on Kevin Benavides (Honda), gobbling up 2’04’’ on the Honda rider. He has also posted the best time at this way point. As for Antoine Meo, the gap between him and Pablo Quintanilla remains stable at around 4 minutes.




    12:34 : Bikes: the leaders at CP3

    The leading riders have just reached CP3 (after 248 km) which is the midway point and a refuelling point for the bikes. At this check point, the race order is as follows: Kevin Benavides (Honda) is the quickest with a lead of 10 seconds over Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna).


Helder Rodrigues lies in third, 45 seconds behind. Then comes Toby Price (KTM) in fourth, 1’28’’ behind the stage leader, Adrien Van Beveren, on top form today in the wake of his team leader, in fifth 3’14’’ behind Benavides and Antoine Meo, in sixth, 4’36’’ behind the day’s quickest man so far.



    11:34 : Bikes: Rodrigues is not giving in

    Slightly dominated since the start of the special in the battle pitching him against Kevin Benavides (Honda), Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) is not giving up. Better than that, at CP1 (after 155 km) he has regained a small bit of time over his rival for fifth place in the overall ranking. The gap, which was 31 seconds in favour of the Yamaha rider, has now dropped to 24 seconds… the battle is heating up!



    11:22 : Bikes: Quintanilla quickest at CP1

    At CP1 (after 155 km) Pablo Quintanilla is sustaining his momentum. Credited with the best provisional time, he currently leads Price and Meo, who are riding together. It should be noted that the gap between the Chilean and the Frenchman has shrunk a little. The French KTM rider now trails the Husqvarna rider by “only” 3’06’’, which corresponds with the time lost by Meo to wait for his team leader, Toby Price, who set off 3 minutes after him.



    11:07 : Bikes: Franz Verhoeven at a standstill

    The start of the special seems to be proving complicated for Dutchman Frans Verhoeven who has had to stop after 37 kilometres.



    11:04 : Bikes: the battle continues between Rodrigues and Benavides

    With a lead of 23 seconds at Way Point 1 (after almost 50 km) and 31 seconds at the following one (after almost 115 km) the fight is only starting between Kevin Benavides (Honda) and Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha). Fifth place in Rosario is at stake and the least that can be said is that the two men are intent on fighting to the finish today.



    11:04 : Bikes: the battle continues between Rodrigues and Benavides

    With a lead of 23 seconds at Way Point 1 (after almost 50 km) and 31 seconds at the following one (after almost 115 km) the fight is only starting between Kevin Benavides (Honda) and Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha). Fifth place in Rosario is at stake and the least that can be said is that the two men are intent on fighting to the finish todya.



    10:51 : Bikes: Quintanilla let loose!

    Pablo Quintanilla firmly intends to regain his third place in the overall ranking today. The Chilean, already the quickest at Way Point 1, has repeated the feat at the following Way Point (after almost 115 km). He now boasts a lead of 4’25’’ over Antoine Meo, who is continuing his role escort to Toby Price, is now 2’52’’ behind Quintanilla in the provisional overall ranking.



    10:21 : Bikes: Yamaha on the attack!

    Helder Rodrigues clearly wants to grab fifth place in the overall ranking. The Yamaha team leader is in third position at Way Point 1 (after almost 55 km). The only problem for the Portuguese rider is that Kevin Benavides, who leads him in the overall ranking, has been 23 seconds quicker… It promises to be an exiting day!



    10:15 : Bikes: strategy confirmed for KTM

    At the first Way Point (after almost 55 km) confirmation of KTM’s strategy is emerging. Toby Price passed through with a lead of 3’32’’ over Antoine Meo. As a result, the Frenchman is no longer on the podium because Pablo Quintanilla has been credited with the best time, almost 4 minutes ahead of Meo.



    09:59 : Bikes: team-work is the watchword for KTM today

    Antoine Meo seems to be riding for his team today. The Frenchman, first to start, set off gently and waited for Toby Price, his team-mate at KTM, to catch up with him. At the moment, the two men are riding together. Clearly Meo does not intend to risk everything to grab second in the general standings.



    09:55 : Bikes: Helder Rodrigues on the attack fro the top 5

    Whilst the battle for the last step on the podium is likely to be intense today between Meo and Quintanilla, Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) can also claim to be in the reckoning for a place in the much coveted top 5. The Yamaha team leader is only 5 minutes behind Kevin Benavides (Honda), currently in fifth position.



    09:43 : Bikes: Helder Rodrigues on the attack fro the top 5

    Whils the battle for the last step on the podium is likely to be intense today between Meo and Quintanilla, Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) can also claim to be in the reckoning for a place in the much coveted top 5. The Yamaha team leader is only 5 minutes behind Kevin Benavides (Honda), currently in fifth position.



    09:40 : Bikes: Antoine Meo kicks off proceedings

    As scheduled, the winner of yesterday’s stage has started on time. Antoine Meo has got to grips with the 481 kilometres of the day’s special.



    09:32 : For Meo, Rosario is not Lourdes

    Having declared yesterday at the finish that he was surprised with his performance (a 2nd stage victory), Antoine Meo expects a difficult day today. Two days from the end of his first Dakar, the five times enduro world champion, now third in the overall ranking, knows that with a lead of 1’33’’ over the fourth placed rider, Chilean Pablo Quintanilla, this 12th stage will be far from simple.


Obliged to open the way, the KTM rider will have to strike a balance between attack and control over the 481 kilometres of the special. As regards the possibility of grabbing second place from Stefan Svitko, who is more than 8 minutes ahead of the Frenchman, Meo does not waste time with any calculations, saying, “Miracles happen in Lourdes, not here”.



    09:25 : Everybody ready for action

  with more than 400 kilometres of link section to cover before starting the penultimate special of the rally, all the competitors have left San Juan. This morning, 85 bikes, 25 quads, 69 cars and 46 trucks were authorised to start.


- ASO -