Dakar organisers decided to reduce the distance of the timed section on Stage 6 following a very difficult Stage 5 and complications caused by a flooded river ford on the original course. Competitors therefore ended the stage in the village of La Junta at the foot of the Andes.

Following a close duel through the dunes with Street and Lopez, starting eigth Frenchman Cyril Despres left his tyre troubles behind him and crossed the line two minutes ahead of Marc Coma, winning his first stage.

Stage 7 was won by Chilean rider, Francisco Lopez riding a KTM took the first stage win of his career yesterday and it couldn’t have been better timed as the event crossed into Chile, his home country, for the first time.

The seventh stage was shortened, just like the sixth while riders faced around 243 competitive kilometres ahead of the rest day in Valparaiso. Lopez, who now lies tenth overall, having completed the run between Mendoza and Valparaiso in 2 hours 36 minutes 9 seconds.

Lopez finished 3min 57sec ahead of the leader of the general standings, Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM) and 5.21 in front of France’s Cyril Despres (KTM).

As a result, in the general standings Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM) carries on opening up a gap at the top of the rankings, with a 51.22 lead over American Jonah Street (KTM), still leader in the marathon category, and a 52.31 lead over Frenchman David Frétigné (Yamaha), leader of the 450cc category.

Provisional overall standings
1. Marc Coma, Spain, KTM
2. Jonah Street, USA, KTM
3. David Fretigne, France, Yamaha
4. Pal Anders Ullevalseter, Norway, KTM
5. Jordi Viladoms, Spain KTM
6. Cyril Despres, France KTM
7. Helder Rodrigues, Portugal KTM
8. Frans Verhofen, Netherlands KTM
9. David Casteu, France, KTM
10. Francisco Lopez, Chile KTM

Source | dakar

(no votes)

0 comments