Spain’s Marc Coma of KTM won the opening motorcycle stage at the Rally Dakar Argentina-Chile 2009 from from Saladillo to Santa Rosa with a 22:05-minute advantage over second best Polish Jacek Czachor. The Catalan driver took 2h, 46 m to drive 371 km, while French Cyril Despres, current bike champion finished the stage 41 minutes after Coma after suffering a puncture.

“The problem with this special was the distance” said Coma. “I saw that Despres had problems with his back wheel after filling up at control point two. After that, I tried to open up the gap. I paced myself, waiting for the moment. On this route, there was little work to do with the bike, so I tried to ride my race to avoid problems.”

Continue reading: Dakar Argentina-Chile Stages 1 and 2

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Apparently “the New Dakar will be the toughest race in the world.” The New Dakar “Argentina-Chile” 2009 will run from January 3 until 19. The start will occur at Buenos Aires, on the “plaza de la Republica”.

This renewed Dakar will be extreme, with more than 6000 km undertaken in different landscapes. It will be fast and very fast! This version is no walk in the park.

It has already been successful as six months before the start the Dakar is sold out. More than 550 entry forms have been received and the Dakar will be broadcast in 180 countries. A security and risk prevention plan has been developed in partnership with the Argentinean authorities, Automobile Club and Chilean authorities.
Via| Dakar

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