Over the shortened route for the Stage 9 of Dakar 2010, Marc Coma won the stage with his KTM. The stage was about 170 km long due to severe fog in some areas, and it also marks the last stage in the Acatama desert.

Francisco Lopez‘ new Aprilia RXV 4.5 continues to do well at third overall and coming in third for this stage after Cyril Despres with his KTM. The brand also took out fourth spot, before Yamaha came in fifth with rider David Fretigné. Despres is in first place overall before Stage 10 starts.

Stage Nine:
1° #1 Marc Coma (SPA) KTM;
2° #2 Cyril Despres (FRA) KTM;
3° #9 Francisco Lopez (CHI) Aprilia;
4° #4 Pal Anders Ullevalseter (NOR) KTM;
5° #12 David Fretigné (FRA) Yamaha;

Continue reading: Dakar 2010: Marc Coma wins stage nine

The Aprilia RXV 4.5 has just won its first 2010 Dakar stage, with rider Francisco Lopez on board. The whacky but cool bike is a new entry for Aprilia, with the change to 450 cc models making it competitive this year. It has some nifty features in addition to the Dakar-needed help like the additional fuel tank and navigation equipment.

Lopez won the fifth stage in Aprilia’s first ever Dakar victory, crossing the Acatama desert in five hours and 52 minutes. Marc Coma experienced problems with the rear wheel of his bike, meaning he fell to 19th place. After the jump is a video with some great footage of the fifth stage, and the Aprilia win, as well as the placings for this stage. The sixth stage sees the riders cross the Andes, completing 670 km.

Continue reading: Aprilia RXV 4.5 first Dakar victory

The first round of Dakar 2010 has concluded with a surprising first place to David Casteu with his Sherco, after 652 km of racing. Second place went to Cyril Despres and third place to favourite Marc Coma, both riding KTM bikes. Closing the top six were Jordi Viladoms (KTM), Francisco Lopez, with his Aprilia RXV 4.5, and David Fretigne on a Yamaha.

One participant in the legendary race is veteran Franco Picco, riding a Yamaha WR450F, marking 25 years from his first Dakar rally. The 54-year-old first appeared back in 1985 with a Yamaha TT600, winning overall third place.

Picco’s start has been marked with a sinister gesture though, when he found his bike sabotaged with someone having poured sugar in the engine. Luckily, it hasn’t created any permanent damage and he has been able to continue.

Continue reading: Sugar in your engine: Dakar goes ahead for Franco Picco and Yamaha WR450F

This has to be the most historical way to launch the Red Bull Don Quixote enduro race that takes place in Herencia, Spain in the heart of La Mancha, on November 29, 2009.

As many as 1,000 riders (pros and amateurs) will compete in this race which will also see Spain’s multiple world championship-winning enduro star Iván Cervantes, Marc Coma, winner of this year’s Dakar (Argentina-Chili) Rally and the recent Morocco Rally, and 2004 Dakar Rally winner Nani Roma also in the competition.

The riders will tackle the tough enduro 50km course in the land made famous in Miguel de Cervantes 17th century novel, The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha.

Continue reading: Red Bull Don Quixote Video

Three Repsol riders, Dani Pedrosa, Hector Barbera and and off road racer and Dakar winner Marc Coma took advantage of a long break to try their talents in mountain climbing by taking part in the Desafío Extremo - Extreme Challenge offered by Jesús Calleja to climb Mont Blanc (4.810 mt), the highest mountain in The Alps.

Since none of the riders have almost any experience in mountaineering, they are being closely supervised and coached. Last Wednesday, Coma and Barbera and the rest of the team went to the Aigüille du Midi at 3.842 mt. where they spent the day getting acclimatised and on Thursday to Mer de Glace glacier, to learn how to use crampons, ice axes and screws and the twin rope system.

As a cold front coming down from the Artic willing be hitting the area on Tuesday, the team will to try to make the final ascent today.

Source | motograndprix

Continue reading: Dani Pedrosa and Hector Barbera to climb Mont Blanc

KTM has apparently listed some riders in next year’s Dakar race, despite previous reports that KTM had quit Dakar. The decision has come after a re-scheduling of the 450cc limit. The Dakar site reports:

Further to the numerous discussions that have taken place with the different actors of the motorcycles’ competition… the goal of a maximum cubic capacity of 450 cc is maintained. Nevertheless, so that the competitors can have more time, a new schedule has been set up.

For the Dakar 2010, the ASO Elite pilots must ride with a restrictor reducing the power of their bike, if its cubic capacity is over 450 cc. Or they may use a bike of a cubic capacity under or equal to 450 cc. The other pilots are free to choose their bike with no restriction.

Continue reading: KTM returns to Dakar after 450cc restriction postponed

Madrid’s efforts to host the 2016 Olympic Games face an important test this week, and the members of the Repsol teams have shown their whole-hearted support for the attempt. Coinciding with the presence of the IOC’s evaluation committee in the capital of Spain, Repsol has stated its clear support for the Olympic Games to be held in Madrid in 2016.

Moreover, the riders and drivers that are sponsored by the Spanish oil giant, and who have taken part in several different competitions over the last few days, also wanted to put their weight behind the city’s bid - they all appeared in their races with messages of support for the Spanish capital. Repsol’s relationship with the Olympic Games has existed since 1988 when the Asociación de Deportes Olímpicos (ADO) began its work, and at the moment the Spanish oil company is one of its sponsor members. Repsol’s involvement with sport in Spain has been progressing over the last few years, and it has become a preferential sponsor for the city of Madrid 2016.

Therefore Repsol did not want to miss out on a chance of helping the city in this very important week, backing the bid for the four year festival of sports, with thousands of sportsmen and women from all over the world taking part, to be held in Spain for the second time in its history.

Continue reading: Dani Pedrosa and Repsol riders support Madrid for 2016 Olympics

Heavy rain altered stage 13 which ran over 220km instead of 324km, and was the sixth stage to be amended in the 2009 race which is making its debut in South America.

France’s Cyril Despres, riding a KTM, on Friday won the 13th and penultimate stage of the Dakar Rally, his fifth stage win of the rally, Despres took the win with a time of 2h 33m 35s finishing 1m 45s ahead of Coma while extending his slender advantage over Yamaha mounted David Fretigne in third.

David Fretigne, on a Yamaha, was third on Friday, (2:37), and third overall at 1hr 34min 47sec off the pace.

Francisco Lopez’s was forced to withdraw due to a fall that heavily damaged his bike, but did not suffer any injuries during the crash.

Continue reading: Dakar 2009 Argentina- Chile Stage 13

Stage 12 from Fiambala to La Rioja started as planned with only a minor course adjustment shortening the stage by 30km and Cyril Despres took the win but was followed closely by Marc Coma who took second place and a surprise third place finisher was Farres Guell who finished only four seconds ahead of David Casteu.

David Fretigne overcame a serious oil leak problem to remain third in the overall standings. With just two days of riding left, Fretigne has lost 10:28 that has left him 1:33:55 behind Coma.

Jordi Viladoms lost his fourth place in the overall standings after making a navigational mistake but is seventh overall.
Coma remains atop the overall standings with 1:29:48

Source | dakar

Continue reading: Dakar 2009 Argentina-Chile Stage 12

Heavy fog caused a delay and a course modification in Stage 10 of the Dakar Rally, however riders still faced one of the longest and most difficult routes that took them though the desert of Atacama.

Spanish rider Jordi Viladoms, on a KTM, won the 10th stage of the Rally. Viladoms finished 1min 06sec ahead of rider Alain Duclos (KTM) and 8:29 ahead of Portuguese biker Helder Rodriguez, also on a KTM.

Jordi Viladoms took the win after the early leaders went in the wrong direction. Spain’s Marc Coma made a navigational error and got lost, a mistake causing the leaders to go on a 23 km loop to get back on course allowing late starters to benefit. This allowed Viladoms, Alain Duclos, and Helder Rodrigues to the top three spots and the second stage win for Viladoms in his Dakar career.

Continue reading: Dakar 2009 Argentina- Chile Stage 10

In the 449 kilometre special stage between La Serena and Coplapo, KTM rider Frans Verhoeven won the 9th stage, taking his second stage win in the 2009 Dakar. Verhoeven started 33rd ahead of David Frétigné at three minutes and nine seconds, with local hero Francisco “Chaleco” Lopez third at 3:40. Coma, on the Repsol KTM, came home in fourth place trailing the leader by just 4:59, and factory teammate Cyril Despres, on the Red Bull KTM, was fifth at 6:03.

Having won his first special stage on a Dakar during the 5th stage, American Jonah Street (KTM) decided, as a precautionary measure, to not take starter’s orders for the 9th stage due to a very painful injury to one of his wrists.

Provisional overall standings after stage nine:

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

Source | eurosport

Continue reading: Dakar 2009 Argentina-Chile Stage 9

After a much needed rest on Saturaday, yesterday the bikers took off on the 294 kilometre stage 8 between Valparaiso and La Serena, with Cyril Despres coming home first on his Red Bull KTM. Followed closely by Spain’s Marc Coma who finished second only 1’49 behind Despres, the reigning winner overtook Chile’s Francisco Lopez who finished third, 2’56 behind Despres and climbs to seventh overall

David Fretigne on his Yamaha WR450F lost almost 16 minutes on Sunday with a sixth-place result. Jonah Street dropped over 34 minutes on the lead pace finishing 29th and falling two places in the overall standings to fourth.

Continue reading: Dakar 2009 Argentina-Chile Stage 8