Dakar 2012 Stage 13 - Despres bounces back
The stage, from Nasca to Pisco, comprising a 275km Special Stage, was initially shaping up to be a repeat of the previous day's stages, where the Red Bull KTM team mates traded positions for the lead, rarely getting more than a couple of minutes ahead of each other. The lead-off rider on the stage, Coma apparently started to experience gearbox problems (no second or third gear) early, problems which ultimately ended any chance of victory. This was compounded when the Spaniard got lost at km 207 of the Special Stage.
Starting fourth on the stage, Despres soon overtook the three riders ahead of him. He piled the pressure on Coma and forced him to attack with his damaged gearbox, eventually "cracking" him when Coma made his navigational error. Despres made 12'38" over Coma during the course of the stage, which meant he moved into the lead by 11'03". With the final day comprising a Special Stage of only 29km, only a disastrous mechanical failure can prevent Despres from winning his fourth Dakar rally.
"I am not the kind of person who derives pleasure from the problems of teammates, and even less when it is Marc Coma who is in trouble," Despres said after hearing of Coma's mechanical issues. "I started with the knife between my teeth, knowing he would do the same thing. I took no risks but tried to gain ground on other riders in turns. At the refuelling station I saw I had clawed back 5 minutes from Marc. I then got lost a couple of times; it was never a big problem but I had to stay focused. Today's stage was psychologically very tough. I always wait until the last day to enjoy things. I have seen so many things happen at the Dakar, and even more today. I want to stay calm and enjoy things a bit more."
Hiding his disappointment, Coma was grateful that the problem which ended his chance of victory weren't severe enough to end his rally entirely.
"I started very fast, as fast as I could, because I knew it would be difficult to stay in the lead of the rally," Coma said. "25 km into the stage I had a mechanical problem which forced me to slow down. It was a gearbox problem and I feared I would not be able to continue. So I am happy to be here, in second position, which is quite good. I fought throughout the entire rally and gave it everything I had got at all times. That is the way it is. I am disappointed because I was not able to fight until the end."
With all the attention on Coma and Despres, the stage win of Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha WRF 450) almost went unnoticed! The stage win marked the Portuguese rider's first in the 2012 Dakar. Despres finished second on the stage, followed by Jordi Viladoms (KTM Rally Replica). Joan Barreda Bort (Husqvaran rally 450 RR) put in another respectable performance to finish fourth on the stage, followed by Paulo Goncalves (Husqvarna Rally 450RR). Coma, trundling along in first gear, finished almost an hour behind Rodrigues, at a distant 48th on the stage.
While the 11'03" gap between Coma and Despres doesn't seem entirely insurmountable, the damaged gearbox means that Coma will likely be forced to replace his engine, adding an additional 45-minute penalty. With the 'one' and 'two' positions pretty much confirmed, today's performance by Rodrigues has all but guaranteed him the third step of the overall podium with a 29'45" lead over Viladoms.
With only the 'ceremonial' final stage to go, the three Aussies who have contended the rally as a trio for the last nine stages (after Rod Faggotter, Craig Tarlington and Mark Davidson dropped out) look set to finish the 2012 Dakar with some respectable results behind them. On the penultimate stage, Dean Nuttall (KTM 450 Replica) finished 33rd, Jame Chittick (Honda CRF 450X) 45th, and David Schwarz (Husaberg FE 450) 47th. At the conclusion of Stage 13, Nuttall, in 41st overall, leads from Schwarz (44th) and Chittick (55th). In a coup for the Kiwis, Christopher Birch (KTM 450 Replica) leads the entire Antipodean Dakar contingent, in 28th place overall.
The Patronelli brothers, Marcos & Alejandro (Yamaha Raptor 700), took things carefully in the last big Special Stage for the quads, but their most consistent rival, Tomas Maffei (Yamaha 650 GRW), was no undeserving winner. He took his 3rd stage win on this year's Dakar and confirmed his potential, as did Uruguay's Sergio La Fuente (Yamaha Raptor 700), who slipped in between the Argentineans to take second in today's stage. He had already finished second on the occasion of his double whammy in the first two stages, as well as in the Atacaman loop stage around Copiapó. Although this last battle did not change the status quo in the final classification (Alejandro and Marcos Patronelli, followed by Maffei), it did reveal who the contenders will be at the next Dakar.
For full results and further details, go to www.dakar.com
Images: dakar.com
