3000 km, 6 days, time for some rest
LA PAZ (BOLIVIA): After covering more than 3000 km in six days with harsh weather constantly battering the will and body, mind can go numb. But losing focus is not an option for Dakar Rally competitors.
The riders and drivers arrived in La Paz on Thursday — after surviving the Peruvian deserts which forced more than 70 competitors to withdraw — for the only ‘rest’ day in the 14-stage rally. For the team members, however, the term ‘rest’ is very subjective.
“The competitors will again gather at the bivouac in less than 24 hours. In between, we will have team meetings and briefing. Sometimes the term ‘rest’ means sleeping for a few hours on a good bed. That’s it. Most of the rest day goes in understanding the new road map,” said Wolfgang Fisher, Hero MotoSports’ team manager.
The Indian team had an early shock in Dakar 2018 when Joaquim Rodrigues got injured in the first stage. Their other two riders, Oriol Mena and CS Santosh, were placed 21st and 51st, respectively after Thursday.
“I have had my share of highs and lows. I featured in top 15 after the first stage. Then in the third stage my fuel finished early due to a loose cap, and on stage 4, I suffered a crash. But the only way to move forward is to look ahead,” said Santosh.
Some reputed names like defending champions Sam Sunderland withdrew due to a back injury, so did former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas. Sebastien Loeb — a nine-time world rally champion — also did not finish after his co-driver got injured.
Defending champion Stephane Peterhansel led the racers into Bolivia (cars segment) but Peugeot team-mate Carlos Sainz had trimmed the Frenchman’s lead with his first stage win of this year’s event.
Peterhansel ended the 6th stage from the Peruvian city of Arequipa to La Paz with a 27-minute advantage over the Spaniard, a two-times world champ. In the motorbikes segment, Argentina’s Kevin Benavides (Honda), has a 1min 57sec lead over French Yamaha rider Adrien Van Beveren in overall standings.
For the next four days, the competitors will have to pass through the high terrains of Bolivia with elevation ranging from 3800m to 4800m. The action will be fast and there will be mountain dunes too. Then Dakar rally will move to Argentina for the final part of the competition.