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    dimanche 31 août 2014

    Rally dos Sertões: Spinelli/Haddad win on cars. On trucks Piano/Mendes/Sales . Coma wins on bikes. Nahas wins on Quads and Mota/Shimuk on UTVs


    After seven thrilling days through astonishing landscapes and crossing the states of Goiás and Minas Gerais, in a dispute that was longer than 2.6 thousand Km, the 22nd edition of Rally dos Sertões come to an and this Saturday, 30th, in Belo Horizonte. The party happened at the beautiful Pampulha Lagoon, and received a good amount of spectators, and happened in the same date of the Virada Cultural, seeing the winners of Sertões 2014.

    On bikes Portuguese Paulo Goncalves (Honda HRC Team) won the last special, raced between Diamantina and Belo Horizonte, with 125.88 km timed and different floor types (gravel, fine gravel with bumps and cattle grids), with trial trial sections, up and down hills. The champion of the Sertões in 2013 won four of the seven stages, but could not overcome the Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM Red Bull Factory Team) is the new champion of the Rally. Coma won one less special than his rival, and won his second title in the biggest off-road race in Brazil (the first was in 2010).

    World leader of the FIM Cross Country Rally, Coma came waging a private battle with the Portuguese and won with the advantage of 3min23s (total 18h21min51s).

    Outside the international fight, the Brazilian Jean Azevedo (Honda Rally Mobil) was a highlight, and finished third, 14min05s behind Coma. Portuguese Helder Rodrigues (Team HRC Honda) was fourth, followed by Spanish Jordi Viladoms (Red Bull KTM Factory Team).

    "Winning here in Brazil is very difficult, especially when you have such strong riders in the race, as Paul and Jean. It was a hard route, and I’m very happy. The pace was very strong, and I had to do my best to win this year. In all my career I could only win Sertões once. If it is ten days or seven days, for me it has the same value. It was as hard this year as it was in 2010", he said.

    >From 37 bikes that left Goiania (GO), 32 raced the last special.

    Quads: Brazilian win


    In quads, Robert Nahas (RNN Sports) won his second title in his 11th participation in Sertões. The rider was also champion in 2005 and 2008. On Saturday, he administered the advantage and finished third, 4min51s ahead of the Polish Rafal Sonik (Sonik Team), the runner-up.

    Nahas finished in 20h38min09s, 22min54s ahead of Sonik. Gabriel Varela (Divino Fogão Rally Team) was third. Tom Rosa (ATV Yamaha) was fourth, and Rodolfo Brito (ATV Yamaha) finished in fifth place.

    Sonik, who has won the Sertões in 2010 and is leading the World Cross Country Rally FIM was the best in two specials this year.

    >From 17 quads starting the rally, nine "survived" to arrive in Belo Horizonte.

    UTVs see turnaround in the last stage


    In UTVs, José Hélio Rodrigues and the navigator Edmilson Camargo Jr. (Polaris Racing / Ze and Faces 4x4) won the last special, but the title went for a duo that did not win any stages, but managed to maintain regularity: Vinicius Mota / Rafael Shimuk (Taguatur Racing). They finished fifth in the last day and were champions with 22h27min12 time, over 22 minutes ahead for the runners-up Henrique Gutierrez and Weidner Moreira (Polaris).

    The result was surprising since the duo André Sawaya / Eduardo Costa (S2 Rally / Bike Box) was leading up to the penultimate day of competition, with more than 30 minutes ahead. Saturday, however, they had a break at km 140 and did not complete. 

    Zé Hélio and Camargo Jr. won four specials, but had a break in one of the stages and, finishing seventh overall. Elson Cascão/Claudia Grandi (Kandangus Rally Team) was third overall. Leadro Torres / Idali Son (Xtreme Plus / Torres Racing) finished fourth and duo Gustavo Lapertosa / Marcello Brandão placed fifth.

    Seventeen UTVs started on the last day of the rally. Twenty-one out from Goiania towards Belo Horizonte.

    Between Goiânia and Belo Horizonte, Sertões went through five more cities. Three hosted the rally for the first time: Catalão, Paracatu and São Francisco. Caldas Novas and Diamantina completed the route.

    Besides bikes, quads and UTVs, the Sertões also has disputes in the categories of cars and trucks. There are seven stages, more than 2600 km. The dispute has 197 competitors in total from seven countries: Brazil, Chile, Spain, France, Poland, Portugal and the UK. In bikes and quads category, the Sertões will also be valid for the FIM World Cross Country Rally.

    Results (unofficial)

    Unofficial results of the 7th stage and overall:

    Bikes - 7th stage
    1. #1 PAULO GONCALVES (HONDA / TEAM HONDA HRC) 01h34min57s
    2. #2 MARC COMA (KTM / KTM RED BULL FACTORY TEAM) 01h36min11s
    3. #5 JEAN AZEVEDO (HONDA / HONDA MOBIL DE RALLY) 01h36min47s
    4. #12 RUBEN FARIA (KTM / KTM RED BULL FACTORY TEAM) 01h38min29s
    5. #4 HELDER RODRIGUES (HONDA / TEAM HONDA HRC) 01h38min40s

    Motos - Overall
    1. #2 MARC COMA (KTM / KTM RED BULL FACTORY TEAM) 18h21min51s
    2. #1 PAULO GONCALVES (HONDA / TEAM HONDA HRC) 18h25min14s 
    3. #5 JEAN AZEVEDO (HONDA / HONDA MOBIL DE RALLY) 18h35min56s 
    4. #4 HELDER RODRIGUES (HONDA / TEAM HONDA HRC) 18h43min37s 
    5. #3 JORDI VILADOMS (KTM / KTM RED BULL FACTORY TEAM) 18h48min28s 

    Quads - 7th stage
    1. #101 RAFAL SONIK (HONDA / SONIK TEAM) 01h49min25s
    2. #105 GABRIEL VARELA (CAN-AM / DIVINO FOGAO RALLY TEAM) 01h52min41s
    3. #100 ROBERT NAHAS (PROTOTIPO / RNN SPORTS) 01h54min16s
    4. #104 NEI COSTA (NC RALLY TEAM) 01h55min41s
    5. #112 DIOGO ZONATO (RNN SPORTS) 01h56min57s

    Quads - Overall
    1. #100 ROBERT NAHAS (PROTOTIPO / RNN SPORTS) 20h38min09s
    2. #101 RAFAL SONIK (HONDA / SONIK TEAM) 21h01min04s
    3. #105 GABRIEL VARELA (CAN-AM / DIVINO FOGAO RALLY TEAM) 21h34min53s
    4. #103 TOM ROSA (YAMAHA / NC RALLY TEAM) 22h43min18s 
    5. #110 RODOLFO BRITO (PARAIBA RALLY TEAM) 23h49min34s

    UTVs - 7th stage
    1. #202 JOSE HELIO/EDMILSON CAMARGO (POLARIS RACING) 01h52min11s
    2. #204 CALOS AMBROSIO/CADU SACHS (PODIUM) 01h56min17s
    3. #205 FABIO CAMPOS/SERGIO AVALLONE (SACRAMENTO RACING) 01h57min16s
    4. #213 VINÍCIUS MOTA/RAFAEL SHIMUK (TAGUATUR RACING) 02h01min054s
    5. #208 LEANDRO TORRES/IDALI RODRIGUES FILHO (XTREME PLUS / TORRES RACING) 02h03min22s

    UTVs - Overall
    1. #213 VINÍCIUS MOTA/RAFAEL SHIMUK (TAGUATUR RACING) 22h27min12s
    2. #218 HENRIQUE GUTIERREZ/ WEIDNER MOREIRA (PODIUM) 22h49min20s
    3. #211 ELSON CASCAO II/CLAUDIA GRANDI (KANDANGUS RALLY TEAM) 23h06min24s
    4. #208 LEANDRO TORRES/IDALI RODRIGUES FILHO (XTREME PLUS / TORRES RACING) 23h35min52s
    5. #219 GUSTAVO LAPERTOSA/MARCELLO BRANDÃO (LAPERTOSA MOTORSPORTS) 26h40min53s


    The sixth and penultimate stage of the 22th edition of the Rally dos Sertões, held on Friday (29th) in Diamantina (Minas Gerais State), had the victory of the duo Cristian Baumgart and Beco Andreotti (X Rally Team / NWM). It was a very close dispute with Reinaldo Varela / Gustavo Gugelmin (Divino Fogão Rally Team / Overdrive), who were the first runner up, only two seconds behind.

    Guilherme Spinelli and Youssef Haddad (Mitsubishi Petrobras) remain the overall leadership and got the third place on the day. This Saturday (30th), the competitors dispute the last stage - between Diamantina and Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais State) - and the difference between the leaders is a little over three minutes. It will be a good battle for the title.

    Baumgart and Andreotti won the 6th stage with the time of 2h33min06s. "This was the first special test that we won, even for two seconds, with a strong pace. Tomorrow is the last day and we will try everything to win", said the co-driver Andreotti.

    Thirty-nine cars started on the special in Diamantina. Besides the T1 FIA category, there are also dispute in the categories Prototypes T1, Pró Brasil, Super Production, Production T2 and Production T2 / TR4.

    Trucks: six wins in six stages

    Rally ends only when the last stage is completed. But the trio Edu Piano / Solon Mendes / Antonio Carlos de Sales (Trucks Ford Racing / Território Motorsport) is almost there. They won all the stages so far and had more than hour of advantage for the trio Felicio Bragante / Ricardo Costa / Paco Corder (Asa Alumínio Rally Team), who are the first runner up.

    Seventh Stage: Diamantina (MG) / Belo Horizonte (MG)

    On Saturday (30th), the competitors will dispute the 7th and final stage between Diamantina and Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais State). There will be 336.96 km in total (54.38 km of initial liaison, 125.88 km of special and 151.96 km of final liaison).

    Between Goiânia and Belo Horizonte, Sertões went through five more cities. Three hosted the rally for the first time: Catalão, Paracatu and São Francisco. Caldas Novas and Diamantina completed the route.

    Besides cars and trucks, the Sertões also has disputes in the categories of bikes, quads and UTVs. There are seven stages, more than 2600 km. The dispute has 197 competitors in total from seven countries: Brazil, Chile, Spain, France, Poland, Portugal and the UK. In bikes and quads category, the Sertões will also be valid for the FIM World Cross Country Rally.



    Dakar Rally 2015: The real Odyssey before - or how to be at the Start in time

    The Dakar in South America - good for American Teams! Really? Some rallyfans were wondering last November during the Dakar shipping-ceremony in Le Havre (France), why US-American Robby Gordon was shipping his service-cars and -equipment from Europe. Built in Europe? No. Parking in Europe? No. Let us tell a special story of the Mexico-based "El Martillo" Team... and why logistics sometimes is more difficult than expected...

    By El Martillo Team: Many of the followers and off road / rally fans around the world could be asking themselves: Why is September El Martillo Racing’s deadline to send the race car to the Dakar? Almost three and half months before?

    Good question, let us explain the challenge for a North American team: Sending the race car, equipment, tools and support vehicles to be on time at the start line of the Dakar in Buenos Aires, Argentina, January 4th.

    Last year, when the logistic to send everything to Argentina was discussed the team was wisely told by a former Mexican Dakar finisher: "One of the biggest challenges of Dakar, is to arrive at the start line." That was and is the truth.

    As many may know, the Dakar-organizer ASO offers, as part of the entry fee, transport from Le Havre, France, to Argentina, by cargo ship. This represents a big help for the teams in saving logistics, delays, customs and for sure, budget. Also to be considered is the inventory needed for the customs in every border crossing (states of countries) during the trip. Can you imagine the amount of scrubs, tools, spares and articles to list?

    No Joke: For all these reasons it is better for El Martillo Racing to ship all the team’s equipment from Mexico to France, which also requires perfect timing to meet with the ASO ship. The deadline to be in Le Havre is November 18th.

    As one of the few North American teams, there are quite a lot of options to send stuff to "the old Country". Finding the best one is the challenge. To do that, there are facts to consider: Timing, safety, logistics, cost and reliability. Last year our Dodge Durango flew from the US to Argentina due to the tight agenda. This year it will go with the rest of the stuff.

    The options are the following - Ship from Mexico to France, this can be done two ways

    From the Pacific: This will have to be from Mazatlan, Sinaloa, or Manzanillo, Colima. This would also imply to ship from Los Cabos or La Paz to Mazatlan first. Then drive to Manzanillo (if needed) to navigate south to the Panama Canal and cross the Atlantic to France. Logistic. Time consuming. Reliable and safe?

    From the Gulf of Mexico: This would require to cross the Sea of Cortez, drive all across the country, getting into the harbor of Veracruz; then ship from there to France. Logistics. Cost. Safe? Reliability?

    Other options are available shipping from the Unites States.

    California: This option represents a drive up the peninsula and ship from Long Beach, to sail south to the Panama Canal and cross the Atlantic to France. (This was the option used last year for support vehicles and equipment). Time consuming. Logistics.

    Texas: Drive from the tip of the peninsula to Houston, ship all from the Gulf of Mexico to France. Logistics. Cost. Reliability?

    Florida: Drive all the way to Miami from coast to coast with all the equipment and ship to France. Logistics. Reliability.

    Making a wrong decision about this could result in not being on time in France to the appointment with the ASO ship and tragically miss the Dakar. Therefore, the team is in a critical decision moment. But, this is the Dakar, right?

    via www.marathonrally.com

    MotoGP : Márquez riposte et conquiert Silverstone / Marquez takes 11th win after brilliant battle with Lorenzo

    Battu pour la première fois de l’année à Brno, Marc Márquez n’aura pas tardé à retrouver le sommet du podium MotoGP™ et a battu Jorge Lorenzo dans un duel pour la victoire au Grand Prix Hertz de Grande-Bretagne. Valentino Rossi a pris la troisième place.

    Marc Marquez, Repsol Honda Team, GBR RACE


    Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) et Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) ont été les protagonistes d’un duel pour la victoire au Grand Prix Hertz de Grande-Bretagne, comme en 2013, et c’est cette fois-ci le plus jeune qui s’est imposé. 
    Très bien parti de la troisième position sur la grille, Lorenzo a réussi le holeshot pour mener jusqu’au quatorzième des vingt tours de l'épreuve et distancer tous ses adversaires hormis Márquez, qui est passé en tête pour la première fois à six tours de l’arrivée. Le Champion du Monde en titre a ensuite concédé la première position à Lorenzo à deux reprises mais a immédiatement réagi après la seconde, dans le dernier tour, pour s’emparer de la victoire, sa onzième en douze courses cette année.
    A plus de sept secondes des deux Espagnols, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) a pris le dessus sur Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) et Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) pour s’assurer une place sur le podium au terme d’une bataille à trois qui a duré presque toute la course. Le nonuple Champion du Monde montait sur le podium de Silverstone pour la première fois et établissait un nouveau record de longévité avec un total de 246 Grands Prix en catégorie reine.
    Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team, GBR RACE
    Pol Espargaró (Monster Yamaha Tech3) a fini en sixième position, à quinze secondes de Dovizioso, devant Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP), Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing) et son frère Aleix Espargaró (NGM Forward Racing), premier pilote de la catégorie Open. 
    Aleix Espargaro, NGM Forward Racing, GBR RACE
    Scott Redding (GO&FUN Honda Gresini), qui s’était imposé à Silverstone en Moto2™ l’an dernier, a réussi sa première course MotoGP™ à domicile en prenant la dixième place, avec une confortable avance sur Yonny Hernández (Energy T.I Pramac Racing) et Cal Crutchlow (Ducati). Les derniers points sont revenus à Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing), Hiroshi Aoyama (Drive M7 Aspar) et Alex de Angelis (NGM Forward Racing). 
    Mike di Meglio (Avintia Blusens) a fini vingtième, devant Broc Parkes (PBM) et Bradley Smith (Monster Yamah Tech3), reparti des stands pour finir la course après avoir malheureusement été contraint à s’arrêter en raison d’un problème avec son pneu arrière. 
    Álvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) a été le seul pilote à abandoner, suite une chute dans le dernier tour. 
    En renouant avec la victoire, Márquez, premier pilote à remporter onze victoires en une saison depuis Rossi en 2005, prend encore un peu plus d’avance en tête du classement général et est désormais à 89 points de Pedrosa, 99 de Rossi et 131 de Lorenzo. Suite du Championnat du Monde MotoGP™ 2014 le 14 septembre à Misano, au Grand Prix TIM de Saint-Marin et de la Riviera di Rimini.
    Cliquez ici pour accéder aux résultats.
    MotoGP Podium, GBR RACE
    The Hertz British Grand Prix saw a great battle between Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo won by Marquez as he made an immediate return to winning ways, whilst Valentino Rossi joined them on the podium.
    Lorenzo took the initiative to pull out in front in the early stages but Marquez stayed with the front group and took the fight to his Movistar Yamaha MotoGP rival. Marquez had the pace to catch Lorenzo, but made two slight errors, giving Lorenzo the opportunity to retake the lead twice.
    The pair battled right to the last lap, even touching at one stage and with Repsol Honda’s Marquez eventually crossing the line 0.732s ahead of Lorenzo. The result sees Marquez become the first rider since Valentino Rossi in 2005 to win 11 MotoGP™ races in a single season and also sees him return to victory after his fourth place at Brno.
    Nine-time World Champion Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) was chased hard for third by the experienced pair of Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team).
    Rossi made it onto the rostrum but was trailed by just 0.175s by Pedrosa and 0.544s by Dovizioso. ‘The Doctor’ set a new outright record of 246 starts in the premier class of Grand Prix racing in the Silverstone contest.
    Pol Espargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech3) won a battle for sixth place as his impressive rookie campaign continued. Stefan Bradl (LCR Honda MotoGP), Andrea Iannone (Pramac Racing), Aleix Espargaro (NGM Forward Racing) and top British finisher Scott Redding (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) completed the top ten.
    Scott Redding, GO&FUN Honda Gresini, GBR RACE
    Cal Crutchlow (Ducati Team) was down in 12th, whilst Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) was 22nd after experiencing a rear end problem.
    Alvaro Bautista (GO&FUN Honda Gresini) crashed out towards the end of the race, ruining his quest for a top ten finish.

    ERC Barum Rally after SS15: Pech wins, Wiegand edges Kostka for second

    107 PECH

    Václav Pech and co-driver Petr Uhel have won Barum Czech Rally Zlín for the second time to end ŠKODA’s domination of the FIA European Rally Championship qualifier.
    ŠKODA has won the event for four seasons on the bounce but Pech’s success in his MINI John Cooper Works S2000 breaks that long-running sequence.
    Pech, who became Czech champion for a seventh time by winning Saturday’s leg, claims his first win in the ERC since its restructuring in 2004. He also makes it seven different winners from eight rounds of this year’s ERC.
    Sepp Wiegand beat Tomáš Kostka to the runner-up spot by 0.2s in a thrilling finish. Kostka had been in front after 13 stages but an engine problem on his Ford Fiesta R5 for the final two stages slowed him down and allowed Wiegand to get back ahead.
    Wiegand was unhappy after being delayed behind Robert Consani’s slowing Peugeot 207 S2000 on stage 14 but his second-place finish means he closes the gap to team-mate Esapekka Lappi in the race to become European champion. Lappi, who crashed out on Saturday, restarted on leg two and won the rally’s final stage, the 21.41 kilometres of Kudlovice.
    Jaroslav Orsák just did enough to keep Jaromír Tarabus at bay in the battle for what became fourth place after they both moved ahead of Kajetan Kajetanowicz on the final stage. Click here for live results, text commentary and ERC Rally Radio.


    SKABIKES CB350


    Skabikes 1
    Excuses bug me, and I can conjure them up as good as most. The tank might get scratched, loads of bikes get pinched around here, my clutch lever is on the way out, I’m still running my engine in, those parts I ordered aren’t here yet, the weather is no good, I don’t live in Santa Cruz….. I could go on but you’ve heard them all before and have plenty to add.
    Luckily there are others out there that just get out there and ‘use what they built’.  Steve from Ontario, Canada is one such guy; we featured his CB350 a couple of years ago, and since then he has ridden through rain and shine, continuing the development of his trusty stead.
    Skabikes 2
    Regular hard working father-of-two Steve picked up this ’71 CB from a farm kid some years ago, before making some mild mods. He didn’t try to reinvent the wheel, take the world by storm or high five himself with self-c0ngratulatory powder coated praise; he just tweaked what he had, with the time left over from shift work and family duties, in his own garage, using the skills he picked up over the years.
    And now, stacks of miles later, he’s changed a few more parts.
    Skabikes 3
    Apart from the powder coating, Steve has carried out all the work himself, learning along the way. The recent paint job being the hardest task to date, nearly ruined by some old dude that backed into a space, not seeing the Honda, shoving it a full car’s length back. Somehow, the bike didn’t topple; maybe bike gods do exist.
    Skabikes 4
    The manky wiring loom has been upgraded and tidied, powering a new dash set up. Tricky to see from these pictures but there’s a custom dash mount to support the lights and mini speedo.
    Skabikes 5
    From the side profile it goes to show that you don’t need to go crazy when customising your bike. Clip ons, decent paint, some powder coat and stubby exhausts is a good place to start. And if you plan on riding the thing as opposed to just taking pictures of it, perhaps avoid the wafer thin brat seat.
    Skabikes 6
    A bit of winter doesn’t hold Steve back; “It’s been a great dependable whip (that I have to tune every now and then of course) for in town use as I had originally intended, and, I have put a heap of miles on it. Ridden in wind, rain or shine and in temperatures ranging from -15C (yes that’s a negative and not including windchill!! :-)) to 35+ degrees C so this thing’s seen it all. -15 is my limit though. Although the motor loves that fat cold air, cables, brakes, tires……..everything starts acting weird so…….not cool”.
    Skabikes 7
    And his modest approach stretches to the aesthetics “I know she’s nothing much at all compared to what you guys post on your site but this one’s positive proof that, despite what many think, these things aren’t necessarily just show pieces sitting there to be looked at. They’re still racking up miles, leaking oil and getting us from A to B. The only difference is, we’ve got big smiles on our faces and bugs in our teeth. Mine’s obviously got tons that I could still do to it to either clean it up or modify it more but I avoid doing stuff just for the sake of doing it. Right now, it’s where I want it and it’s being used all the time so, for me, it’s in a good spot”.
    Skabikes 8

    As this story is posted, it’s the last Sunday of August; knitwear makes its way back to the top of the drawer, leaves lose their effervescent green and bikes across the Northern Hemisphere start to be banished to garages for a cotton-covered hibernation. Let’s all take a leaf out of Steve’s book and just enjoy what we’ve got, right now.
    Here’s to an Indian Summer, a kind autumn and a winter of riding and tinkering.
    via The Bike Shed