Dakar – Leg 1- Lima-Pisco (263km): Chaleco Lopez sets early pace

The first stage of the 2013 Dakar was won by Chile’s Chaleco Lopez (KTM 450 Rally/Michelin) ahead of Frans Verhoeven (Yamaha) and Pablo Quintanilla (Honda). Cyril Despres (KTM) was fifth, 13 seconds down.

After three days of scrutineering and document checks in Lima’s notorious ‘garua’ fog, the 2013 Dakar finally started today as competitors began to roll off the sea-front ramp this morning at 8am local time before a long, hot run down the Pacific coast.

The route took them south along the Pan Americana Highway to the first overnight halt in Pisco via the first competitive section of the 2013 event. The short but gruelling 13km loop through demanding sand dunes kicked off at 12:15 and produced an initial idea of this year’s pecking order before serious business gets underway with Sunday’s 242km stage.

The quad and bike runners began the stage in reverse order, which meant that the first competitor to be flagged away was the Argentine quad-rider Claudio Clavigliasso (Can-Am N°290) who started the test 45 minutes before the first biker.

The fastest time (7m51s) was recorded by potential winner Chaleco Lopez who was a second faster quicker than Frans Verhoeven (2^nd). Quintanilla and Cabrera made it three Chileans in the top four which featured four different makes of bike.

Cyril Despres dropped 13 seconds but finished clear of David Casteu (6^th, Yamaha) and Ruben Faria (7^th, KTM).

The quad class was won by Peru’s Ignacio San Minario, ahead of Husseini and Patronelli.

Leg 1 positions:

1, Lopez (KTM), 7m51s. 2, Verhoeven (Yamaha), +1s. 3, Quintanilla (Honda), +5s. 4, Cabrera (Kawasaki), +11s. 5, Despres (KTM), +13s. Etc.

via motoracinglive.com