The bikers have completed the first part of this year’s two-day marathon stage. The test was won by the USA’s Kurt Caselli (KTM/Michelin), chased by Chaleco Lopez and Olivier Pain who continues to top the leaderboard. Cyril Despres dropped 13 minutes.
Leg 7: Calama-Salta (802km)
The start of SS7 was in the middle of a vast plain populated by lamas and vicunas grazing on the sparse yellow grass, at an altitude of some 3,500 metres. To reach it, they first had to cover a 417km road section and crossed the Andes via a mountain pass at an altitude of more than 4,800m, just as dawn was breaking.
Baja specialist Kurt Caselli, who has replaced Marc Coma at KTM, was fastest up to the first passage control, ahead of Olivier Pain. However, Chaleco Lopez eventually succeeded in splitting the American (who claimed his first ever Dakar stage win today) and the Frenchman who continues to lead the rally for Yamaha/Michelin.
Thursday’s action saw second-placed Cyril Despres close to within 2m22s of Pain, but the favourite was slowed by gearbox trouble today, dropping 13 minutes. Worse than that, though, French KTM rider’s mechanics won’t be able to make repairs this evening since no overnight servicing is permitted during ‘marathon’ stages. He will therefore have to rely on his own skills and tools. Despres is 14m7s off the lead tonight.
Frans Verhoeven (Sherco) was third-fastest today, ahead of Ruben Faria. Lopez has fought back to second overall, 6m6s short of Pain, while Casteu is still third, just 31 seconds behind the Chilean.
The seventh day of the rally tragically saw the death of Thomas Bourgin who was involved in a road accident on the road section to the Argentine border. Everybody at MotoRacingLive would like to extend their sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Stage 7 classification:
1, Caselli (KTM), 1h51m31s. 2, Lopez (KTM), +1m23s. 3, Pain (Yamaha), +1m23s. 4, Verhoeven (Sherco), +1m30s. 5, Faria (KTM), +2m30s. Etc.
Provisional standings after Leg 7:
1, Pain (Yamaha), 17h28m17s. 2, Lopez (KTM), +6m6s. 3, Casteu (Yamaha), +6m37s. 4, Faria (KTM), +9m42s. 5, Despres (KTM), +14m7s. Etc.
