Dakar: Day 10 quotes

Bike:

Richard Sainct ( FRA - KTM -- 2nd) - 001
"It's great to do the stage on a plane. It's relaxing. On the other hand, I would have preferred to do it on my bike in the race. Now, for the other competitors, it's a good thing that they can rest. If I had been leading the overall, this break wouldn't have disturbed me. Now, I lose chances to gain time in the overall. But I have to remain positive, today I'm second overall and on the 4th day of the rally, I was 30th. That's great. I'll be back in the race in good condition for the second week. Last year, the Dakar was too easy, this time it's very difficult. The Dakar however shouldn't become impossible ! Let's not forget that the weather conditions are very bad, the sand is very soft. Those who will finish he rally can be very proud."

Cyril Despres (FRA -- KTM -- 4th) - 002
"It's a strange feeling being here today. On one hand it's good to rest but on the other hand, I don't really need it. I was counting on my physical strength to make a difference, so I have an advantage less. For this first day, it's OK but with two more days with no special, I think I'm going to find it long. We'll ride tomorrow on the liaison but it'll really be cool."

Fabrizio Meoni (ITA -- KTM -- 11th) - 003
"Concerning the victory, it's over for me. That's for sure. The first problem I had made me lose 2 hours and the two following days, I also had little technical worries on stages where I could have caught up time on the leaders. Now, I'm too far behind and it's impossible to finish with the first. It's sad because it's a magnificent rally, very tough, like I like them. It was my rally and that's why it's a shame. But that doesn't change the main goal now : to make it to Dakar."

Alfie Cox (AFS - KTM - 3rd) - 010
"On a sporting point of view, this neutralisation of the race is a pity. But when security is at stake, one can only understand. I totally support the organisation's decision. I believe this stop will be welcomed on a physical point of view. Even for me who has done hard Dakars, like in 98 and 99, I find it at the limit. And it's only the start ! It isn't a bad thing."

Car:

Jean Louis Schlesser ( FRA - SCHLESSER FORD -- 3rd) - 200
"Over 900kms of liaison is worst than a special. At least in a special you can attack. We left at 8.30am this morning, we drove fast when we could. There were 100kms of difficult course. The other car (Servia) won't get here before 9.00pm. They did the mistake of not leaving early this morning".

Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA - Mitsubishi - 1st) - 203
"These two days of liaison are a surprise. 900kms is very long. Of course it's not the kind of pressure as in a special, but it wasn't restful. I handed the steering wheel to Jean-Paul Cottret so he could he have fun, especially on tricky paths. We'll try to cope with these two days in a relaxed manner. Tomorrow, there will be another 500kms. We'll have a good rest in Bobo Dioulasso."

Jutta Kleinschmidt ( ALL - Volkswagen - 14th) - 204
"We left at 8.30am. It was tiring but also very boring. I took it easy. If I had the choice, I would have preferred a special."

Bruno Saby ( FRA - VOLKSWAGEN - 7th) - 224
"I was worried about driving all these kilometres in the night. The day before I drove with no power steering. I take the Dakar as it comes. The race is the race. People have a short memory. I remember a stage in 94 in the dunes of Mauritania. We were the only ones to have gone through it with Fontenay."

-aso-