Dakar: Stage 11 Kayes to Bamako notes

Stage 11: Kayes to Bamako
January 11, 2006
Connection 50 km - Special 231 km - Connection 424 km
Total 705 km

Wednesday in Bamako
Although care has been taken for the course to avoid the wildlife reserve of Badinko and the biosphere reserve of the Baoule loop, the caravan progresses through a sumptuous setting, with a continuous sequence of forests and savannas. As the tracks are narrow, extreme care is recommended in the eventuality of any navigational error requiring a u-turn.

Stage 11: 2006-01-11, Kayes to Bamako.

Photo by A.S.O.

Night Watch:

10:03 - Yesterday night 22h45 -- Massage for Magnaldi
After spending the day stopped and waiting for his assistance, Thierry Magnaldi heads to the medical centre. "I'm going to ask for a massage because other than the time loss I had suffered a big shock. My back is in pain and the team's physio is not here yet tonight.

10:05 - Yesterday night 22h30 -- 'Mitsu' closes
The team including the day's winner and loser has finished preparing the cars. Jean-Marc Bonnay, assistant director of the team checks out the work that has been done. "For Stephane and Nani, it was just a routine check but there was a lot more work for Luc's car. He had to rebuild the body and change quite a few damaged parts".

10:06 - Yesterday night 23h00 -- Medical roundup
Florence Pommeri, member of the rally's medical staff admits "it was rather cool until the end of the after-noon when a Belgian rider was brought to us with a vertebrae trauma. Other than that we saw a lot of competitors troubled by the sun and quite a few stomach bugs".

10:07 - Yesterday night 23h15 -- The desert Mini Moke
Christian Laporte and Olivier Lambert have just arrived and they seriously lack of sleep. "Yesterday we didn't sleep. We made it t Kiffa at 10:00 AM and then took off at 1:00 PM. That's why we're so late. But we are still taking the little one to Dakar".

10:08 - Yesterday night 23h10 -- U-turn
Yoshio Ikemashi is welcomed by a Japanese TV crew at his arrival on the bivouac. "I broke the clutch despite the fact that had covered a big part of the special, but I u-turned to head back to Kiffa. The day was long. Ikemashi still has the ambition to win the T2 Diesel Production class.

10:09 - Early this morning 1h00 -- A gear box, quickly!
In the Nissan Dessoude team, mechanics are working on the vehicle of Lang Xu and Fabian Lurquin. The gear box doesn't look good and time has come to change it. Dominique Peres, chief mechanic knows that it'll take quite some time. "Generally speaking, we have had two nights with no sleep working on the cars. The rally is very demanding this year because our two leading cars have left the event in Morocco and Atar".

10:10 - Early this morning 3h00 -- The absents
Two bikes out of the 99 at the start haven't yet made it to Kayes: Laurent Porelli and Dirk Jan Franken. One car is missing out of the 91: Ricardo Vela -- Mario Puerta

Two truck out of the 42 are also expected: Roland Hoebeke; Joseph Petit All the competitors have been spotted and should be at the bivouac at around 5:00 AM.

General:

07:31 - Narrow and dusty tracks on the menu
For this second day in Mali, the competitors head to the capital. The dunes and soft sand are now really behind, but the terrain will require driving skills. Narrow tracks through thick vegetation where all will need to be extra careful. Gaps shouldn't be too big on the finish line unless one manages an exploit. After the special, the bikers and drivers will have a long liaison to cover. Two main goals: enjoy the landscape and be careful in the villages.

The bikers will be racing again after a neutralised day in memory of Andy Caldecott. Without doubt, the members of the KTM -- Repsol team will want to dedicate a special success to their lost friend. But this stage heading to Bamako will certainly also be Alain Duclos' main objective. He indeed is riding at home and currently 8th overall. In the car race, Luc Alphand will need mountains of imagination to try and find a way to reduce the gap with overall leader and team mate Peterhansel. The third Mitsubishi driver Nani Roma will need to be just as fast and smart to try and follow the pace of compatriot Carlos Sainz.

Bike:

10:43 - Despres last to start
The bikers were on their way to the first CP of the day at km 163. Cyril Despres winner of the previous stage was the first to take off at 7:15 AM, followed by overall leader Marc Coma, two minutes behind.

Car:

10:47 - Peterhansel and Roma lost
At around km 100 of the day's car special, overall leader Stephane Peterhansel and his Mitsubishi team mate Nani Roma have taken a wrong track and had to turn back to find the right way. It appears that Carlos Sainz (VW) who took off first is on the right track. So is Luc Alphand (MIT).

11:02 - Duclos fastest at CP1
Local hero Alain Duclos of Mali has clocked the fastest time at CP1 (km 163) with a 33" lead on overall leader Marc Coma. Third is Carlo De Gavardo at 7'03, followed by Viladoms at 8'19" and Ullevalseter at 9'10". Bad day for Cyril Despres who is 13'19" adrift losing 12'46" on Coma.

Bike:

11:05 - Casteu falls
At km 180, David Casteu suffered a fall and has seriously damaged his handle bar. He is now back on his bike and riding but has lost a lot of time.

Car:

11:12 - Kleinschmidt in trouble
Germany's Jutta Kleinschmidt (VW) was stopped at km 12 after breaking her car steering system. She was seen repairing

Bike:

11:27 - Coma at CP2
Overall leader Marc Coma was the first to make it, alone to CP2 (Km 216).

11:37 - Despres still way behind Coma
Cyril Despres has only just made it at CP2 (km 216). The Frenchman is 11'51" off the pace of leader Marc Coma. Only two bikes so far at CP2.

11:43 - Duclos fastest at CP2
After clocking the fastest time at the first CP, Alain Duclos is again the fastest at CP2 (km 216). Coma is second at 1'05".

11:55 - Coma increases overall lead
Cyril Despres has just made it to the finish line of the day's special and has lost 11'37" on Marc Coma. The Spaniard now has a 34'24" overall lead on Despres.

12:00 - Duclos wins special
Franco-Mali rider Alain Duclos has just clinched the fastest time of the day's special. Riding at home, the KTM biker beat Marc Coma by 1'27". Duclos wins his first ever special on a Dakar.

Car:

12:22 - De Villiers fastest at CP1
Giniel De Villiers (VW) has just reached CP1 (km 163) and has the fastest time so far with a 6'39" advantage on Carlos Sainz. De Villiers who started 8th this morning has overtaken 7 cars on his way to the first check point: Sousa, Schlesser, Kleinschmidt, Miller, Peterhansel and Roma.

12:25 - Kleinschmidt still stopped
Still stopped at km 12 of the special, Jutta Kleinschmidt is awiting her assistance vehicle. Steering problems on the Race Touareg for the German driver.

12:32 - Saby second fastest at CP1
Volkswagen's Bruno Saby has just set the second fastest time, 3'40" behind team mate Giniel De Viliers. Third is Luc Alphand at 4'22". Overall leader Stephane Peterhansel is 18'23" adrift.

Truck:

12:35 - Truck race neutralised
Due to the crash of truck 533 at km 28, totally blocking the road, the organisation has decided to neutralise the truck race for those stuck behind the accident. All trucks behind the accident are asked to turn around and cover the end of the stage on a tarmac road heading to Bamako. The race goes on for the others that managed to go through.

Car:

13:18 - De Villiers fastest at CP2
At the second check point (km 216) of the day, Giniel De Villiers has the fastest time. The South African has a 4'51" on Volkswagen team mate Bruno Saby. Third is Luc Alphand (MIT) at 5'43", followed by Chicherit (BMW) at 9'03". Overall leader Stephane Peterhansel (MIT) is 20'19" adrift.

13:29 - Special win for De Villiers
South African's Giniel De Villiers captured his first special victory of this 28th Dakar. The Volkswagen driver beats team mate Bruno Saby by 5'33". Third is Luc Alphand (MIT), 6'03" adrift, followed by Carlos Sainz at 8'33" and Guerlain Chicherit (BMW) at 9'49". Overall leader Stephane Peterhansel loses 20'58" on the day.

13:32 - 'Peter' loses time overall
Overall leader Stephane Peterhansel has lost quite a few minutes on the day's special. The Frenchman now has a 25'09" lead on team mate Luc Alphand while Giniel de Villiers is third at 42'19".

14:20 - Details on Kleinschmidt's problems
Jutta Kleinschmidt was still expecting her assistance at km 12 of the day's special. It appears that the German hit a tree and damaged a suspension.

Truck:

14:27 - Stacey fastest at CP1
Yesterday's winner Hans Stacey has the fastest time at CP1 (km 163) with a 5'13" lead on De Azevedo and 12'07" on Chagin.

14:59 - Stacey fastest at CP2
Hans Stacey (MAN) is still the fastest at CP2 (km 213). He has a 5'36" lead over De Azevedo and 11'08" on Chagin.

15:08 - Stacey wins special
For the second day in a row and the third time on this Dakar, Hans Stacey captured special victory. The Dutchman in his MAN truck beat Brazil's Andre De Azevedo by 4'41" and Vladimir Chagin by 11'10".

General:

15:58 - Today's essentials
Franco-Malian rider Alain Duclos (KTM -- n14) posted his first career stage win on the Dakar on home soil, while Marc Coma (KTM -- n2) lightly extended his lead over Cyril Despres (KTM -- n1) in the overall standings. In the car division Giniel De Villiers (VW -- n305) set the best time while Stephane Peterhansel (MIT -- n300) lost some of his lead over Luc Alphand (MIT- n302). In the truck division, the third stage win for Hans Stacey, bow sees the Dutchman as the closest pursuer to Chagin, who still has a considerable lead.

Car:

20:39 - Kleinschmidt pulls out
Jutta Kleinschmidt, who had destroyed the front right wheel of her Vokswagen Race Touareg after hitting a tree, was forced to pull out of the race. At first an assistance truck came to help her but decided to carry on because the problems were too serious. Heading to Bamako, the truck had an accident at km 28 and crashed on its side. It's now back on its four wheels and on its way to the Mali capital.

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