Dakar: Stage 13 Labe to Tambacounda notes

Stage 13: Labe to Tambacounda
January 13, 2006
Connection 7 km - Special 348 km - Connection 212 km
Total 567 km

Sarakole country
The Dakar can have mountain stages. Even if there is no need for oxygen masks, the rally will reach its high point on this special, verging on 1,000 m in some passes. As with the previous day, the tracks will be narrow, and dust will make overtaking very difficult.

Night Watch:

10:14 - Early this morning 0h20 -- The 500 XT ready to go
Henno Van Bergeik is one of the attractions of the rally and a star among the privateers. The Dutchman left Lisbon on an old Yamaha 500 XT, and has since then been used to long nights working on his bike. But his dream of making it to Dakar is slowly coming true. His stay in Labe was slightly different from the previous bivouacs. "I've just finished the work that I was supposed to do. It's perfect. It's the first time that I'll be able to rest a little."

10:16 - Early this morning 0h40 -- 600 km on a metal wire
Despite the rumours on the bivouac that Luc Pagnon had quit the race, the Frenchman made it to the bivouac. The man from Marseille witnessed a very long day but he's still in the race. "I broke a suspension at kilometre 150 of the special. I then repaired it with a metal wire and I covered the remaining 600kms like that. Riding at 20km/h. It's just a question of will." Once by his trunk six mates immediately came to help so that Luc could continue his Dakar.

10:20 - Early this morning 1h00 -- Work on the 300
It's a very busy night in the Mitsubishi team. While the cars of Nani Roma and Luc Alphand haven't suffered too much during the day, Stephane Peterhansel's Pajero is seriously damaged. Dominique Serieys, team manager, supervises work. "There are really a lot of things to be done and we'll have to stay up until the first hours of morning. But it'll be ready, for sure... "

10:28 - Early this morning 1h30 -- Henrard quits
Stephane Henrard, driver of a 2005 Volkswagen Race Touareg suffered his third withdrawal in a row on the Dakar. "We have an oil leek so we had to drive slowly all day and once we got to the bivouac, the engine broke. I'm really disgusted. "

11:43 - Early this morning 1h45 -- Nissen satisfied
In the Volkswagen team, Kris Nissen checks out the repairs on the vehicles of Miller (rear left wheel)) and Sainz (brakes), and talks of the 2006 edition with still three days to go. "We were very lucky today. Now we will try and out the pressure on Luc Alphand and we'll see what happens. Anyhow, this Dakar is a satisfaction, we have performed well. "

11:44 - Early this morning 02h20 -- What about Pescarolo?
Henri Pescarolo, who crashed and had three tumbles during the special finally managed to repair and continue. But the Frenchman hadn't yet made it to the finish of the special.

11:45 - Early this morning 02h45 -- Still missing!
One truck, one quad and twelve cars were still on their way to Labe.

General:

07:33 - The pressure's on Alphand
Uphill we go for this 13th stage of the Dakar. Mountain stages also exist on the Dakar... The rally reaches its highest point: close to 1000m with hilly tracks on the second part of the course, and fords to be crossed. But before that, the competitors will leave Guinea to enter Senegal heading to Tambacounda, going through the Niokolo-Koba Park on fast tracks with many trees on the sides. 387kms of timed special. Dust and narrow tracks will make overtaking very difficult.

The battle continues for the final overall victory. One might not win the event but could well lose it. That's what happened to Stephane Peterhansel yesterday. Without doubt, Giniel De Villiers, 20 minutes adrift of the new race boss Luc Alphand, will to his best to worry the Frenchman.

Bike:

11:58 - Puy quits
Bad luck for Ludivine Puy. On this Friday the 13th, at km 13 of stage 13, the French biker crashed and broke her leg. The leader of the women's bike race was forced to quit the race.

12:00 - Coma with Despres
The leading bikers are on their way to the first check point of the day's stage, at km 209. Cyril Despres, a winner yesterday, who took off first has been caught by overall leader Marc Coma. Both Riders are together.

12:14 - Coma fastest at CP1
With three bikes having reached CP1 (km 209), Marc Coma has the best time so far. Cyril Despres is 1'30" adrift. USA's Chris Blais is at 9'25".

Car:

12:26 - Cars in the same order
Taking off in first position this morning, Luc Alphand (MIT) leads the race at km 150 and is heading to CP1. He is followed by Guerlain Chicherit (BMW) and Giniel De Villiers (VW)

Bike:

12:31 - Sala gains time on Blais
Third at CP1 is Frenchman Alain Duclos at 2'30". Italy's Giovanni Sala, third overall, is fourth so far at 3'58"... The Italian gains time on Chirs Blais fourth overall. Sala now virtually has a lead of over 26' on his main rival for a podium place in Dakar.

13:44 - De Azevedo out!
Brazilian Jean De Azevedo who was 8th overall before this morning's stage 13, suffered a crash just after the start of the special. He slightly injured himself and was treated by the medical staff but was forced to withdraw from the rally.

Car:

13:49 - Alphand fastest at CP1
At the first CP of the car race (km 209), Luc Alphand (MIT) who took off first this morning has the fastest time so far. The overall leader has a 2'29" advantage on Giniel De Villiers (VW), 4'57" on Carlos Sainz (VW) and 7'35" on Bruno Saby (VW). Guerlain Chicherit (BMW) who started second today was forced to stop twice and made it to CP1 with a 23'54" time deficit. He was overtaken by 4 cars.

Bike:

14:05 - Sala fastest at CP2
At CP2 (km 305), the best time is for Giovanni Sala, third overall. The Italian has a 2'20" lead on Alain Duclos, 2'57" on Marc Coma and 3'21" on Cyril Despres.

14:23 - Sala wins special
For the first time this year, Giovanni Sala captured stage victory. The Italian clocked the fastest time with a 3'12" advantage on Cyril Despres. Alain Duclos is third at 3'32", followed by overall leader Marc Coma, at 4'35".

14:27 - Sala comforts third spot
Winner of the day's special Giovanni Sala comforts his overall third position. The Italian now has a lead of close to 32' on Chris Blais fourth (who lost close to 10' on the day). Marc Coma remains the overall leader with a 31'15" advantage on Cyril Despres.

Car:

14:44 - Alphand fastest at CP2
Overall leader Luc Alphand (MIT) has again clocked the fastest time at CP2 (km 305). The Frenchman has a 1'24" lead on Giniel De Villiers (VW), 2'40" on Carlos Sainz (VW) and 10'08" on Bruno Saby (VW).

15:21 - Alphand wins special
Frenchman Luc Alphand clinched his second special win this year. The overall leader beat Carlos Sainz (VW) by 50". Alphand's main rival for final victory, Giniel de Villiers, finished third at 1'42".

15:23 - Alphand increases overall lead
Luc Alphand, overall leader since yesterday, slightly increased his lead on Giniel De Villiers. The Mitsubishi drver now has a 22'13" advantage on the South African.

Truck:

15:38 - Stacey fastest at CP1
At CP1 of the truck race, Hans Stacey has the fastest time with a 13'56" on Firdaus Kabirov and 30'10" on Vladimir Chagin.

General:

20:13 - Today's essentials
The death of a young Guniean boy, hit by a competitor on the special stage of the rally, has the caravan, once again, in mourning.

Giovani Sala (KTM-n6) won the stage in the bike class. Marc Coma (KTM-n2) conserves the overall lead. In the car division, Luc Alphand (MIT-n302) posted his second consecutive stage win and added to his overall lead. No change in the leadership of the truck division, still dominated by Vladimir Chagin (KAM-n508), despite the stage win of Hans Stacey (MAN-n524)

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