Dakar: Stage 15 Dakar to Dakar notes

Dakar to Dakar
Connection: 36 km - Special: 16 km - Connection: 41 km
Total: 93 km

General:

08:53 - STAGE 15: DAKAR - DAKAR
93 km, including 16 against the clock, are on the menu of the 15th and last special stage. A symbolic route for all participants who are nearing the finish with the ultimate and mythical special stage on the beach of Lac Rose. A last section against the clock as a lap of honour for the leaders in the overall rankings before triumphantly climbing on the podium.

11:14 - START OF LIVE COVERAGE
Welcome to all. Ranking last in the overall rankings, 83h 26'49 from leader Cyril Despres, Belgian biker Ennio Cucurachi was the first one to get to grips this morning with the last stage of this 29th Dakar. The Belgian will kick off the last special stage and start in the first group of 13 bikers who will open the special stage on the beach at Lac Rose.

Bike:

11:18 - It's a go for bikes...
The last 13 bikes in the overall rankings were the first to get to grips with the last special stage in the rally; they just started with the last section against the clock at 10h GMT as scheduled. It is to be noted that out of the 245 bikers who started in Lisbon on January 6th, 133 will race this last special stage.

11:30 - The first 13 bikes have arrived
Nr 45, PEDRO BIANCHI PRATA - YAMAHA, SUPER PRODUCTION
Portuguese biker Pedro Bianchi Prata was the fastest of the first group of 13 bikers to get to grips with the last special stage of the Dakar.

11:55 - The first 50 bikes have arrived...
Nr 45, PEDRO BIANCHI PRATA - YAMAHA, SUPER PRODUCTION
As the first 50 bikes have now reached the end of the last special stage in the rally, Portuguese biker Pedro Bianchi Prata is still in the lead, 5" ahead of Swedish lady Annie Seel and 51" in front of UK's Stephen Malone.

11:56 - Best clock for Merkit
Nr 203, KEMAL MERKIT - KTM, MARATHON
As the first 65 bikes have now reached the end of the last special stage, Turkish biker Kemal Merkit has achieved the best time, 2" ahead of Belgian Jozef Augustyns and 6" ahead of Portugal's Pedro Bianchi Prata.

12:07 - Best clock for Willemsen
Nr 233, JOHAN WILLEMSEN - YAMAHA, SUPER PRODUCTION
The Dutchman is, so far, the fastest of the 90 bikes already arrived at the end of the last special stage, 5" ahead of Turkish biker Kemal Merkit.

12:15 - Best provisional time for De Azevedo
Nr 5, JEAN DE AZEVEDO - KTM, SUPER PRODUCTION
As the first 110 bikes have now reached the end of the last special stage, Brazilian Jean De Azevedo has been clocked provisionally with the best time 2" ahead of Frenchman Eric Croquelois and 21" in front of Dutchman Johan Willemsen.

12:39 - Vinters winner of the last scratch time
Nr 23, JANIS VINTERS - KTM, MARATHON
As all 132 bikes have now reached the end of the last special stage, Latvian Janis Vinters wins the stage with a last scratch time of 8'42 for the 16 km in the special stage, 7" ahead of Norwegian Pal Anders Ullevalseter and 25" ahead of Portuguese Helder Rodrigues. It is to be noted that French biker Willy Jobard (Nr 27) did not start the last section against the clock.

13:05 - Cyril Despres wins his 2nd Dakar!
Nr 2, CYRIL DESPRES - KTM, SUPER PRODUCTION
56th in this 15th and last special stage, Frenchman Cyril Despres wins his second Dakar, two years after his first victory on Lac Rose in 2005, and finishes with 34'19 lead on his teammate and countryman David Casteu and 52'06 on US biker Chris Blais.

Car:

13:10 - It's a go for cars...
Respectively first and second in the overall rankings, Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel and his countryman and teammate at Mitsubishi, Luc Alphand, were the 2 fist car competitors to get to grips with this 15th and last special stage at 12H00 GMT as scheduled.

13:21 - Provisional best clock for Schlesser
Nr 310, SCHLESSER/DEBRON - BUGGY SCHLESSER, SUPER PRODUCTION
As the first 3 cars have now reached the end of the 15th and last special stage, Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser is provisionally in the lead, 2'27 ahead of leader in the overall rankings, Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel, and 2'37 ahead of title holder Luc Alphand.

13:41 - New provisional scratch time leadership for Sainz
Nr 303, SAINZ/PERIN - VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER PRODUCTION
As the first 10 cars have reached the end of the last special stage, Spain's Carlos Sainz was provisionally in the lead, 24" ahead of US driver Robby Gordon and 40" in front of his Portuguese teammate Carlos Sousa.

13:43 - De Villiers takes the lead...
Nr 301, DE VILLIERS/VON ZITZEWITZ - VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER PRODUCTION
As the first 16 cars have reached the end of the last special stage, South-African Giniel De Villiers has achieved best scratch time, 2" ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz.

14:08 - 60 cars at finish...
The first 60 cars have now reached the end of the 15th and last special section of this 29th Dakar.

14:45 - 9th victory for Mr. Dakar!
Nr 302, PETERHANSEL/COTTRET - MITSUBISHI, SUPER PRODUCTION
Arrived 51st of this 15th and last special stage, Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel wins his 9th Dakar, his 3rd victory in the car category after 2004 and 2005, and finishes 7'26 ahead of his teammate and countryman Luc Alphand and 1h33'57 ahead of another Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser.

14:47 - 109 cars on the finishing line...
All competitors have arrived to the finish of this 15th and last special stage of the rally.

Truck:

14:57 - Provisional victory for Brouwer
Nr 530, BROUWER/KOETSIER/VAN VEENENDAAL - GINAF
As the first 20 trucks have arrived at the finish of this 15th and last special stage, Dutchman Arjan Brouwer is provisionally in the lead, 52" ahead of Czech driver Ales Loprais and 54" ahead of leader in the overall rankings Dutchman Hans Stacey.

15:00 - First victory for Stacey
Nr 501, STACEY/GOTLIB/DER KINDEREN - MAN
Second of the rally in 2006, Dutchman Hans Stacey has now won his first Dakar finishing with a 3h10'52 lead over Russia's Ilgizar Mardeev and 4h45'30 over Czech driver Ales Loprais.

Bike:

15:13 - Summary of stage 15
Pending validation, Latvian biker Janis Vinters (KTM) is the winner in 8'42 of the stage; this is his second scratch time stage victory on the Dakar, which also makes him the winner in the marathon category, 7'' ahead of Norwevian Pal Anders Ullevalseter and 25'' ahead of Portuguese Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha), who wins this last special stage in the 450cc category. In the quad category, Spaniard Carlos Avendano (Suzuki) wins. In the overall rankings, Frenchman Cyril Despres, 56th today, wins his 2nd Dakar, 34'19 ahead of his teammate David Casteu and 52'06 ahead of US biker Chris Blais.

Car:

15:20 - Summary of stage 15
Pending validation, South-African Giniel De Villiers (VW) gets his 8th scratch time victory on the Dakar, the fourth one this year, in 7'42, 2" ahead of his Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz (VW) and 26" ahead of US driver Robby Gordon, who wins the stage in the open category. In the two-wheel drive category, Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser) wins the stage with the 5th scratch time. Finally, in the production category, Frenchman Paul Belmondo (Nissan) is the day's winner. In the overall rankings, Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsu), 50th today, wins his 3rd Dakar in the car category, and his 9th victory in all categories, 7'26 ahead of his teammate Luc Alphand (Mitsu) and 1h33'57 ahead of the buggy of Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser).

Truck:

15:23 - Summary of stage 15
Pending validation, Dutchman Arjan Brouwer (Ginaf) wins his second stage in this Dakar in 9'39, 52" ahead of Czech Ales Loprais (Tatra) and 54" ahead of Dutchman Hans Stacey (Man). In the overall rankings, Hans Stacey wins his first Dakar with a 3h10'52 lead over Russian Ilgizar Mardeev (Kamaz) and 4h45'30 on Czech Ales Loprais.

General:

15:32 - 300 vehicles made it through the last special stage
At 14h30 GMT, 132 bikes, 109 cars and 59 trucks had reached the end of this 15th and last special stage of the Dakar and were on their way to the lock park in Dakar, the finishing point of the 29th edition of the rally raid. Were only missing Nr 27 who did not start the special stage this morning and Nr 525 still in the section against the clock.

-credit: dakar.com