Dakar: Stage 16 Nouakchott to Dakar notes

Stage 16: Nouakchott to Dakar Saturday, January 17, 2004 Liaison 60 km - Special 191 km - Liaison 396 km - Total 647 km The main difficulties of the rally are now behind, but the competitors should however stay focused on this penultimate ...

Stage 16: Nouakchott to Dakar
Saturday, January 17, 2004

Liaison 60 km - Special 191 km - Liaison 396 km - Total 647 km

The main difficulties of the rally are now behind, but the competitors should however stay focused on this penultimate stage. They will discover many new tracks, without the possibility to use the GPS system. On the course : many sandy, sinuous and fast tracks that will take the competitors to dunes all the way to the Mauritania-Senegal border where the finish line of the special will be set. The liaison that then awaits them to go to Dakar will look like a gigantic parade for those still in this 26th edition.

Stage 16: 2004-01-17, Nouakchott to Dakar.

Photo by A.S.O.

To really discover Dakar, one has to wait for the moment in the day when the sun sets and the colors change. On the pavements of the city, Wolofs, Toucouleurs, Peuls, Lebanese and French meet each other. It isn't surprising to see a Maure go by a Japanese businessman or a sorcellor in his traditional clothes cross the road with no concern for the crazy traffic. And for the typical atmosphere, why not head to the island of Gor?e because Dakar, now looks a lot more like a European city in the middle of Africa.

Bike

13:47 FIVE TOGETHER AT CP1
All five top bikers went through CP1 (km 80) together : Sainct, Meoni, Roma, Despres, Cox. Roma had a navigational problem, missing the CP but was able to catch up the others.

13:48 ROMA AHEAD OF SAINCT AT CP2
At CP2, km 160, 'Nani' Roma (KTM n°4) is faster than his main rival Richard Sainct (KTM n°1) by 9sec.

13:48 ROMA MAKES A MISTAKE
At km 170, Joan Roma (KTM n°4) went on a wrong track but was quickly able to find Meoni's track and follow.

13:49 FINISH LINE : SAINCT GAINS TIME ON ROMA... BUT NOT ENOUGH
On the finish line of the special between Nouakchott and Dakar, Richard Sainct (KTM n°1) has gained 2min05 on Nani Roma (KTM n°4). In the overall, Roma still has a 5min02 lead.

13:49 SAINCT WINS SPECIAL
Richard Sainct (KTM n°1) clocked the fastest time of the day's special. Second is Roma (KTM n°4) at 2min05, followed by Despres (KTM n°2) at 2min24, Cox (KTM n°10) at 4min40 and Meoni (KTM n°3) at 5min51.

Car

13:50 DE VILLIERS FASTEST AT CP1
AT CP1 (km 80), Giniel De Villiers has the best time. Second is Luc Alphand (BMW n°207) at 28sec, followed by Schlesser (Schlesser Ford n°200) at 31sec, Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) at 38sec, Kleinschmidt (Volkswagen n°204) at 1min, Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) at 1min38.

!General

13:50 167 STILL IN THE RACE
67 bikes, 61 cars and 39 trucks are still in the race on the start line of stage 16 between Nouakchott and Dakar. Have retired : Strugo (n°217), Katayama (n°230), Metge (n°234), Meyer (n°317) and Vigne (n°405).

Car

13:57 KLEINSCHMIDT WINS SPECIAL
Jutta Kleinschmidt (VW n°204) made it to the finish line of the day's special with the best time. Second is Luc Alphand (BMW n°207) at 59sec, followed by Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) at 1min24, Al Attiyah (Mitsubishi n°259) at 2min03, Servia (Schlesser Ford n°209) at 2min41, De Villiers (Nissan n°208) at 3min31, Magnaldi (Honda n°225) at 3min52, Saby (VW n°224) at 3min56, Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) at 5min54, Mayer (Mitsubishi n°211) at 8min37 and Schlesser (Schlesser Ford n°200) at 14min25.

Truck

15:20 KABIROV WINS SPECIAL
Firdaus Kabirov (Kamaz n°410) won his 6th special of the rally on the stage between Nouakchott and Dakar. The Russian beat Tchaguine (Kamaz n°414) by 8min14, De Rooy (DAF n°417) by 9min43 and Stacay (DAF n°442) by 13min41.

Car

15:34 DE MEVIUS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE
After crashing his car and tumbelling at km 138, Gregoire De Mevius (BMW n°212) is forced to wait for his assistance vehicle.