Dakar: Stage 6 Ouarzazate to Tan-Tan notes

Stage 6: Ouarzazate to Tan-Tan
Tuesday, January 6, 2004

Liaison 176 km - Special 351 km - Liaison 276 km - Total 803 km

Once more Morocco holds its promises. This stage between Ouarzazate and Tan Tan is a perfect example of it. It will be altogether fast, bumpy, rocky and will be a real technical challenge for the vehicules. To the point where pilots will have to take it easy and slow down to avoid too much damage on jumps. It'll be a stage for extremely precise and careful competitors before finally getting to Tan Tan in the middle of nowhere.

Very few travellers go there because Tan Tan is lost in the middle of a huge desert of rocks and stones, just by the Atlantic ocean. This meeting between sea and desert gives the impression of being at the end of the World. Out of time, between past and present

Stage 6: 2004-01-06, Ouarzazate to Tan-Tan.

Photo by A.S.O.

Bike:

12:07 SALA CRASHES
Italian Giovanni Sala (N°7) crashed around km 117 of the special between Ouarzazate and Tan Tan in Morocco. The KTM rider launched a distress signal and appears to suffer from a thoracic trauma and broken ribs.

12:10 ROMA FASTEST AT CP2
Nani Roma (KTM n°4) has the best time so far at CP 2 (km 206). Second is Spanish compatriot Esteve (KTM n°19) at 55sec. Third is Aussie Andy Caldecott (KTM n°72) at 2min50. Despres (KTM n°2) is fourth fastest at 2min59, followed by Cox (KTM n°210) at 3min02, De Gavardo (KTM n°8) at 3min48. Meoni (KTM n°3) is 7th at 4min07 while Sainct (KTM n°1) is at 4min40.

Car:

12:13 TWO MITSUBISHIs STOPPED IN SPECIAL
Stephane Peterhansel (N°203) is stopped at km 113 with a puncture. His team mate Miki Biasion (N°206) is working on mechanical problems at km 79.

12:39 KLEINSCHMIDT AND VATANEN STOPPED AT KM 117
After crossing a little river, it appears that water went into the engine. The same problem has occurred to Ari Vatanen (Nissan n°205) also stopped.

12:48 McRAE FASTEST AT CP1
Scotsman Colin McRae (Nissan n°202) clocked the fastest time at CP 1 (km 58). Second is Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) at 33sec. Third is Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) at 35sec followed by Biasion (Mitsubishi n°206) at 47sec and De Villiers (Nissan n°208) at 59sec.

Bike:

13:23 ROMA WINS SPECIAL
Nani Roma (KTM n°4) claimed stage 6 special between Ouarzazate and Tan Tan. The Spaniard beats his compatriot Isidre Esteve (KTM n°19) by 2min25. Third is Caldecott (KTM n°72) at 3min41 in front of Despres (KTM n°2) at 4min03. Fifth is De Gavardo (KTM n°8) at 4min31. Cox (KTM n°10) at 4min38, Brucy (KTM n°9) at 4min52, Sainct (KTM n°1) at 6min and Meoni (KTM n°1) at 6min47. In the new overall, Esteve keeps the leadership but only by 1min54 on Roma. Third is Despres at 2min37. Meoni is fourth at 4min32 and Cox at 7min11. Sainct is at 14min31 of the rally leader.

Car:

13:42 MASUOKA FASTEST AT CP2
Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) has the best time at CP2 (km 206). Second is De Villiers (Nissan n°208) at 1min43sec ahead of team mate Colin McRae (N°202) at 1min53. Fourth is De Mevius (BMW n°212) at 4min17, followed by Alphand (BMW n°207) at 5min10 and Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) at 6min 57, the Frenchman having suffered a puncture. In the new virtual overall, that would mean that Masuoka takes the leadership.

Bike:

14:00 166 BIKES ON THE START LINE
166 were authorised to take the start of today's special. Did not start : Willemot (N°142), Sugimura (N°128), Kawai (n°127), Sano (N°129), Moerman (n°116), Jansson (n°182), Charpentier (n°189), Mousavi (n°196), Lambelin (n°904), Vogel (N°907) and Metaud (n°70).

Car:

14:38 MASUOKA WINS SPECIAL AND TAKES THE LEAD
With 6 cars on the finish line, Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) clocks the fastest time of the 6th special. The Japanese title holder beats De Villiers (Nissan n°208) by 2min57. Third is Colin McRae (Nissan n°202) at 5min41, followed by Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) at 7min52. Fifth is De Mevius (BMW n°212) at 8in12 ahead of Alphand (BMW n°207) at 9min03. In the new overall, Masuoka conquers leadership with a 6min40 advantage on Peterhansel. Third is De Villiers at 17min50.

14:57 BIASION CRASHES
At km 240, Italian Miki Biasion (Mitsubishi n°206) seriously crashed and went tumbling of the track. Both driver and co-pilot are OK but the car appears to be seriously damaged.

Truck:

16:03 TCHAGUINE FASTEST AT CP2
Vladimir Tchaguine (Kamaz n°414) has the best time at CP2 (km 206). Second is Gerard De Rooy(DAF n°417) at 3sec, followed by De Azevedo (Tatra n°412) at 27sec, Kabirov (KAMAZ n°410) at 2min24, Jan De Rooy (DAF n°411) and Loprais (Tatra n°412) at 5min46.

Car:

16:11 VATANEN BACK ON TRACK, BIASION WAITING FOR ASSISTANCE
After serious mechanical worries due to water in his engine after a river crossing, Ari Vatanen (Nissan n°205) is back on the track. He appears however to have lost about 3 hours. Meanwhile Biasion (Mitsubishi n°206) lost three wheels after his crash. He is waiting for his assistance truck.

Truck:

19:26 TCHAGUINE WINS SPECIAL
Vladimir Tchaguine (Kamaz n°414) won his second consecutive special. The Russian beat Gerard De Rooy (DAF n°417) by 3min28. Third is Firdaus Kabirov(Kamaz n°410) at 6min43. Andre De Azevedo Tatra n°412) is fourth at 9min46 ahead of team mate Karel Loprais (Tatra n°416) at 14min36 and Jan De Rooy (DAF n°411) at 15min44. In the overall, Tchaguine extends his lead with a 6min14 advantage on De Rooy Junior.

Car:

19:28 KLEINSCHMIDT TOWED TO CP2
Jutta Kleinschmidt (VW n°204) has just gone through CP2, towed by an assistance vehicle. The German driver had suffered serious mechanical worries after a river crossing at km 117.

-aso-