Dakar: Stage 8 Atar to Tidjikja notes

Stage 8: Atar to Tidjikja
Thursday, January 8, 2004

Liaison 34 km - Special 355 km - Liaison 4 km - Total 393 km

A shorter stage : less than 400kms, but a difficult special. The competitors will discover a track never used in the past and a very technical special requiring excellent navigation to find the good passages that takes them to the arrival.

Tidjikja was founded in the XVIIth century by the Idoualis, that came from the Ardrar. They made the city an important cross-road for trading and a religious settlement. Today the town is divided in two on each side of the Tidjikja oued.

Stage 8: 2004-01-08, Atar to Tidjikja.

Photo by A.S.O.

General:

11:19 236 VEHICLES AT 4H45
At 4h45 this morning, only 236 vehicles had made it to the bivouac in Atar : 112 bikes, 81 cars and 43 trucks...

Car:

11:20 KLEINSCHMIDT AUTHORISED TO START
Despite taking off with a new engine, Jutta Kleinschmidt (VW n°204) was allowed to start the stage 8 between Atar and Tidjika. A decision will be taken tonight whether she can stay in the race or not. Indeed, a competitor is not allowed to change engines according to the rule book.

Bike:

11:43 DESPRES LOST
While Sainct (KTM n°1), Brucy (KTM n°9) and Roma (KTM n°4) were together at km 117, the overall leader Cyril Despres (KTM n°2) was still at km 40. The Frenchman appears to have had serious navigational problems between km 29 and km 40.

12:27 SAINCT STRUGGLES AT KM 145
Richard Sainct (KTM n°1) was having trouble in the sand at km 145. His team mate Jean Brucy (KTM n°9) stopped to help him while Nani Roma (KTM n°4) took advantage of the situation to take off. All three riders had made it to CP1 (km 135) together.

12:43 ROMA FASTEST AT CP1
At km 135, Spaniard Nani Roma (KTM n°4) has the fastest time. Second is Jean Brucy (KTM n°9) at 6min13. Third is Richard Sainct (KTM n°1) at 7min15. Meoni (KTM n°3) who left late this morning is still expected. The same goes for Cyril Despres (KTM n°2) who struggled at km 40.

Car:

13:19 VATANEN AND SHINO IN TROUBLE
Ari Vatanen (Nissan n°205) and Kenjiro Shinozuka (Nissan n°215) are struggling to find the good path at km 37. Meanwhile Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) and Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) are far ahead together at km 90.

Bike:

13:40 MEONI FAR FAR BEHIND AT CP1, DESPRES EVEN FURTHER
At CP1, Fabrizio Meoni (KTM n°3) is 34min17 behind Roma (KTM n°4) who had clocked the best time. Alfie Cox (KTM n°10) is at 57min59 and Cyril Despres (KTM n°2) is at 1h23min08. That of course means that Roma is virtually the new overall leader.

13:45 MEONI FAR FAR BEHIND AT CP1, DESPRES EVEN FURTHER
At CP1, Fabrizio Meoni (KTM n°3) is 34min17 behind Roma (KTM n°4) who had clocked the best time. Alfie Cox (KTM n°10) is at 57min59 and Cyril Despres (KTM n°2) is at 1h23min08. That of course means that Roma is virtually the new overall leader.

Car:

14:11 PETER FASTEST AT CP1
Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) had the fastest time at CP1, km 135. Second so far is Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) at 2min13.

Bike:

14:51 SAINCT AND ROMA TOGETHER AT CP2
Richard Sainct (KTM n°1) and Nani Roma (KTM n°4) have made it together at CP2 (km 258), which means that Roma who had started behind the Frenchman has the best time so far. Further behind is Brucy (KTM n°9).

Car:

14:52 PUNCTURE FOR SCHLESSER
500 metres before CP1 (km 135), Jean-Louis Schlesser (Schlesser Ford n°200) suffered a puncture on his buggy.

15:59 MASUOKA LOSES TIME
Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) was seen at km 230 with a 1 hour delay on Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203). It appears that the Japanese had gear box problems. He's back on track at a normal speed.

Bike:

16:35 BIKES : DID NOT START 2 Did not start this moning's special : Jobard (n°37), Loizeaux (n°38), Bigot (N°47), Barbezant (n°55), Fierain (n°57), Torras (n°64), Higy (n°68), Plumb (n°74), Gorla (n°84), Buriez (n°87), Arnabat (n°89), Laborda (n°90), Volpari (n°91), Roux (n°99), Calvez (n°112), Palante (n°122), Lemos (n°134), Van Lee (n°138), Kastan (n°147), Garcia (n°158), Midon (n°163), Maion (n°166), Murray (n°167), Aspeling (n°168), Derossi (n°172), Le Cocq (n°190), Moneyron (n°191), Robert (n°194)

16:39 MEONI FOURTH...
In the special won by Nani Roma (KTM n°4), Fabrizio Meoni (KTM n°3) clocked the fourth best time at 25min50. Fifth is Scot Harden (KTM n°23) at 31min32. Sixth is Lundmark (KTM n°6) at 36min27. Alfie Cox (KTM n°10) finishes 49min21 adrift

Car:

16:48 PETER FASTEST AT CP2
Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) has the fastest time at CP2 (km 258). Second is Jutta Kleinschmidt (VW n°204) at 6min42. Third is Luc Alphand (BMW n°207) at 21min56.

Bike:

17:16 DESPRES OVER AN HOUR LATE
Cyril Despres (KTM n°2) has made it to the finish line with a 1h14min19 delay on the day's winner Nani Roma (KTM n°3).

17:22 ROMA WINS SPECIAL AND TAKES OVERALL LEAD
Nani Roma (KTM n°4) claimed stage 8 special between Atar and Tidjika in Mauritania. The Spaniard beat Jean Brucy (KTM n°9) by 6min02 and Richard Sainct (KTM n°1) by 7min58. Roma takes overall leadership as Despres is still far away from the finish line.

Car:

18:04 MECHANICAL WORRIES FOR McRAE
Colin McRae (Nissan n°202) is suffering serious mechanical problems at km 300. He is now only on a two wheel drive system. He is waiting for assistance.

18:04 PETER WINS SPECIAL
Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203) claimed stage 8 special. Second spot went to Jutta Kleinschmidt (VW n°204) at 28min55.

18:25  MASUOKA LOSES OVER 1H30

  Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) finished today's special in 7th spot with a 1h34min14 delay on winner Peterhansel.

18:25 PETER NEW OVERALL LEADER
Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi n°203), after winning the day's special, captures overall lead. Second is De Mevius (BMW n°212) at 1h04min38. Third is Masuoka (Mitsubishi n°201) at 1h22min32.

Truck:

19:04 LOPRAIS WINS SPECIAL
Karel Loprais (Tatra n°415) claimed the fastest time of the day's special. His first special victory since 2002. He beats Tchaguine (Kamaz n°414) by 2min54 and De Azevedo (Tatra n°412) by 6min03.

-aso-