Dakar: Stage one Lisbon to Portimao notes

Lisboa to Portimão
Saturday January 6, 2007
Connection: 115 km - Special: 117 km - Connection: 232 km
Total: 464 km

General:

07:21 - STAGE 1: LISBONNE - PORTIMAO
Today's stage: 492 km total, 117 km of specials. The competitors will already put their wheels on the sand! Then the race will continue on a WRC type of track. This is where the rally drivers will show all their skills! Be sure to keep a close eye on Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen) who won the first two specials last year in Portugal.

10:02 - START OF LIVE COVERAGE
Hello everyone. On completion of the three days of technical scrutineering, 510 competitors, including 245 motorbikes, 180 cars and 85 trucks, have been authorised to take starter's orders this morning for the 29th edition of the Dakar. Portugal's Joao Carlos Nazare Santos (No. 264), on a quad, had the honour of opening proceedings by leaving Lisbon at 06.30 (GMT).

Bike:

10:29 - Start of the first special stage
Joao Carlos NAZARE SANTOS - YAMAHA, QUAD
Portugal's Nazare Santos on his quad is the first to get to grips with the time trial on this Dakar 2007, at 08.35 GMT as scheduled, in spite of the fog shrouding the route.

11:00 - Technical problem for Toral
No. 182, PABLO TORAL - YAMAHA, MARATHON
Spanish rider Pablo Toral has suffered an engine failure after 26 km of the first special section.

11:39 - First competitor to finish the first special stage
No. 264, JOAO CARLOS NAZARE SANTOS - YAMAHA, QUAD
Checking in at 10.13 GMT at the end of the first special stage, Portugal's Nazare Santos on his quad is the first competitor to have finished the first timed section of the 2007 edition of the Dakar, having covered the 117 km special stage in 1 hr. 38 min. 15 sec. The fog has now completely lifted from the special stage, which is now bathed in sunlight.

11:40 - Technical problem for Droux
No. 174, SIMON DROUX - YAMAHA, SUPER PRODUCTION
Frenchman Simon Droux has stopped after 17 km of the special stage, following a clutch problem.

Car:

15:01 - A difficult start for Kleinschmidt
No. 310, KLEINSCHMIDT/THORNER - BMW, SUPER PRODUCTION
Due to electric problems, German Jutta Kleinschmidt, winner of the race in 2001, has already lost almost thirty minutes during the first special stage, in spite of her team mate Guerlain Chicherit stopping to help her.

15:09 - Gordon best of the Open category
No. 320, GORDON/GRIDER - HUMMER, OPEN
With the 13th best provisional scratch time of 1'29'22, American Robby Gordon recorded the best time for the Open category in this first special stage.

15:17 - Sousa is the provisional winner of the first special stage
No. 313, SOUSA/SCHULZ - VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER PRODUCTION
Pending validation by the commissaries, Portugal's Carlos Sousa has recorded the best scratch time in the first special section of the 2007 edition of the Dakar with a time of 1'20'38", 2'31 ahead of South African Giniel De Villiers in an official Volkswagen, and 2'38 in front of Spaniard Carlos Sainz, also driving an official Volkswagen. Worthy of note: the first five places are all filled by Volkswagens.

Bike:

14:27 - Toral on his way again
No. 182, PABLO TORAL - YAMAHA, MARATHON
Already victim to two successive mechanical problems on this special stage, including an engine failure, Spaniard Pablo Toral has finally managed to get going again after having patched up his bike with the help of a competitor.

Car:

14:23 - Sousa, a prophet in his own land
No. 313, SOUSA/SCHULZ - VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER PRODUCTION
After the arrival of the first twelve cars, Portugal's Carlos Sousa is provisionally heading the field in the first special stage, 2 min. 31 sec. in front of the four official Volkswagens, led by South African Giniel de Villiers.

General:

14:01 - Six crews did not pass scrutineering
After technical scrutineering, 6 crews were not able to start the rally this morning: No. 147, Denis Giraud -- Yamaha No. 259, Eudalo Noe Tubau -- Ebro No. 347, Delavergne/Sanchez -- Nissan No. 431, Pelichet/Decre -- Bowler No. 435, Lassoued/Amine -- Mitsubishi No. 480, Azofra/Arregui - Mitsubishi.

Car:

13:54 - De Villiers scores best provisional time
No. 301, DE VILLIERS/VON ZITZEWITZ - VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER PRODUCTION
After the arrival of the first 6 cars, South African Giniel De Villiers, 2nd in the general rankings in 2005, has recorded the best time so far in the first special stage, ahead of his team-mates, Spaniard Carlos Sainz and American Mark Miller.

Bike:

13:48 - Provisional results for special stage 1
Pending validation by the commissaries, Portugal's Ruben Faria (Yamaha) has provisionally won the first special section of the Dakar 2007 with a time of 1 hr. 22 min. 07 sec., 16 seconds ahead of his countryman Helder Rodriguez (Yamaha) and 4 min. 47 sec. in front of Frenchman David Casteu (KTM). In the Marathon category, the best time went to South African Elmer Symons (Yamaha). Finally, for the quads, Spaniard Juan Manuel Gonzalez (KTM) came out on top.

13:10 - Faria, provisional winner of the first special section
No. 37, RUBEN FARIA - YAMAHA, SUPER PRODUCTION
Pending validation by the commissaries, Portugal's Ruben Faria has recorded the best scratch time for the first special section of the Dakar 2007 with a time of 1 hr. 22 min. 07 sec., 16 seconds ahead of countryman Helder Rodriguez and 4 min. 47 sec. in front of Frenchman David Casteu.

13:00 - More problems for Toral
No. 182, PABLO TORAL - YAMAHA, MARATHON
Having suffered an engine failure after 26 km of the special stage, Spaniard Pablo Toral repaired it and continued the race, only to encounter more mechanical problems several kilometres later.

12:30 - Robert back on track
No. 169, CHRISTOPHE ROBERT - HONDA, MARATHON
After his fuel inlet problem on the special stage, Frenchman Christophe Robert has is back on the track.

12:28 - Faria hits the ground running
No. 37, RUBEN FARIA - YAMAHA, SUPER PRODUCTION
With a time of 1 hr. 22 min. 07 sec. Portugal's Ruben Faria, triumphant in the 2nd stage last year, has finished the first special stage more than 5 minutes ahead of his nearest rival Thierry Bethys, and is now provisional leader of the rally.

Car:

12:07 - Alphand is on his way
No. 300, ALPHAND/PICARD - MITSUBISHI, SUPER PRODUCTION
Title-holder, Luc Alphand has started battle, commencing the first special stage at 10.44 as scheduled.

Bike:

12:04 - Fillatre rolls
No. 257, ANTHONY FILLATRE - YAMAHA, QUAD
Frenchman Anthony Fillatre has rolled his quad during the first special stage. Fortunately, it was not a serious accident, because was able to proceed and finish this first timed section in 1 hr 56 min. 52 sec.

11:48 - Petrol trouble for Robert
No. 169, CHRISTOPHE ROBERT - HONDA, MARATHON
Frenchman Christophe Robert's progress through the special stage has been halted due to a fuel inlet problem. He is trying to repair it.

15:45 - Rankings correction: Casteu, 4th
No. 8, DAVID CASTEU - KTM, SUPER PRODUCTION
Following a timing error, David Casteu, classed initially in 3rd position for the scratch times of this first special stage, has had 20 seconds added to his time and is now 4th-placed in the provisional rankings, 7 seconds behind team-mate Isidre Esteve Pujol, the new 3rd place.

16:35 - Still two bikes on the special stage
At 15.30 GMT (rally time), 242 of the 245 bikes that started the first special stage had left the timed section. Only 2 riders were still left in the special section: No. 216, Michael Kay No. 174, Simon Droux.

16:47 - Droux waiting for the broom car
No. 174, SIMON DROUX - YAMAHA, SUPER PRODUCTION
After the blow-out of his clutch and recovery tank, Frenchman Simon Droux has stopped in the special section and is waiting for the broom car.

Truck:

16:53 - De Rooy straight from the off
No. 509, DE ROOY/COLSOUL/SLAATS -- GINAF
Pending validation by the commissaries, Dutchman Gerard De Rooy recorded the best time of the special stage with 1'40'00", 20 seconds ahead of countryman Hans Stacey and 46 in front of last year's winner, the Russian Vladimir Chagin.

Car:

18:35 - Shinozuka stuck on the special stage
No. 342, SHINOZUKA/DI PERSIO - NISSAN, SUPER PRODUCTION
Japan's Kenjiro Shinozuka, rally winner in 1997, is currently stuck on the special section 5 km from the finish, due to technical problems.

19:02 - Shino on his way again
No. 342, SHINOZUKA/DI PERSIO - NISSAN, SUPER PRODUCTION
Japan's Kenjiro Shinozuka has just got back to grips with the special stage after having solved his mechanical problems

Truck:

19:11 - Stage 1 summary
Pending validation, Dutchman Gerard De Rooy (Ginaf) won the first special scratch time stage and heads the general rankings, 20 seconds in front of countryman Hans Stacey (Man) and 46 seconds ahead of last year's winner, Vladimir Chagin (Kamaz).

General:

19:51 - 479 crews make it through the special stage
At 18.30 GMT, 479 of the 510 crews that started the rally this morning had made it through the special stage and were heading to Portimao, the finishing point of this first stage.

-credit: dakar.com