Dakar: Yamaha day 11 notes

No racing, but rally reaches Burkino Faso
Luxury, Dakar style

Although the riders were back on their bikes today, after yesterday's airlift from Nema to Bamako, there was no racing to be done -- just 500 or so kilometres of neutralised tarmac riding from the Mali capital, Bamako to Bobo Dioulasso, the capital of Burkino Faso.

The stages gave Yamaha Motor France's David Frétigné a chance to absorb the atmosphere of the rally as it wound through the African villages.

"I loved going through villages -- the welcome the thousands of children gave us was just amazing," commented the multiple French champion. "They waved at you and if you wave back they all applauded you -- it was really amazing -- I must have ridden 500 kilometres with my arms in the air! I wanted to stop and give them my energy bars but there was just too many of them."

Tomorrow the remaining 83 riders still in the race will enjoy a well-earned rest day before tackling the last six stages to Dakar in Senegal.

-yamaha-