Dakar stage 2: France on top!
Winner of the first stage David Casteu was the first to start the next stage, which ran from Cordoba to La Rioja with a special of 355km. Yet it was to no avail and he had to be satisfied with second place behind compatriot and Yamaha rider David Frétigné.
Film of the stage
After 50 km, title holder Marc Coma turned it into an exciting race and passed 4” ahead of the Sherco rider. Casteu's compatriot David Frétigné (Yamaha) follows the leading duo within a minute. Cyril Despres, who started second, was already 1'33" behind at this point.
90 km after the starting shot, David Casteu is back on schedule with an 18" lead over Spaniard Coma. Despres saw his deficit continue to increase. Casteu easily maintains this position, but Coma has to let Frétigné go first in the special and even has to watch how the Italian Luca Manca (as 12de left) marks his KTM 690.
At 13.28 pm disaster strikes again for Dutchman Frans Verhoeven who has to pull over with his BMW before he can start the special of the day.
181 km into the special, Frétigné finally takes the lead with an 8" lead over his compatriot Casteu. Both Frenchmen ride a 450 and show that the 'small' engine capacities are certainly not a handicap, with Manca as the first pursuer and the first 690cc engine at no less than 1'04". Coma follows 14" behind the Italian and Despres even drops to 3'06".
The checkpoint at 229 km in the special again means better prospects for Marc Coma who has kept up with David Casteu, but they have to leave Frétigné ahead at 1'17”.
Casteu could not provide a repeat of yesterday today, although Frétigné provided the same kind of surprise. Give the heavier engines a run for their money with a 450cc! Frétigné, third in the previous edition of Dakar, can already claim this win as 8th of his career. With a 43” lead over Casteu, he still has to let his compatriot take the lead in the standings. Favorites Marc Coma and Cyril Despres are 1'08" and 2'50" behind respectively.
Game over for Frans Verhoeven?
Dutchman Henk Knuiman is currently favorite of the low countries with a 14de place in this second stage and 35th in the interim. This leaves him just ahead of Hans-Jos Liefhebber who finished 43rdth exceeded and like 40th the third stage may begin. Dutch Pol (49th), De Groot (67th), Snijders (68th), Jacquet (72th), Wood (80th), Fruggink (105de), Ressing (120th) and Krabbenborg (123th) may not be in contention for stage victories, but are still in the race, which is not at all certain for compatriot Frans Verhoeven who at the time of writing has still not reached the finish.
The Belgian rider Eric Palante came in this time as 77th and thus moves up to 66th place in the standings.
Credit photos: Jeroen Van Oers, Yamaha Racing (archive), Team Elf Sherco Dakar
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