Dakar 2006 - Stage 11

[klaus]

stage 11 - Wednesday 11 January 2006 | Kayes > Bamako (http://www.dakar.com/2006/DAK/LIVE/us/1100/parcours.html)
Connection 50 km
Special 231 km
Connection 424 km
Total 705 km
Wednesday in Bamako

Although care has been taken for the course to avoid the wildlife reserve of Badinko and the biosphere reserve of the Baoulé loop, the caravan progresses through a sumptuous setting, with a continuous sequence of forests and savannas. As the tracks are narrow, extreme care is recommended in the eventuality of any navigational error requiring a u-turn.



http://www.dakar.com/PHOTOS/DAK/2006/1100/PARCOURS.gif


http://www.dakar.com/PHOTOS/DAK/2006/1100/FRANCE_ETAPE.jpg

[klaus]

Narrow and dusty tracks on the menu
For this second day in Mali, the competitors head to the capital. The dunes and soft sand are now really behind, but the terrain will require driving skills. Narrow tracks through thick vegetation where all will need to be extra careful. Gaps shouldn’t be too big on the finish line unless one manages an exploit. After the special, the bikers and drivers will have a long liaison to cover. Two main goals: enjoy the landscape and be careful in the villages.

The bikers will be racing again after a neutralised day in memory of Andy Caldecott. Without doubt, the members of the KTM – Repsol team will want to dedicate a special success to their lost friend. But this stage heading to Bamako will certainly also be Alain Duclos’ main objective. He indeed is riding at home and currently 8th overall. In the car race, Luc Alphand will need mountains of imagination to try and find a way to reduce the gap with overall leader and team mate Peterhansel. The third Mitsubishi driver Nani Roma will need to be just as fast and smart to try and follow the pace of compatriot Carlos Sainz.

[klaus]

That may change the overall points hunt a little bit:

10:47 - auto
Peterhansel and Roma lost
At around km 100 of the day’s car special, overall leader Stephane Peterhansel and his Mitsubishi team mate Nani Roma have taken a wrong track and had to turn back to find the right way. It appears that Carlos Sainz (VW) who took off first is on the right track. So is Luc Alphand (MIT).

[KeithTurk]

Jonah Street seems to have done really well so far... he's in 13th, thou all the bikes aren't in yet.... Chris Blaise is in 10th...

K

[Chase 2]

Looks like Jutta's crash has put Mark in as the 2nd overall VW. Perhaps now he can get the green light to attack!

[Chase 2]

I'm sorry to report this from Marathonrally.com:

The Kiffa to Kayes stage was to be a piece of cake compared to the monstrous dunes of yesterday. At 283 kilometers, stage 10 considered a transitional special ends with the US-American Ronn Bailey withdrawing from the race.

A surprise to Team Vanguard, there were no signs of trouble observed from the OLN real-time tracking service. The withdrawal was not registered until Bailey finished the special. It is regrettable but it appears that Bailey will not be allowed to continue the race.

We can only speculate at this time, we just don't know what happened. Philippe Gache had another great day finishing today's special in 10th position retaining his 12th overall position. Our congratulations to Philippe.

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

I'm sorry to report this from Marathonrally.com:

The Kiffa to Kayes stage was to be a piece of cake compared to the monstrous dunes of yesterday. At 283 kilometers, stage 10 considered a transitional special ends with the US-American Ronn Bailey withdrawing from the race.

A surprise to Team Vanguard, there were no signs of trouble observed from the OLN real-time tracking service. The withdrawal was not registered until Bailey finished the special. It is regrettable but it appears that Bailey will not be allowed to continue the race.

We can only speculate at this time, we just don't know what happened. Philippe Gache had another great day finishing today's special in 10th position retaining his 12th overall position. Our congratulations to Philippe.

Wow what could you get the boot for? Did he get the boot? GPS? Rough Driving? That sucks!

[01_el_tiburon]

How about that chevy truck getting 8th overall.
Whats the best position Miller and Arciero got last year in those things ? I know they had a lot of trouble last year, just wondering....

[CharlieIII]

Got this off Bailey's web site:

"These pictures taken from tonight's bivouac don't show any indication of the team's disappointment. Although the front facade of the car is apparently in bad shape the mechanical integrity of the car appears to be sound."

Guess we will have to wait and see..

[Alliturken]

How about that chevy truck getting 8th overall.
Whats the best position Miller and Arciero got last year in those things ? I know they had a lot of trouble last year, just wondering....

Glad to see other people noticing that effort. That guy is doing an incredible job. The truck has taken them a few years to develop, now looks pretty darn competitive. The pics of it are awfully cool.

Last year Arciero was in a Toyota, basically a production-class vehicle I believe. Miller was in the Chevy truck the year before that...they had a lot of development and build-related problems still. If memory serves, there were some major electronic issues including a bad miss, they were way down on power. I believe those trucks are prepared in France, but there are American partners involved somehow. Maybe someone else here knows the full details on that.

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

Glad to see other people noticing that effort. That guy is doing an incredible job. The truck has taken them a few years to develop, now looks pretty darn competitive. The pics of it are awfully cool.

Last year Arciero was in a Toyota, basically a production-class vehicle I believe. Miller was in the Chevy truck the year before that...they had a lot of development and build-related problems still. If memory serves, there were some major electronic issues including a bad miss, they were way down on power. I believe those trucks are prepared in France, but there are American partners involved somehow. Maybe someone else here knows the full details on that.

decent web site, Go to the pro power link on that know it all, prick's blog. :)

[Alliturken]

Hey, I LIKE that prick's blog. :) Didnt know there was such a link on there, I'll go check it out. Do you know those guys? Killer job they are doing this year. I'd like to know the whole story, will read up on them.

[klaus]

Mark Miller and Dirk von Zitzewitz advanced one more position !!!

Today's stage placed them 9th with 18 minutes behind the winner Giniel de Villiers and Tina Thörner.

<strong>Overall Standing after Stage 11</strong>
1 300 PETERHANSEL (FRA) COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 41:37:57 00:00:00
2 302 ALPHAND (FRA) PICARD (FRA) MITSUBISHI 42:03:06 00:25:09
3 305 DE VILLIERS (AFS) THORNER (SUE) VOLKSWAGEN 42:20:16 00:42:19
4 304 ROMA (ESP) MAGNE (FRA) MITSUBISHI 43:15:48 01:37:51
<strong>5 309 MILLER (USA) VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 44:56:03 03:18:06</strong>
6 314 SCHLESSER (FRA) BORSOTTO (FRA) SCHLES-FORD-RAID 45:35:51 03:57:54

<a href="http://www.usadakar.com/audio/stage_eleven.wav">Audio Update from Mark Miller (English)</a>


<a href="http://www.dakar.com">dakar.com:</a>
Kleinschmidt pulls out
Jutta Kleinschmidt, who had destroyed the front right wheel of her Volkswagen Race Touareg after hitting a tree, was forced to pull out of the race. At first an assistance truck came to help her but decided to carry on because the problems were too serious. Heading to Bamako, the truck had an accident at km 28 and crashed on its side. It’s now back on its four wheels and on its way to the Mali capital.

That means Mark and Dirk have one less team-mate to baby-sit but on the flip of a coin also one less team-mate that can help them out if needed. More Volkswagen resources can be allocated to the guys but there is also more pressure to do well now.

Today's 424km connection heads to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamako">Bamako</a>, the capital of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali">Mali</a>.

[FlyHiFlyLo7]

Mark Miller and Dirk von Zitzewitz advanced one more position !!!

Today's stage placed them 9th with 18 minutes behind the winner Giniel de Villiers and Tina Thörner.

<strong>Overall Standing after Stage 11</strong>
1 300 PETERHANSEL (FRA) COTTRET (FRA) MITSUBISHI 41:37:57 00:00:00
2 302 ALPHAND (FRA) PICARD (FRA) MITSUBISHI 42:03:06 00:25:09
3 305 DE VILLIERS (AFS) THORNER (SUE) VOLKSWAGEN 42:20:16 00:42:19
4 304 ROMA (ESP) MAGNE (FRA) MITSUBISHI 43:15:48 01:37:51
<strong>5 309 MILLER (USA) VON ZITZEWITZ (ALL) VOLKSWAGEN 44:56:03 03:18:06</strong>
6 314 SCHLESSER (FRA) BORSOTTO (FRA) SCHLES-FORD-RAID 45:35:51 03:57:54

<a href="http://www.usadakar.com/audio/stage_eleven.wav">Audio Update from Mark Miller (English)</a>


<a href="http://www.dakar.com">dakar.com:</a>
Kleinschmidt pulls out
Jutta Kleinschmidt, who had destroyed the front right wheel of her Volkswagen Race Touareg after hitting a tree, was forced to pull out of the race. At first an assistance truck came to help her but decided to carry on because the problems were too serious. Heading to Bamako, the truck had an accident at km 28 and crashed on its side. It’s now back on its four wheels and on its way to the Mali capital.

That means Mark and Dirk have one less team-mate to baby-sit but on the flip of a coin also one less team-mate that can help them out if needed. More Volkswagen resources can be allocated to the guys but there is also more pressure to do well now.

Today's 424km connection heads to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamako">Bamako</a>, the capital of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali">Mali</a>.

That's very cool!