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 | Dakar 2010: Motobike Ranking depends on the Dakar-Jury.
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Everything happened in this 11th stage of the Dakar 2010. The special started once riders crossed the Andes Mountains though the Paso Los Libertadores to Argentina. An early departure for bikes this morning from Santiago, at 4h40am, to do the 211 km of connection before the 220 km special, which began in Uspallata to arrive not far from San Juan´s bivouac.
It should have been a stage calm like yesterday if it wasn´t because a policeman closed the right road that leaded to the first way point 13 km from the start. The first 5 riders took the wrong way, and Marc Coma did several kilometers before going back where he was taken the wrong direction because of the policeman´s indications.
Today´s ranking is provisional, as long as the jury takes a verdict over the situation. Francisco Lopez, detached 3 ' 48 " from the virtual winner, Frans Verhoeven, got once more the 5th position. Lopez was preceded a minute from his direct opponent Ullevalseter, while he has retrieved six minutes on Rodrigues. Small change in overall standings: the Chilean is always third at 2 ' 40´´ from Ullevalseter, followed by Rodrigues by seven minutes.
Regular race for Alex Zanotti and Paolo Ceci, even if it was entirely on the dust. The first rider struggles to keep a high pace despite of his physical problems on the shoulder, hand and ribs that forces him to drive with caution. Today he fell twice in the dust of those who preceded him and found himself more at ease in the concluding part of this stage, next to a river.
Ceci also fell two times fortunately without consequences. After that, he preferred to avoid overtaking others and the risk that goes with it. With the withdrawal of Pellicer today due to a fall that caused him a clavicle fractures, Modena´s rider went up to the top of the 450 class while his team mate is 3rd.
Tomorrow´s stage, the 12th of the Dakar, will bring all closer to Buenos Aires, with a journey of almost 800 km from San Juan to San Rafael. The special is divided into two sections of 204 and 130 kilometers respectively.
Filippo Assirelli: "The satisfaction for how things have gone so far is great, but it is really tough. Today we started the 3.30 a.m. we were all tested. I knew that this Dakar would be difficult, but you don´t realize until you are on it. We have three days to go, mechanics are tired and the riders too, but we must keep up to the end... C´est le Dakar!"
Paolo Ceci: "The trademark of this race is the dust, it is really frustrating to get the bikes and not be able to overcome them. Today I even fell twice, you couldn´t see anything, and then in the second part, which I did not like at all being in the bed of a river, I forced it further. With the withdrawal of Pellicer I am the leader of my class, so the goal is to not make mistakes."
Alex Zanotti: "Dust, dust, today it was hard and I fell twice. In one of them, I turned a bit my arm and I felt a sharp pain on the shoulder. But the ribs make me suffer more; I have to breathe slowly otherwise feel big spasms. With all these troubles I cannot go to my normal rhythm, but the important thing is to be here, still in the race. "
2010/01/14 | 11:49 CET | Editor: MR/HS/E.Bauer
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