Dakar Rally: Coma grabs overall lead; Santosh up to 42nd

While the car and the trucks drivers were enjoying a well-deserved rest day at the Dakar Rally, the competitors on two-wheels and quads were hard at work, crossing a gruelling 784 km trek from Bolivia’s salt flats in Uyuni to Iquique in Chile. Heavy rain only made life tougher for the riders. So tough in fact that stage eight had to be stopped after 378 km of running. India's CS Santosh revelled in the conditions by posting the 32nd fastest time on the stage, which took him up to 42nd overall.

BIKES: QUINTANILLA WINS, COMA SEIZES OVERALL LEADER AS BARREDA'S BID GOES UP IN SMOKE

The bikes race saw Chilean Pablo Quintanilla record his first stage victory of the season on his way to Iquique. The KTM rider now moves up to third in the standings currently led by four time Dakar Rally winner Marc Coma.

Until the day before, Coma was second in the standings with Joan Barreda Port maintaining a six minute advantage over his fellow Spaniard. However, yesterday’s stage proved to be rather decisive in the potential outcome of the rally. While Barreda Port lost over four hours due to mechanical gremlins and virtually fell out of contention, Coma came home in ninth to take the overall lead.

A rider who was particularly impressive around the world’s largest salt lake was India’s CS Santosh. The Bangalore born rider finished 51 minutes and 43 seconds behind stage winner Quintanilla to register the 32nd fastest time of the day and consolidate his top 50 result in the overall standings.

Meanwhile, Alain Duclos continued to lodge top 10 results for TVS Sherco Racing team while his teammate Fabia planet finished in the top 20 for the first time in this year’s edition of Dakar Rally.

Results

Pablo Quintanilla (KTM) 2:56:19
Juan Pedrero (Yamaha) +11
Stefan Svitko (KTM) +12
Toby Price (KTM) +41
Laia Sanz (Honda) +2:36
Xavier De Soultrait (Yamaha) +6:36
Alain Duclos (TVS Sherco) +6:42
Hans Vogels (KTM) +7:34
Marc Coma (KTM) +7:37
Ruben Faria (KTM) +7:44

QUADS: CASALE MOVES TO THE TOP OF THE STANDINGS AS GONZALEZ FEIROLI TAKES STAGE WIN

The quads category also saw a change in overall lead, albeit without mechanical issues shattering the dreams of the riders.

A below-par showing in stage eight from Poland’s Rafal Sonik in which he finished down in eighth place allowed Ignacio Casale to regain the top position in the standings.

The Chilean, having gained half an hour over Casale now enjoys a six minute advantage in the overall classifications.

However, the stage belonged to the 19 year relevation Jeremias González Ferioli who took his first ever stage victory in Dakar Rally by seven minutes and 54 seconds.

The Argentine has been impressive from the word go and although he doesn’t stand a chance to fight for the overall win, his fourth position in the standings indicate how canny a rider he is.

Results

Jeremias González Ferioli (Yamaha)
Ignacio Casale (Yamaha)
Sergio Lafuente (Yamaha)
Walter Nosiglia (Honda)
Christophe Declerck (Yamaha)
Daniel Domaszewski (Honda)
Nelson Sanabria (Yamaha)
Rafal Sonik (Yamaha)
Victor Manuel Gallegos (Honda)
Santiago Hansen (Honda)