Photo: dakar.com
The real toughness of the Dakar showed up as early as the second stage of the 2015 edition. A grueling, very long and physically-demanding special wreaked havoc through all categories, and the rankings have seen drastic changes.
If anything, the Dakar Rally is the worst place to be lost. And it’s not that you’re in danger of being left alone in the wild, because all vehicles are equipped with GPS beacons which make potential rescue missions much easier by accurate localization. But if you’re participating in the Dakar for more than an eccentric millionaire’s kicks, and are looking forward to finishing as high as you can, getting lost is the one thing you should try to avoid.
With Sunderland lost in the Argentinian outback, Joan Barreda Bort claimed another stage victory. Another unexpected help for his win came from KTM’s Marc Coma who experienced tire problems dozens of kilometers before the finish. Coma had to ease up the pace quite a lot and finished 8th.
Second in Stage 2 was another Honda riders, Portuguese Paulo Goncalves, followed by the best-placed KTM ridden by his country fellowman Ruben Faria. Other two KTMs completed the top five, with Jordi Viladoms and rookie Australian Toby Price. Another rookie was 6th in Stage 2, Austrian Matthias Walkner.
The general ranking after the 518-km (322 miles) special in Stage 2 sees Barreda Bort leading from Paulo Goncalves, followed by Ruben Faria, Jordi Viladoms and Toby Price. Stage 3 takes riders through a scenic part of Argentina, with a 220 km (137 miles) special linking San Juan and Chilecito.
Stage 2 - Car/Bike - Stage Summary - (Villa... by Dakar
One mistake, two hours lost for Sam Sunderland
Yesterday’s stage winner Sam Sunderland lost his way some 70 km (43 miles) before the stage finish line and struggled to find the right track for about two hours. This means that his chances for a podium finish in Buenos Aires are, well, closing in to zero, but there is still a lot of ground to cover.With Sunderland lost in the Argentinian outback, Joan Barreda Bort claimed another stage victory. Another unexpected help for his win came from KTM’s Marc Coma who experienced tire problems dozens of kilometers before the finish. Coma had to ease up the pace quite a lot and finished 8th.
Second in Stage 2 was another Honda riders, Portuguese Paulo Goncalves, followed by the best-placed KTM ridden by his country fellowman Ruben Faria. Other two KTMs completed the top five, with Jordi Viladoms and rookie Australian Toby Price. Another rookie was 6th in Stage 2, Austrian Matthias Walkner.
The general ranking after the 518-km (322 miles) special in Stage 2 sees Barreda Bort leading from Paulo Goncalves, followed by Ruben Faria, Jordi Viladoms and Toby Price. Stage 3 takes riders through a scenic part of Argentina, with a 220 km (137 miles) special linking San Juan and Chilecito.
Stage 2 - Car/Bike - Stage Summary - (Villa... by Dakar
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