Photo: dakar.com
With nothing more to lose after having lost all the chances for a podium this year, Joan Barreda Bort has set out to proving that he is still the fastest rider of the pack. Barreda claimed his second consecutive stage win in the eleventh round of the rally, on the way from Salta to Termas de Rio Hondo, with faultless riding and setting a pace which could have gotten him another trophy in other conditions.
While Barreda is incredibly fast with no pressure on his shoulders, the same cannot be said about his team mate Paulo Goncalves or the current leader Marc Coma. Goncalves was able to keep up with Barreda, as he reached the finish line 17 seconds later, followed by Ivan Jakes. Goncalves managed to regain 2’23” from Coma, but also received a 16-minute penalty for changing his engine.
Top 5 was completed with Ruben Faria and again, a very consistent rookie Toby Price. Price took advantage of his direct rival for the third place on the overall podium Pablo Quintanilla who was feeling very ill, but the difference in the general standings is far from comfortable.
Slovakian Stefan Svitko sits in the 5th position with Ruben Faria next but far behind, and the Portuguese followed by David Casteu, Laia Sanz, Jakes and Pain. If no mechanical failures or crashes occur, this is pretty much how the 2015 Dakar top ten looks like, but you know what they say: it ain’t over till it‘s over.
The penultimate stage links Termas de Rio Hondo and Rosario, with lengthy liaison sections summing 726 km (451 miles) and a 298 km (185 miles) special stage.
Stage 11 - Car/Bike - Stage Summary - (Salta... by Dakar
Top 5 was completed with Ruben Faria and again, a very consistent rookie Toby Price. Price took advantage of his direct rival for the third place on the overall podium Pablo Quintanilla who was feeling very ill, but the difference in the general standings is far from comfortable.
Two more stages until the end
Two more stages to the final checkered flag in Buenos Aires, Marc Coma is leading the general standings, with a 5’12” gap over HRC’s Paulo Goncalves in terms of stage times, but the added 16-minute penalty might prove to have cost the latter a good title chance. The battle for the third podium step seems to be the fiercest, as Price’s one and a half-minute lead over Quintanilla is and open invite for the Chilean rider to throw in his best riding abilities in the last two stages.Slovakian Stefan Svitko sits in the 5th position with Ruben Faria next but far behind, and the Portuguese followed by David Casteu, Laia Sanz, Jakes and Pain. If no mechanical failures or crashes occur, this is pretty much how the 2015 Dakar top ten looks like, but you know what they say: it ain’t over till it‘s over.
The penultimate stage links Termas de Rio Hondo and Rosario, with lengthy liaison sections summing 726 km (451 miles) and a 298 km (185 miles) special stage.
Stage 11 - Car/Bike - Stage Summary - (Salta... by Dakar
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