autoevolution
 

Watch the Best Bike Moments of the 2015 Dakar

By now you already know that the 2015 Dakar Rally was won by KTM’s factory rider Marc Coma in the motorcycle class. The video below was published by the organizers of the rally and is a roundup of some of the best bike moments of these amazing two weeks and shows just how tough this competition is. Just like in 2014, the two Bolivian rounds have been a nightmare for some riders. First of all, there were marathon stages, and this meant that no external help was allowed in case of a defect, with the rider being only allowed to use whatever spares and whatnot they had with them, or simply source parts one from another.
Two riders atop a sand dune, trying to find the best route 1 photo
Photo: dakar.com
Disaster struck for HRC’s Joan Barreda Bort, who crashed in the first marathon stage (Stage 7) when broke his handlebar, being forced to keep the pace down. Even though an Argentinian Honda fellow rider gave him his bars, Barreda ran into trouble during the second marathon stage as well, on the way from the Uyuni salt flats to the pacific coast and the Iquique bivouac, being towed for most of the distance by his team mate Israel Esquerre.

Coma seized the chance… and the Dakar title

Marc Coma, who had been following the leader Barreda understood it was time to make a decisive move and quit playing the cat and mouse game with the Portuguese rider. He then weighed his chances very carefully, not taking any unnecessary risks and keeping an eye on Barreda’s team mare Paulo Goncalves, the only rider who could make serious claims to the 2015 title.

When Goncalves lost 16 minutes to penalty for changing his engine, Coma knew that things were sort of over, and all he had to do was make sure to avoid making navigation errors and crashing. Despite his very good riding, Goncalves was simply too far behind and settled with the second place. A very neat surprise came from Australian Toby Price, who won a stage and even stood on the third step of the Buenos Aires podium. Where’s the surprise, you might ask. Well, this was the first time Price ride in the Dakar Rally…

Laia Sanz is the best-placed woman ever

Laia Sanz finished the 2015 Dakar Rally on the 9th position, becoming the best-scoring woman in the history of the competition. Sanz has not won a stage this year but finished the 8th leg of the rally in the 5th position, her personal best. Even so, she sits ahead of Yamaha factory riders and even in front of her HRC team mate Helder Rodrigues.

In Bike Marathon class saw Romanian Manuel Gyenes with the best time. The Marathon class comprises the same bikes as the rest of the Dakar, but the riders are forbidden to change important parts on their bikes, including the engines.

The 2015 Dakar Rally proved that there is not a dash of certainty until one crosses the finish line. The weather was also a big factor in this year’s competition, and the riders had to put up with the searing heat of the desert, the wet salt flats of Uyuni, the cold and rarefied atmosphere as they routes passed at 4,000 meters (13,100 ft) altitude, and even torrential rains turning every pathway into muck leading to shorter stages. Enjoy the video and salute these tough riders!


Best of Bike - Dakar 2015 by Dakar
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories