BarcelonaJoy and frustration go hand in hand in the Dakar. Every day, while some feel better, others have not lifted any since the rally began in Saudi Arabia. The fourth stage has left a great casualty, spectacular accidents and an overwhelming dominance on two wheels.
Nani Roma no se’n surt
The Folgueroles driver is probably facing his most difficult Dakar. The Catalan overturned at kilometer 80 of the fourth stage and together with Álex Haro, his co-driver, they have been trying for more than an hour to repair the damage. When they finally managed to get back on track, a wheel broke and they decided to make their way to the Riyadh bivouac. These are not the first setbacks that Rome has suffered in this edition of the Dakar. In the first stage he was one of the riders who lost in the 257.6 kilometer, so he lost an hour and 17 minutes just starting the competition.
Sainz is regarding to repeat the feat
If Rome is the cross of the Dakar, the face is Carlos Sainz. The Madrid driver was regarding to repeat the feat of winning the stage victory with his hybrid Audi, but the breaking of a bearing regarding 140 km from the finish line forced him to slow down and finished third less than a minute from Al-Attiyah, winner of the day. Despite opening the track, the pace of the Audi has been hectic and has set the best record at the three checkpoints of the longest special in the Dakar (465 kilometers, from Al-Qaisumah to Riyadh).
The general in cars is led by Nasser al-Attiyah and Matthieu Baumel (Toyota) with a margin of more than 38 minutes over the second, Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Luquin (Bahrain Raid).
Dominion of Joan Barreda
The Torreblanca rider is unstoppable. After achieving the second victory in this edition in the fourth stage held this Wednesday, Barreda (Honda) adds his 29th victory in his record, the fourth most successful motorcycle rider. All the time he had lost in an unfortunate first stage he has recovered with two victories and is placed seventh. The general on motorcycles is led by Sam Sunderland (Gas Gas) with a margin of three minutes ahead of his pursuer, Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM).
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