Cyril Despres iReport
More fun in the sun here in Brazil, the same as it has been every day since I got here. Yesterday there was just a hundredth of a second between second place Felipe Zanol and me. Today was another tight stage.
It was not the most interesting stage I have ever been on in my life, the first part was just straight and fast.
Afterwards was a little better though as we hit a sandy path in the middle of some lush vegetation. It got really twisty through that section, like a motocross slalom ride. Most of corners were banked up so it was fun to go through these turns with the bike very close to the ground.
I managed to pick up another stage win but again Felipe [Zanol] was very close behind, only seven seconds today. I’m with Felipe pretty much every single minute of the day because not only are we riding out front on the stage but we are also sharing space in the camp. We’re eating together and even sharing the same showers! Felipe is a really cool guy and very fast as well.
While I was in the city today I managed to pick up a present for my little girl’s first birthday. I went into a flip-flop shop and brought her a pair of size 20 Havaianas. They’re so small they look like something to put on your key ring. I just hope she doesn’t read my newsletter or it will spoil the surprise!
Looking at the stage tomorrow I know that I can’t afford to make any mistakes because Felipe is giving everything out there. I’m lucky to be able to count on my bike and tires. I would say that today’s stage win was not a victory for me but rather for KTM and Michelin. It was the bike and the tires that were doing the hard work on today’s stage. For this race I’m using a new model of tire, the Desert Michelin that will be on the market in time for next year’s Dakar.
The race is now getting closer to the ocean and the bigger cities so we’re seeing more fans coming out to enjoy the race. You can feel the atmosphere of Brazil all along the course with music playing and people coming out to have fun. This is the type of cool atmosphere that I think is typical of the Brazilian style of living.
– Cyril Despres
