Dakar Stage Eleven (11) Results
Click video to see the highlights from Stage Eleven (11) of the 2010 Dakar as Verhoeven wins the motorcycling section for BMW.
Verhoeven edged out American Jonah Street by three seconds while Frenchman Cyril Despres, seventh on the stage over four minutes in arrears, remained comfortably in the overall lead with just three stages remaining.
"I’m very happy to be here at the end of the stage. I had a lot of difficulties during the first two or three days," said Verhoeven.
"We’re here with a brand new bike, it’s a BMW, and we didn’t really know that much about it so we sort of jumped into the deep end with it.
"Now everything is under control, the bike is running much better and I’m getting used to riding a 450."
Despres, whose main pre-race rival for the title Spaniard Marc Coma saw his chances disappear last weekend when he was penalised six hours for illegally changing a tyre, has a lead of one hour and 20 minutes over Norwegian Pal Ullevalseter.
"It was a nice stage again. The organisers have really done a great job," said Despres, winner of two Dakar titles.
"It was quick today, 220km in a flash. Was I being extremely careful? No. When I climb on the bike, I just can’t hold myself back. I just want to have fun."
Chile’s Francisco Lopez retains third place overall while the big loser of the day in terms of a podium finish was Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues, who held on to fourth place but lost six minutes on Ullevalseter.
2010 Dakar Stage Eleven (11) Results
1. Franz Verhoeven, Netherlands, BMW
2. Jonah Street, USA, KTM, (at 0’3")
3. Alain Duclos, France, KTM
4. Pal Ullevalseter, Norway, KTM
5. Francisco Lopez, Chile, Aprilia
7. Cyril Despres, Andorra, KTM (at 4’21")
9. Marc Coma, Spain, KTM (at 5’08")
2010 Dakar Overall standings after Stage Eleven (11)
1. Cyril Despres, Andorra, KTM
2. Pal Ullevalseter, Norway, KTM (at 1 h 20’54")
3. Francisco Lopez, Chile, Aprilia
4. Helder Rodrigues, Portugal, Yamaha
5. Alain Duclos, France KTM
16. Marc Coma, Spain, KTM
