2011 Dakar News
Today, 2011 Dakar motorcycle riders will leave San Salvador de Jujuy in Argentina, travel through the notorious Paso de Jama pass in the Andes Mountain range, and finish at Calama in Chile.
While passing through Jama, riders will deal with oxygen-robbing 4800 m in altitude before entered Calama in the Atacama Desert, the world’s driest region.
Each Dakar motorcycle rider will go through a grueling 554 km on the road, and then a 207 km special. After the Dakar motorcyclists cross into Chile, they’ll travel to the Northern most part of the country, which is on the border of Peru.
Leading the pack going into Stage 4 is KTM factory rider Cyril Despres, who holds onto the overall lead by 14 seconds. The man within a short distance of his KTM 450 Rally’s exhaust pipe is fellow teammate Marc Coma.
On Tuesday for Stage 3, Coma picked up his first Stage victory for the 33rd edition of the Dakar Rally, the 12th of his Dakar career.
Arriving in third was Paulo Goncalves on the BMW G 450 R, followed Olivier Pain on the Yamaha YZ 450 E.
Ruben Faria of Portugal, Despres’ co-rider, finished fifth after the marathon special of 521 tough kilometers.
2011 Dakar Rally Overall Standings after Stage 3
1. Cyril Despres, Andorra, KTM 09:38:58
2. Marc Coma, Spain, KTM, at 0:14
3. Ruben Faria, Portugal, KTM, at 9:38 (Penalty 00:01.00)
4. Paolo Goncalves, Portugal BMW at 10:43
5. Jose Rodrigues, Brazil, BMW at 16:07