2011 Dakar Rally
For the second time in the 33rd edition of the 2011 Dakar Rally, Ruben Faria lost his victory. The first time for the KTM Rally 450 rider was after he was penalized for speeding during Stage 1, which dropped him back to second.
But on Friday, the Portugese man lost more than one position at Stage 6 in the Dakar. Faria initially won, but reportedly did not respect the obligation to stop for 15 minutes during refueling
Faria stopped for only 5:13 seconds, and the remaining 9:47 seconds was added to his provisional Dakar time. This added time pulls him back to seventh place, giving his fellow countryman Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) the victory.
Taking third and fourth at the Dakar Rally were his fellow KTM riders, Marc Coma and Cyril Despres, respectively. Coma still maintains the overall lead, now 8:48 seconds ahead of Despres.
Stage 6 consisted of 265 km on the road, and another 456 km of special with plenty of dunes and the first Dakar 2011 encounter with the dreaded fesh-fesh, the tricky talc-like soft sand.Â
As for overall Dakar 2011 standings, Coma leads, followed by Despres. In third is Francisco (Chaleco) Lopez, who is 22:12 seconds behind Coma. Rodrigues is in fourth (27.35 behind Coma).
After more than 4,500 km of challenging landscape in South America, the riders finally have a rest day today (Saturday).
The 2011 Dakar continues on Sunday; Stage 7 will take riders from Arica to Antofagasta. The stage offers a 208-km liaison and a mammoth 631 km in two stages of special down to the shores of the Pacific.
The Dakar riders can look forward to 40 km of endurance style riding and plenty of dunes that is going to test both their skill as riders and their physical and mental fitness.
2011 Dakar Stage Six Results (UPDATED)
1. Helder Rodrigues, Portugal, Yamaha, at 5:35:77
2. Cyril Despres, Andorra, KTM
3. Marc Coma, Spain, KTM
4. Stefan Svitko, Slovakia, KTM
5. Francisco (Chaleco) Lopez, Aprilia
7. Ruben Faria, Portugal, KTM, 5:35:27
2011 Dakar Standings after Stage Six (UPDATED)
1. Marc Coma, Spain, KTM, 22:40:20
2. Cyril Despres, Andorra, KTM, at 8:48
3. Francisco (Chaleco) Lopez, Chile, Aprilia, 22:12
4. Helder Rodrigues, Portugal, Yamaha, at 27: 35
5. Ruben Faria, Portugal, KTM at 39:01
