Tough times for the heavyweights - Dakar's Stage 5
Maverick - Jan 6, 2010

Marc Coma, Stage 4 winner, lost 39’35 today!

After starting first this morning and experiencing mechanical problems at km 376 of today’s special stage, title holder Marc Coma (KTM) just finished the day’s special stage 39’35 behind the day’s winner "Chaleco" Lopez Contardo (Aprilia). More importantly the Spaniard loses another 38’05 against the leader in the general standings French rider Cyril Despres, who arrived second today.

Stage 5: Copiapo – Antofagasta

668 km (415 miles), are on the menu of stage 5, of which 483 km against the clock, i.e. the second longest special stage of this 32nd edition of the Dakar. On the agenda was the foothills of the Atacama Desert that offered contenders a varied route alternating between fast sections and boulder sections with e.g. the crossing of two very "rocky" off-road sections and the discovery of the Chilean fesh-fesh - a particularly soft terrain that feels almost like flour. Riders and drivers were in for a long day and their main aim was to spare themselves and their machines in this first "truly long" endurance-focused special stage of the 32nd Dakar.

Stage 5 Summary

Chilean rider Francisco Lopez Contardo (Aprilia) has won his second stage on home turf on the Dakar, his first stage victory of the year. With a time of 5h52’40, the man whose nickname is "Chaleco" arrived 1’30 ahead of Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM) and 13’13 ahead of his countryman David Frétigné (Yamaha)… More importantly, this fifth stage was marked by the misfortunes of Frenchman David Casteu who had to withdraw after a bad fall and of Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM). Victim of a blown rear tire at km 376, the title holder lost almost 40’ today... In the overall standings, the coast is now clear for final victory for Despres who now has a 37’37 lead on Chile’s Lopez Contardo and a 44’01 lead over Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha)… As for Marc Coma, he is now 7th 1h16’55 behind the leader.

In sport it is often said that success is something you can force. In the Antofagasta stage, it is a long and steady preparation, a whole biker’s life that has paid off for Francisco Lopez. Last year, he won the first stage in Chile that had taken the raid to Valparaiso. He was riding a 690cc KTM back then.

This year “Chaleco” was hired by Aprilia to try the 450cc adventure. Riding his new machine, the Chilean had no problem finding the familiar feel of the bike. It was already on a small Honda bike that he had made his debut in the rally raid winning e.g. the world champion title in 2006. Even if he only discovered his new ride at the Pharaohs Rally, Lopez is now quite comfortable riding it all the more so that the tracks on today’s menu are the ones he trained on. With the experience acquired, he will now have to also confirm that he can get to the top of the standings… provided he finishes it for the first time in his life.

At any rate, podium prospects are getting closer for Lopez and for others because the road to Antofagasta was a real nightmare for the leaders. First, Marc Coma damaged his rear wheel then he lost half an hour before getting the wheel of Italian rider Luca Manca. This courteous – but hard to understand – gesture allowed the title holder to limit the damage but he is now 1h16’55’’ behind Despres, who spent his day with “Chaleco”. Their pace was also the pace of David Casteu, then second in the overall standings but then came km 395 where the Sherco rider fell pretty badly.

The stage ended abruptly for him with a broken leg and a helicopter transfer back to the bivouac: it is the first time Casteu has to withdraw in seven Dakar participations.

Four days ago, 161 bikers began the Dakar. Eighty-eight remain in the race through 5 stages.