Things are getting tight at the top of the motorcycle classification: Marc Coma seized his third career victory in Copiapó and clawed back 2'03" from Cyril Despres, who managed to defend his lead before the rest day.
Coma says: “It is common knowledge that the stage before the rest day is always difficult, and today was not an exception, with stifling heat and very soft sand. Nevertheless, we rode very fast and I was able to attack. I gained 2 minutes on Cyril but that is obviously not enough! We know the strategy well, so we are aware that I will probably gain two minutes one day, then Cyril will gain two minutes the next... And it is hard to change this when there is but one road. Anyway, we are second in the general classification on the rest day and everything is going smoothly, so it has been a good rally for us so far.
A war of nerves started today between Marc Coma and Cyril Despres, who spent the entire stage keeping an eye on each other while riding at full speed, on very fast sand courses in the first part of the special and then in strings of dunes which they crossed without blinking or losing sight of each other. On the other hand, many motorcycle riders will have no choice but to spend the night here! At any rate, Cyril Despres kicked off the stage by navigating at the front of the race. Marc Coma locked on to him to post the fastest intermediate times and had already put one hand on the stage win by the middle of the special. After the neutralised sector, the Catalan pilot overtook his teammate and started blazing a trail through the dunes. Despres played it safe by matching his rival's pace and conceded 2'03" at the finish, but managed to keep his lead in the general classification with a margin of 7'48".
Cyril Despres is happy with his overall lead. “I was a bit lazy today, since Marc led the race from km 200 onwards, the start of the second special, but I think that is also part of the race. So I thank him for this. There is always a strategic aspect, since we know we can control two-minute gaps. Having said that, I finished with my hands paralysed, but it was a really beautiful special with beautiful dunes... And it feels go to lead the race on the rest day. I am happy.”
Behind the two favourites, the battle rages on among podium contenders, who could still earn a bigger prize should the leaders collapse. It has happened before! Paulo Gonçalves proved his win in Iquique last year was much more than a stroke of luck by posting the third best time in today's special, 2'49" behind Coma (and just 46" behind Despres). His performance also moved him closer to his fellow countryman Hélder Rodrigues, over whom Cyril Despres still has a very comfortable margin of 49'39". Francisco "Chaleco" López produced the most disappointing performance of the day: the local hero started the first Chilean special in the 2012 Dakar with a fall which handicapped him for the rest of the stage. He finished half an hour down on Coma and almost fell out of the Top 10.
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