The racing weekend that was - Wk 3

Dakar Rally - 36 edition:
As reported on January 3rd last, some 567 motorcycles, cars, trucks, and quads set off from Buenos Aires, Argentina, for a 9,000 km arduous journey through Chile, Boliva, and back (see the image on the right). The race that is known as the Dakar Rally finished last Saturday. Some 168 motorcyclists, 131 quad riders, 144 cars (each with 2 drivers), and 124 trucks (each with 3 onboard) started the race, which used to be called the Paris-Dakar rally and ran between these two cities. But in 2009 due to fears of terrorist kidnappings the organizers opted to run the race in South America.

Having the reputation as being the toughest and most dangerous rally of all, accidents often occur in remote areas where medical attention takes precious minutes if not hours to arrive via helicopter. Unfortunately, not everybody made it out alive this year, though everyone going into the rally is very much aware of the danger involved. Polish motorcyclist Michael Hernik died during the third stage of the race. It is said he died doing the thing he loved.


2015 Dakar Rally Overall Results (position, name, country, make, time):

Motorcycles, top 5 and top Dutch riders:

Marc Coma, 2015 Dakar Rally

1. Mark Coma (SPA) on a KTM, 46.03.49
2. Paulo Goncalves (POR) on a Honda, 46.20.42
3. Toby Price (AUS) on a KTM, 46.27.03
4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHILE), on a KTM, 46.42.27
5. Stefan Svitko (SLO) on a KTM, 46.48.06

11. Vogels (NED) KTM, 49.35.39
15. Verhoeven (NED) on a Yamaha, 51.17.29
31 van den Goorberg (NED) on a KTM, 56.49.52


Quads category, top 5:
1. Rafal Sonik (POL). Yamaha, 57:18:39, pictured on the right,
2. Jeremian Gonzzales (ARG), Yamaha, +2:54:50
3. Walter Nosiglia (EST) Honda, +3:42:56
4. Nelson Sanabria (PARAGUAY), Yamaha, +4:09:57
5. Christophe Declerck (FRA), Yamaha, +5:48:40


Car Category, top 5 and top Dutch team:

Al-Attiyah and Baumel after a stage

1. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Mini Red-Bull, 40h 32m 25s
2. Giniel de Villiers (RSA)/Dirk von Zitzewitz (GER), Toyota All Speed, +00:35:34
3. Krzysztof Holowczyk (POL)/Xavier Panseri (FRA), Mini, +01:32:01
4. Erik van Loon(NLD)/Wouter Rosegaar (NED), Mini, +03:01:52
5. Vladimir Vasilyev(RUS)/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS), Mini +03:12:41

Eric van Loon playing in real dunes

Dutchman Eric van Loon has had quite some top 10 results in individual stages over the years, and even finished 11th in 2011, but this time around he was able to finish an impressive 4th in the car category. This is the best finish for a Dutch native since the fifth place finish of Kees and Mieke Tijsterman in 1989.

Van Loon in his own words:
"My goal was a top ten finish, which was a realistic and achievable goal. Finishing fourth is beyond my wildest dreams..."


Trucks category, top 5:

Mardeev's all dominating Kamaz

1. Ayrat Mardeev (RUS), Kamaz, 42:22:01
2. Eduard Nikolaev (RUS), Kamaz, +13:52
3. Andrey Karginov (RUS), Kamaz, +51:00
4. Ales Loprais (Czech), MAN, +1:56:37
5. Dmitri Sotnikov (RUS), Kamaz, +2:24:32


Source: Dakar Rally, Wired, Wikipedia
Photo credit: Demedio5.com.ar, Dakar, 4x4cro.com, automobielsport.com