The second marathon stage of the 2016 Rally Dakar showed just how tough the extreme conditions of the race are. Race organizers today decided to cut short the timed special halfway through.

The ninth stage held in Fiambalá today was a wretched one. A tough day had been expected and a tough day it turned out to be with soaring temperatures forcing officials to cancel finally the stage at CP2. Extreme weather continues to pound the Dakar, with a hellish battle in the Fiambalá dunes at 45º C and more. Indeed the ASO deemed the sweltering conditions unfit for racing and moved the finish forward to Check Point 2. Riders were sent directly to the marathon bivouac where the bikes are not permitted to receive any type of mechanical assistance.

Paulo Gonçalves had a day of drama, running into serious mechanical problems caused by a shrub branch penetrating the radiator, which in turn led to a leakage. Several kilometres later his machine – now without cooling – ground to a halt. Team-mate Paolo Ceci towed him to the bivouac where they will attempt to repair the damage done to the engine.

Neither Paulo Gonçalves, nor Team HRC, wish to throw the towel in this Dakar 2016 and team-mates Michael Metge, Ricky Brabec and Paolo Ceci will do everything in their power to help the Portuguese rider salvage the best possible result from what is left of the race. Today is not possible the Team mechanical assistance because is Marathon stage.

Ricky Brabec rode a notable special, finishing with the day’s fifth best time at CP2, where the race prematurely ended. Is his best partial result in his first participation in the Dakar. Michael Metge, who arrived back at the bivouac yesterday night after enduring some electrical issues, had the bike checked over by the mechanics who were able to resolve the problem, allowing the Frenchman to start again this morning. Both Metge and team-mate Paolo Ceci (Italy) made it through to CP2.

Dakar newcomers Kevin Benavides (Argentina) and Adrien Metge (France), from Honda South America Rally Team, continue to turn in solid performances. Benavides crossed CP2 with the day’s second best time and Metge finished in the top twenty.

UPDATED: Ricky Brabec finally takes the second best time of the day and Paulo Gonçalves was able to end the section and did it in 13th place. Kevin Benavides down to the 10th position. Overall results are also updated with the right times.


TOMORROW’ STAGE
2016 January 13. Stage 10: Belén – La Rioja
Special sections: 278km
Total: 561km

Fiambalá in style
The Fiambalá dunes have become one of the decisive stages of the Dakar. This year, they feature at the heart of the most critical rally sequence, when drivers and their vehicles will have to demonstrate their aptitude for extreme endurance. Moreover, the day’s stage presents the longest dune section in the shared history of the Dakar and Fiambalá, off-piste for most of the time. In short, an open door for desert specialists.

You can see the details of the tenth stage (route and profile), here.

Private: Wolfgang Fischer

Team HRC Team Manager

Today we have experienced one of the most incredibly hard days in the Dakar, maybe the hardest in the history of the Dakar until now, with a situation of extreme temperatures that have affected the normal development of the stage. Paulo, fortunately, continues to be in the race in spite of a serious setback before the refuelling. A log pierced the radiator and the coolant leaked out. With the heat that there was, he arrived extremely overheated at refuelling and wouldn’t have been able to carry on if it hadn’t been for the race authorities’ decision to stop the stage at CP2, which means Paulo keeps his possibilities of continuing open. He was helped by his team-mate Paolo Ceci to make it back to the bivouac and there they will attempt to repair the bike so that he can start tomorrow and continue his adventure in this Dakar. Tomorrow there will be a new starting system although the organization hasn’t yet given us the information about what the order will be, but we believe that there will be various cars out ahead of the bikes. It will be especially tough for those who start out from behind.

2016 Dakar Rally
Stage Round DAK16 , 9   Dakar

Stage 9 . Belén - Belén (UPDATED)

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 Price Toby 3 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM 2:24'19
2 Brabec Ricky 48 USA Team HRC Honda +12'29
3 Meo Antoine 49 FRA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +13'24
4 Svitko Stefan 5 SLO Slovnaft Rally Team KTM +14'45
5 Van Beveren Adrien 42 FRA Yamaha Motor Europe Yamaha +15'54
6 Farres Gerard 23 SPA Himoinsa Team KTM +16'38
7 Quintanilla Pablo 4 CHI Husqvarna Factory Rally Team Husqvarna +17'15
8 Rodrigues Helder 7 POR Yamaha Motor Europe Yamaha +19'12
9 Monleon Armand 45 SPA KTM Warsaw Rally Team KTM +21'35
10 Benavides Kevin 47 ARG Honda South America Rally Team Honda +22'08
11 de Soultrait Xavier 30 FRA Yamaha Racing Yamaha +26'16
12 Botturi Alessandro 18 ITA Yamaha Motor Europe Yamaha +26'52
13 Goncalves Paulo 2 POR Team HRC Honda +31'56
14 Sanz Laia 12 SPA KTM Factory Racing Team KTM +54'48
15 Casteu David 9 FRA Team Casteu KTM +57'50
16 Pain Olivier 10 FRA Nomade Racing KTM +1:0213
18 Metge Michael 19 FRA Team HRC Honda +1:05'11
19 Gyenes Emanuel 37 ROU Autonet Motorcycle Team KTM +1:06'23
20 Metge Adrien 61 FRA Honda South America Rally Team Honda +1:10'58
21 Cerutti Jacopo ITA Solarys Racing Husqvarna +1:12'50
27 Ceci Paolo 32 ITA Team HRC Honda +1:24'49
2016 Dakar Rally
Stage Round DAK16 , 9   Dakar

Provisional Standings after Stage 9 (UPDATED)

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 Price Toby 3 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM 30:55'54
2 Svitko Stefan 5 SLO Slovnaft Rally Team KTM +28'59
3 Goncalves Paulo 2 POR Team HRC Honda +34'01
4 Quintanilla Pablo 4 CHI Husqvarna Factory Rally Team Husqvarna +38'41
5 Meo Antoine 49 FRA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +42'08
6 Benavides Kevin 47 ARG Honda South America Rally Team Honda +48'03
7 Rodrigues Helder 7 POR Yamaha Motor Europe Yamaha +50'03
8 Farres Gerard 23 SPA Himoinsa Team KTM +54'10
9 Brabec Ricky 48 USA Team HRC Honda +1:04'08
10 Van Beveren Adrien 42 FRA Yamaha Motor Europe Yamaha +1:09'41
11 Botturi Alessandro 18 ITA Yamaha Motor Europe Yamaha +1:22'35
17 Metge Adrien 61 FRA Honda South America Rally Team Honda +2:33'49
42 Ceci Paolo 32 ITA Team HRC Honda +6:59'35
73 Metge Michael 19 FRA Team HRC Honda +13:21'40

Team HRC Dakar Rally 2016 Stage 9

Team HRC refuses to give up at infernal stage of Fiambala.
The second marathon stage of the 2016 Rally Dakar showed just how tough the extreme conditions of the race are. Race organizers today decided to cut short the timed special halfway through.


Team HRC Dakar Rally 2016 Stage 8

As the 2016 Dakar heads towards the second marathon stage, the race has seen a slight reshuffle in the overall standings, yet with Paulo Gonçalves still firmly in contention after today's very difficult stage. Team HRC on course to achieve their objectives.

Location Information

The greatest and toughest rally in the world, the Dakar’s history has been written in the heart of some of the world’s most stunning deserts and belongs to the world of the greatest sporting challenges of our time. Both a motor race and an orienteering challenge, the Dakar Rally pits… read more.

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