Mark Coma dominates opening day of the Dakar

Repsol KTM rider Marc Coma got his Dakar off to the best possible start by winning the opening 733KM day from Buenos Aires to Santa Rosa, whilst his rivals faltered.

The Spanish rider finished a massive 22m 5s ahead of his closest rival Jacek Czachor, but more significantly 41m 48s ahead of factory KTM team-mate
and 2007 race winner Cyril Despres. 

After negotiating the initial 186km liaison stage, Coma blitzed the first timed stage of the new look Dakar rally, now held in Argentina and Chilli. A final 166KM liaison to the finish at Santa Rosa ended the long opening day.

Coma said: “We knew it would be hard on tyres here so I elected to use an inner tube instead of a mousse on the rear. And for me at least the gamble paid off – I took it easy and didn’t have any problems.

“But that was today, tomorrow could be a different story and instead of being 40 minutes in front I could be 40 minutes behind. I think this is going to be a very hard race – especially for the head!”

Pre race favourite, Despres destroyed his rear tyre after a puncture and was forced to rip the tyre off and ride the final 80km of the timed stage on the rim. The Frenchman now sits in 22nd spot and already needs a drastic change of fortune to get his race back on track.

He said: “Obviously I knew I was taking a risk starting on a tube but even now I can’t say I regret my decision. I really took care, slowed down in the corners and was generally riding slower than Marc. It was just a question of bad luck.

“It wasn’t hitting a rock that caused me to puncture it must have been a thorn or a nail. I only noticed when I came to a corner and by that time it was too late – the tyre was destroyed. I rode with it as long as I could and then eventually hard to stop and pull it off.

“I rode the last 80 kilometres on the rim. Now the problem is what tactic to adopt. Do I ride slowly for the rest of the race and hope the others have problems, or do I take a risk, ride hard and try and pull back the time?”

Another race favourite, David Casteu (KTM Vectra Team) also fell victim to a rear wheel puncture ending the day in 68th place,  1 hour 1 minute off the lead. The Frenchman was forced to turn round and head back to the second check point where his team-mate, Emanuel Gyenes, gave him his rear wheel to allow him to continue.

British rider Stanley Watt (KTM Front Row GB) had had an impressive first day finishing the timed stage in 29th place after 3 hours 33 minutes of riding, 47m 08s off Coma.

Mick Extance claimed 47th onboard his Honda Europe Dakarsport CRF450 with BMW’s Simon Pavey 114th riding the G 650X Challenge.

Watt’s team-mate Jonathan Stamper (KTM Front Row GB) took 119th with Gary Ennis (KTM Team Dakar Ireland) 122nd, Craig Bounds (KTM Desert Rose Racing) 136th and Ewan Bucham (KTM Desert Rose Racing) 138th.

The days final finisher was Dutchman Rob Verstegen onboard his 515 GasGas who took 8hours 10 minutes, 5hours 23minutes behind race leader Coma.

Day two of the Dakar is the longest stage of the 14 day race race and will see the 212 riders leave Santa Rosa and race 837 km to Puerto Madryn in Patagonia taking the rally to it’s most southern point.