Organizers have been forced to cancel Friday’s Stage Six of the Dakar 2012 because of bad weather conditions that made it unsafe for competitors to cross the Andes Cordillera at the highest point of this year’s edition.
Chilean authorities closed the Paso de San Francisco, situated at 4700 m above sea level overnight because of snow and rain.
This, together with the fact that the course has been generally hit by rain and snow mean that it is not possible to guarantee the safety of competitors and support personnel has resulted in the cancelation. Organizers instead will organize a convoy for all vehicles, which after the border crossing will follow the main road to Copiapo, Chile for the one rest day on Saturday.
The results at the end of Stage Five (see below) now represent the standings at the half way mark of the 33rd edition.
Stage Five Results (Stage Six canceled because of bad weather)
1, Cyril Despres, France, KTM 2 hours 28 minutes 33 seconds
2, Marc Coma, Spain, KTM at 1 minute 41
3, Joan Barreda Bort, Spain, Husqvarna at 12:42
4, Stefan Svitko, Slovakia, KTM at 13:55
5, Jordi Viladoms, Spain, KTM at 14:17
Other KTM
6, Pal Anders Ullevalseter, Norway, KTM at 14:41
7, Rubin Faria, Portugal, KTM at 14:51
8, Gerrard Farres Guel, Spain, KTM at 18:49
13, Joan Pedrero, Spain, KTM at 20:45
15, Felipe Zanol, Brazil, KTM at 21:10
16, Alessandro Botturi, Italy, KTM at 25:01
18, Jacek Czachor, Poland, KTM at 27:56
22, Daryl Curtis, South Africa, KTM at 32:54
23, Johnny Aubert, France, KTM at 33:30
Overall Results after Stage Five (Stage Six canceled because of bad weather)
1, Cyril Despres, France, KTM 14 hours 19 minutes
2, Marc Coma, Spain, KTM at 9 minutes 51 seconds
3, Helder Rodrigues, Portugal, Yamaha at 247:56
4, Chaleco Lopez, Chile, Aprilia, at 49:00
5, Paolo Goncalves, Portugal, Husqvarna, 54:47 (6 minutes penalty)
Other KTM
6, Jordi Viladoms, Spain, KTM at 58:17
8, Joan Pedrero, Spain, KTM 59:04
9, Gerard Farres Guel, Spain, KTM at 1:03:13
10, Stefan Svitko, Slovakia, KTM at 1:07:26
12, Alessandro Botturi, Italy, KTM at 1:20:08
14, Pal Anders Ullevalseter, Norway at 1:34:59 (40 minutes penalty)
17, Felipe Zanol, Brazil, KTM at 1:47:38 (40 minutes penalty)
19, Rubin Faria, Portugal, KTM, 1:53:54 (40 minutes penalty)
20, Jacek Czachor, Poland, KTM, 1:55.32
21, Johnny Aubert, France, KTM, 2:09:03
