- The HIMOINSA Team leader shocks the race after Dakar 2018’s most complex stage, and gets straight into the fight for the podium.
January 16th, 2018
Belén (Argentina). After the transitionary day which took the Dakar caravan from Bolivia to Argentina, the race was resumed with one of the most complex stages in this 40th edition of the toughest motorsports event in the world.
Extreme navigation and some treacherous terrain has caused a true revolution among all the favorites. A scenario in which experience and impeccable technique allowed Gerard Farrés to shine bright and ride an exceptional stage. Despite struggling during the first part of the special to keep up with the very high pace of the official motorcycles, has applied all his knowledge in navigation and as well as the aeronautical techniques he was taught by the team director, Lieutenant Colonel of the Air Force, Miguel Puertas, to finish third on the day and take a giant leap in the general classification climbing up to fourth position.
Like Farrés, the rest of the HIMOINSA Team riders stood out in this very complicated stage, with Dani Oliveras in eighth position, Marc Solà, sixteenth and Iván Cervantes in 24th place. Meanwhile, Rosa Romero continues unstoppable quest towards Córdoba’s finish line and has completed a new stage.
Gerard Farrés (@gerardfarres): “It was a very complicated day and from the beginning I knew that it was going to take a lot of work to keep up with the factory bikes. However, I stayed calm and tried to manage my race, blindly trusting in my navigation and applying everything I have learned with our director, Miguel Puertas, including orientation techniques used by fighter pilots to navigate through clouds. This technique, when it was very difficult to read the terrain, has helped me enormously to reach the finish line without making any mistakes. I am very happy to enter the fight for the podium, but still nothing is decided and there are still very complicated days ahead.”
Classification: Stage 10 (provisional *)
1st M. Walkner (4: 52.26)
2nd P. Quintanilla (+11.35)
3rd Gerard Farrés (+16.21)
8th Dani Oliveras (+25.25)
17th Marc Solà (+41.36)
24th Iván Cervantes (+56.01)
*** Rosa Romero (pending arrival to finish)
General Classification (provisional *)
1st M. Walkner (32: 21.03)
2nd J. Barreda (+39.42)
3rd K. Benavides (+41: 23)
4th Gerard Farrés (+47.46)
13th Dani Oliveras (+1: 56.30)
21st Marc Solà (+04: 04.04)
25th Iván Cervantes (+05: 21.03)
*** Rosa Romero (pending arrival to finish)
Next stage: Belén – Fiambalá/Chilecito (Especial: 280 km – Total: 484 km)
