Even a hole in his petrol tank couldn’t hold back Yamaha rider Juan Pedrero today. The Spaniard hit a rock during the very tiring fifth stage, causing the damage. Despite having to refuel twice he managed to complete the long 458 kilometre special route in 12th place, making short work of the fast pistes interspersed with dried river beds and plenty of fesh-fesh.
Yamaha Factory Racing Rally Team Yamalube’s Alessandro Botturi was the next rider to complete the route from Copiapo to Antofagasta. He arrived at the bivouac and found himself in 18th place just ahead of Michael Metge in 20th. Olivier Pain crossed the line shortly after in 24th position.
Alessandro Botturi
In the quad category Rafal Sonik was again the fastest man of the day. The Polish rider set a fastest time of 05h47’46. Completing the top three were fellow Yamaha riders Ignacio Casale (10’51) and Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli (21’41). After today’s results, the provisional overall standings show Sonik (21h52’41), Casale (24’23) and Yamaha’s Sergio Lafuente (26’20) as the leading trio.
Tomorrow’s stage will take the riders up the Pacific coast, through the dunes, to the centre of Iquique, where a podium will mark the mid-way point in the race.
Juan Pedrero
12th / 14’25, 13th / 01h04’14
“I didn’t get my time back for stopping for a crashed rider yesterday so I started in 31st place. Apparently the time will be deducted from the overall classification this evening. Starting so far back, with slower riders meant I was riding in a lot of dust and I was impatient to get past them and into clean air. At around kilometre 16 I jumped into a ‘rio’ and hit a big rock with my bash plate, which broke it and made a hole in the petrol tank. I stopped for about four minutes to try and stop it leaking too much and then carried on to the refuelling CP. As I arrived I ran out of petrol! I was shaking the bike to get the last drops out of the tank. Then after the refuelling I started to run out of petrol again when I saw some spectators. I rode up to them and told them I was a friend of Chaleco Lopez (a famous Chilean rider who retired this year) and they gave me some fuel. Then in the canyon at the end I really attacked hard and pulled back some time. I was unlucky to put a hole in my petrol tank at the start of the special but very lucky to get to the end!”
Alessandro Botturi
18th / 23’31, overall 16th / 01h11’35
“The track was fast, then you had some fesh-fesh, then fast again, with nothing difficult in terms of navigation. The Yamaha WR450F Rally’s engine is powerful but it’s physically demanding to ride. This evening my arms are really tired from holding on to the bike.”
Michael Metge
20th / 29:04, overall 19th / 01h16’42
“I already had the feeling from what the organisers were saying that today’s special wasn’t going to be much fun and so I can’t say I’m disappointed. It was exactly as advertised; fast and bumpy with lots of traps to catch you out. Towards the end, before the canyon, there was a section of fesh-fesh with big white rocks sticking out of it. I saw a rider in front of me hit one and go straight up in the air. Physically I’m ok. The knee that I injured on the Sardegna Rally Race six months ago isn’t giving me any problems, but this evening I’m pretty tired.”
Olivier Pain
24th / 35’14, overall 20th / 01h35’52
“Not a very interesting special, apart from a run through a canyon at the end, but by then my arms were too tired to enjoy it. The rest of the stage was simply designed to wear out man and machine and in that at least they succeeded.”
Olivier Pain
You can follow Yamaha’s progress in the Dakar Rally HERE .
Dakar Rally 2015 Stage 05: Copiapo to Antofagasta
1. Marc Coma, ESP (KTM) 04:38:16
2. Joan Barreda Bort, ESP (Honda) 04:40:32
3. Pablo Quintanilla, CHL (KTM) 04:40:56
4. Stefan Svitko, SVK (KTM) 04:42:10
5. Paulo Gonçalves, PRT (Honda) 04:42:53
6. Helder Rodrigues, PRT (Honda) 04:44:51
7. Jeremias Israel Esquerre, CHL (Honda) 04:45:26
8. Matthias Walkner, AUT (KTM) 04:45:40
9. Alain Duclos, FRA (Sherco TVS) 04:48:13
10. Toby Price, AUS (KTM) 04:48:21
11. Jordi Viladoms, ESP (KTM) 04:52:04
12. Juan Pedrero Garcia, ESP (Yamaha) 04:52:41
13. Javier Pizzolito, ARG (KTM) 04:55:05
14. Ivan Jakes, SVK (KTM) 04:55:11
15. Ruben Faria, PRT (KTM) 04:55:40
18. Alessandro Botturi, ITA (Yamaha) 05:01:47
20. Michael Metge, FRA (Yamaha) 05:07:20
24. Oliver Pain, FRA (Yamaha) 05:13:30
Dakar Rally 2015: Overall Ranking
1. Joan Barreda Bort, ESP (Honda) 17:51:05
2. Marc Coma, ESP (KTM) 18:01:38
3. Paulo Gonçalves, PRT (Honda) 18:13:55
4. Pablo Quintanilla, CHL (KTM) 18:22:11
5. Jordi Viladoms, ESP (KTM) 18:27:28
6. Ruben Faria, PRT (KTM) 18:29:18
7. Matthias Walkner, AUT (KTM) 18:29:41
8. Toby Price, AUS (KTM) 18:30:59
9. Stefan Svitko, SVK (KTM) 18:33:10
10. Helder Rodrigues, PRT (Honda) 18:34:29
11. Alain Duclos, FRA (Sherco TVS) 18:35:17
12. Jeremias Israel Esquerre, CHL (Honda) 18:50:15
13. Juan Pedrero Garcia, ESP (Yamaha) 18:55:19
14. David Casteu, FRA (KTM) 18:55:32
15. Riaan Van Niekerk, ZAF (KTM) 19:02:09
16. Alessandro Botturi, ITA (Yamaha) 19:02:40
19. Michael Metge, FRA (Yamaha) 19:07:47
20. Oliver Pain, FRA (Yamaha) 19:26:57
