Dakar 2018

[Ted Hoppe]

https://www.dakar.com/en/
It started with a single comment. (Personally nostalgic wth a slight sadness it is not in Africa.)

Heavy attrition day. Some impressive machines and some fine racing so far.

Promo piece for this year.



The 40th Dakar will be the tenth to be raced in South America. Starting on Peru’s Pacific coast dunes, the 2018 race heads through Bolivia to Argentina and features a reinvented route that lessens the burden on service crews but retains that classic Dakar challenge to the competitors. Starting in Lima Saturday 6 January, Stage 1 is a 272km navigation exercise to Pisco before a 267km loop around Pisco and a 295km race to San Juan de Marcona on Monday. Tuesday sees another 330km loop around San Juan de Marcona, starting off the beach, 4 cars and 15 bikes at a time, before crews head for Arequipa on Wednesday on a 265km stage over 930km overall.

[Ted Hoppe]

For the motorbike divisions - it appears that KTM has taken over the event with a few hondas, yamahas, Huskys, and even Indian representation.

Perhaps we can kick start Ian's 2019 entry in the seniors division provided he drops a few stones, works out 6 times a week, rides more posted photo-moto sessions and promises to runs & wins and successfully finish 2 terms as BROTM without being too Bigfella to us snowflakes & snowflakias.

[Ted Hoppe]

Hero steps up to play on the world stage. An Indian motorcycle manufacturer (in collaboration with small European sportsriding companies) entered the world class event to prove they are for real with quality builds. It is quite a statement for the company and for India itself. One to watch for media, marketing and results as it has economic implications for many reasons.

unfortunately - the Portuguese rider is out after a crash leaving one who is running close to the top 10 with a second in the lower pack remaining.

[Iceboy]

I would love to do that route in one of those big a$$ trucks. What a hoot!

[Paul Pless]

Personally nostalgic with a slight sadness it is not in Africa

This rally should be renamed not to denigrate Afrika in any way but to celebrate South America. The continent deserves its own recognition for hosting this event which is epic in its own right.

[Paul Pless]

oh, and, screw toyota
whiney little bitches

[moTthediesel]

Sorry, but when you said "Indian" I was hoping for something more like this:

[Ted Hoppe]

Sorry, but when you said "Indian" I was hoping for something more like this:

you are a senior member with that post.

[Ted Hoppe]

I like the classes that look like the consumer models they proport to be. Watching them go through sand, water and busting seemingly impassable hills is the thrill that we can all envision ourselves doing if encouraged.

[moTthediesel]

you are a senior member with that post.

Well, I do have my "moments"

[John Meachen]

I used to watch the daily reports on Eurosport when it was held in Africa and it was not only interesting and evidently a challenge to all the competitors,but the commentators clearly enjoyed describing the action.It helped that the action was in the same time zone and that is a large part of why I find it less easy to follow now it has gone west so far and I agree with Paul that it needs a name that connects it to the region it actually runs in.I would hate to see the Dakar identity lost as it has a lengthy history.Maybe it could be linked to the series of Rally-Raids in the form of a global championship.Perhaps with the Baja 1000 an event in the middle east and one in south-east Asia or Australia.

[The Bigfella]

Perhaps we can kick start Ian's 2019 entry in the seniors division provided he drops a few stones, works out 6 times a week, rides more posted photo-moto sessions and promises to runs & wins and successfully finish 2 terms as BROTM without being too Bigfella to us snowflakes & snowflakias.

Ha ha.... leave my stones where they are please Ted.

I haven't done a decent dirt ride for ages - and as for sand...... The lady I ride with mostly these days just won't do dirt. We're doing a ride tomorrow... the old road again, up to Pearl Beach for lunch and home via the ferry.

Dakar though... yeah. Sponsors needed though.

Two friends are there at the moment. They flew bikes from Oz to Alaska... and rode down. Budget for their six month trip was about $50k each. I suspect that just to compete in the Dakar, you'd be wanting $100k plus.

[The Bigfella]

[skaraborgcraft]

I guess "Dakar Rally" has become an owned corporate entity? Ridiculous, like having a London to Brighton vintage rally but being held in another country and driving from Stockholm to Uppsala. I think it takes away from local possible sponsers joining in. I believe Land Rover did a South American challenge.....why not just call it what it is?

[The Bigfella]

I guess "Dakar Rally" has become an owned corporate entity? Ridiculous, like having a London to Brighton vintage rally but being held in another country and driving from Stockholm to Uppsala. I think it takes away from local possible sponsers joining in. I believe Land Rover did a South American challenge.....why not just call it what it is?

You'd have a point I'd consider valid if it were still called The Paris-Dakar Rally... but it isn't, it's The Dakar Rally. The fact that there's a city called Dakar is irrelevant. The derivation of the name Dakar is uncertain, btw... and it may even be from the name of a 17th century French marine officer's name.

Here's the countries the rally has traversed over the years





Is calling the rally The Dakar as silly as calling the domestic baseball series in the USA, the World Series?

Or as silly as this name: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR)?

[skaraborgcraft]

Im guessing it was called Dakar rally is because that is where the finish was, i dont have an issue if it started in London or Paris, but Dakar was the finishing point, at least originally. If the name was taken from some bloke, then i have no issues at all.....they have "gumball" rallies all over the world......please dont tell me there is actually a place called Gumball!
World Series......yeah, thats a classic.....

[The Bigfella]

Over the years, it's had different starting points, different finishing points and it's even finished back at the starting point. It's gone to Dakar, Cape Town, Cairo, Sharm el Sheikh, Buenos Aires, Lima, Santiago, Rosario, Valparaiso ..... and in 2008 it didn't run, after al-Qaeda killed a few Frenchmen.

[The Bigfella]

One from the old days... 1980

[skaraborgcraft]

^ Finish in the top 10?

[The Bigfella]

Kawasakis don't seem to cut it in the Dakar



Toby Price had a bad day today too.... he's out of contention now.

[Robbie 2]

One from the old days... 1980

Joe....here's your chance to shine

[Jim Bow]

You'd have a point I'd consider valid if it were still called The Paris-Dakar Rally... but it isn't, it's The Dakar Rally. The fact that there's a city called Dakar is irrelevant. The derivation of the name Dakar is uncertain, btw... and it may even be from the name of a 17th century French marine officer's name.

Here's the countries the rally has traversed over the years





Is calling the rally The Dakar as silly as calling the domestic baseball series in the USA, the World Series?

Or as silly as this name: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR)?

Or American football. Other than kiking off the halves, the feet are only used if you cant score properly.

[The Bigfella]

Only one stage to go. Toby Price is fired up... he's won the last two stages, after losing 50 minutes in a riverbed. He's in third, but too far back unless Walkner has a really bad day.

[The Bigfella]

Amazing race for Toby Price, considering he hasn't raced all year, after a major leg injury.

The Australian was injured during all of 2017 but has made a more than convincing comeback to the competition with a third-placed finish.

“Three podiums is really amazing. After the year I had, it’s a dream come true, for sure. It was rough, but with twelve months under our belt we’ll be ready to go for the next one. I didn’t even expect this finish. A lot of people didn’t even expect me to be at the start line. I knew I’d be at the start line, but I didn’t know what shape I would be in. Twelve weeks ago it was looking pretty grim. Six weeks ago I started training and riding. It’s a steep curve again. I seem to enjoy these steep curves to get back to where I need to be. It’s never any fun, but we’re really happy to be here and get a third place. Every time I’ve crossed the finishing line and made it to the end, I’ve been on the podium, so I’m really happy with this. I’m already looking forward to the next one. To have twelve months off and not do any road-books, navigation or any races at all and then come straight back into the biggest race of the year… on the toughest one in years as well. This is the fourth one I’ve started and this has been the toughest one of the lot. They're definitely not making it any easier on us. We were just trying to get through and do what we can. The new bike that KTM have come up with is an amazing bit of equipment. I think that's what has made the job a little bit easier for me. I've got the beach body now to head back home to Australia and lie on the beach for two weeks solid. But then we'll get back to training, hook in and come back. Hopefully it will be bigger and better things next year”.

.....

So... KTM first (Walkner) and third (Price).... 17 years in a row now for KTM. Anyone who rides a KTM understands