Dakar 2013 - Official Event Coverage - thank you ALL TeamF5, lurkers and posters!

Kudos to Caselli on a great win on a very tough stage!!!

No doubt he's earning some respect among the Rally veterans...

Before the floods....















Yay Kurt!

Tomorrow it is back to Chile


First 392km connection across the border, followed by refuel and start of special @ 10:00 local
WP1 and CP1 @ 37km
WP2 @ 83km
WP3 @ 127km
WP4 @ 153km
CP2 and refuel @ 169km
WP5 @ 201km
WP6 @ CP3 or 215km
CP3 @ 223km
CP4 @ 238km
WP7 @ 250km
WP8 @ 272km
Finish @ 319km

Followed by 4km connection for a total of 715km

With 2 stage wins in his rookie year....ya I think its a pretty safe bet he'll be returning

Certainly seems like a humble guy. Appears he is really enjoying this learning experience and wants to come back.

More like: 'shit, that sumbitch is fast!'

Cheleco on why he lost time at the end of the stage:"Nav was very hard at the end, I had trouble finding some WPs."

Oh no, more snooker tonight!

Chaleco lost time being lost?

Carlton apologising for the snooker!
He must be getting some grief on twitter.

And that's when Kurt was leading.

Oh yeah, KTM boss is gonna love hearing that.

I'm off to lunch....see ya later for Snewkahpockalips!!

Aprilia?

Pal is obviously a great guy with a ton of experience. He knew to give the guy a once over before continuing on.

With the adrenaline pumping it is often hard to self access. I know I always check my extremities one by one to make sure they are in proper working order after a wicked get off. Then again, I've heard of guys trying to stand up with an obviously broken leg and not knowing it until the fall down. Or the story of the guy that knew it was a bad crash when he saw the leg by his head was his (femur broke). He didn't initially feel it.

Is he, strictly speaking, a rookie with a pro career and a top team? More like a Dakar virgin.
He should come back next year with or without KTM.

Apparently

Addressing the fans to wait it out through the sn**ker and "Be brave, we'll have a great show for you tonight."

Somebody post that on carlton's feed.

PLease.

Carlton with big "wraps" on Caselli... "You are looking at a future winner of the Dakar..."

For sure a great compliment for a truly extraordinary talented rider, who is doing an excellent job in his rookie outing (KTM made a good choice for their replacement of Coma).

Just a grain of salt for all the euphoria though... regards Kurts "opening of the road" and the CAP navigation....

Normally in the Fiambala dunes and surrounding terrain (when dry) there is next to no visual track/wheel tracks to follow... even until the first maybe 20 bikes pass... from some of the (admittedly limited) footage shown on ES tonight, it seems that even the early nmbers (moto's) had some form of wheeltracks as a prompt... could this be the course check crew (24 hours before), or even left over imprint from last years stage (I did read somewhere they would use same stage for the moto course?).

Regardless, Kurt did a great job out front (it was same conditions for all), I am just pointing out that the "student" is not the "master" till he can track a CAP over virgin dunes at Coma/Despres pace - something that possibly only Helder and Barreda have in their reportoire at this point in time...? but to Caselli's credit (the on air interview he did with Adelaide) he seem's to have the humility, confidence and ability... that one day soon (with a few more rallies under the belt) that he WILL have!

If he takes the "rookie" title this year... it is well deserved!

Amazing!

Not only a Dakar rookie, but a "Rallye Rookie" as well.

Despres in the interview "You have to be so careful in the rio's - you know I have very bad memories of them"

Too bad that dry french humour doesn't come across..that was a funny dig at himself