Who the hell is Kirsten Gum? And Who cazres. Another 'girl on the wrench' pretty face to bring in viewers. Worthless, like the football sideline girls. As for the coverage, it's the world wrap up feed, so bad could OLN screw it up?
Relax dude! The coverage is already 100 times better than last year. It was not that long ago that there was no Dakar TV coverage in this country. I think this year is going to be at least as good as Speeds coverage 3 years ago. Don't sweat the time slot and get yourself a TIVO.
You're kidding right? I think you're alone here. We're all breathing a huge sigh of relief after last year's coverage. It's clear that we had two choices: 1) Jerry Bernardo interviewing Robbie Gordon sitting on a camel in a Survivor-esqe circus of wanna-be death and destruction. OR 2) Eurosport's feed, as it has been for years, with a pretty girl reading cue cards so it looks like an actual OLN production. THAT my friend is a no-brainer. It would be great to see Toby Moody back but that's got everything to do with Eurosport and nothing to do with OLN. I'm so stoked that I'm watching today's tape again. All we can hope for now is a speedy Robbie Gordon DNF so we don't have to endure any more interviews with that dildo. We won't hear from Alfie, Peterhansel and even Schlesser until Gordon breaks.
Went out today and brought a dvd vhs combo machine at Radio Shack for about $70.00 bucks.Even brought some VHS tapes (havent done that in years).Recorded from my tivo and tape played back the rally great.So I programmed my TIVO for dakar season pass.Be nice to tape the race and have my own copy man that TIVO rocks
She don't know diddly about the Tour de France either and now she's done it two years running. Ugh. At least find someone that knows their ass from a hole in the ground! G!
Well, the first time I saw that promo, the first thing that came to me was flashbacks of Jerry Schmuckatelli bouncing around the staging area puking his schtick in front of the camera. But I hope I'm wrong later this month. Sorry we're buthering this thread, Arch.
Woohoo, Andy Caldecott won the 3rd stage and is 4th overall, go the Aussie !!! . For you Yanks grider was 2nd on the stage 3.04 behind and is now 8th overall.
Amazing - Caldecott gets to win the third stage - and only heard he was going about 10 days ago! This guy is something else. 13:56 - bike Caldecott wins special After clocking the fastest times at all CPs, Andy Caldecott has won the first African special of the rally. In a final time of 3h2111", the Aussie beats Andy Grider by 304". Third is title holder Cyril Despres at 307". Overall leader before the days stage, Isidre Esteve lost 1112" on the day.
Overall placings after 3rd stage; RANKING OVERALL BIKE Pos. N° Name Make Time Variation Penalty 1 001 DESPRES (FRA) KTM 06:03:12 00:00:00 2 002 COMA (ESP) KTM 06:04:28 00:01:16 3 179 PELLICER (ESP) KTM 06:04:51 00:01:39 4 010 CALDECOTT (AUS) KTM 06:06:53 00:03:41 02:00 5 004 DE GAVARDO (CHI) KTM 06:06:53 00:03:41 6 008 CASTEU (FRA) KTM 06:08:50 00:05:38 7 012 FRETIGNE (FRA) YAMAHA 06:09:01 00:05:49 8 023 GRIDER (USA) KTM 06:09:12 00:06:00 9 003 ESTEVE PUJOL (ESP) KTM 06:09:47 00:06:35 10 095 AGRA CARRERA (ESP) YAMAHA 06:10:33 00:07:21 11 014 DUCLOS (FRA) KTM 06:12:29 00:09:17 12 128 AMARAL (POR) KTM 06:13:23 00:10:11 13 009 BLAIS (USA) KTM 06:13:35 00:10:23 14 042 STREET (USA) KTM 06:15:01 00:11:49 15 011 GAU (FRA) KTM 06:15:13 00:12:01 16 060 KATRINAK (SLQ) KTM 06:16:23 00:13:11 17 006 SALA (ITA) KTM 06:16:46 00:13:34 18 097 FARRES GUELL (ESP) YAMAHA 06:17:04 00:13:52 19 015 VERHOEVEN (HOL) YAMAHA 06:17:56 00:14:44 02:00 20 039 RIVERA (ESP) KTM 06:18:17 00:15:05 21 005 ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM 06:18:30 00:15:18 22 007 DE AZEVEDO (BRE) KTM 06:19:26 00:16:14 23 020 MARCHINI (FRA) YAMAHA 06:23:41 00:20:29 24 021 VILADOMS (ESP) KTM 06:25:59 00:22:47 25 058 KNUIMAN (HOL) YAMAHA 06:26:46 00:23:34 26 080 GONCALVES (POR) HONDA 06:27:04 00:23:52 27 034 VINTERS (LET) KTM 06:27:17 00:24:05 28 019 CZACHOR (POL) KTM 06:29:23 00:26:11 29 035 FLOIRAC (FRA) KTM 06:31:47 00:28:35 30 055 RODRIGUES (POR) YAMAHA 06:32:58 00:29:46 31 160 FARIA (POR) KTM 06:34:52 00:31:40 12:00
Kellon had a bad fall prerunning for the Baja 1000, and the decision was made to sub Andy Grider. It's an interesting story, how Andy left KTM to ride a Suzuki in the 1k, and got a Dakar ride out of the deal...
Looks like a good day for the Americans. Grider was 2nd, Blais 9th, Street 18th, Rauseo 73, Embro 118, Krynock 144, and Heath 188. Doesn't look like Scott and Duane are in yet. Fingers crossed. Great result for Grider.
From the perspective of someone without cable or sat TV, you guys are the best Dakar coverage out there. Thanks Mikas and Mike Werner for the great start. If you guys can keep posting stuff you'll make my week. Looks like a great race so far. Thanks again, Ray
(pictures posted on my news site. Please do not link them in here, or host them yourself). Then Africa And The Double Andys Day Do You remember the scenery we was speaking about in our first contact? We are there now. Europeis now a souvenir, Mediterranean seaalso. From now the main scene will be filled of the colours of the desert. Deep, dazzling blue an shining yellow in the first part of the journey, then red soil and green trees in the following one. Until the blue ocean. Anywhere a consisting risk of foggy dust. Not in Er Rachidia, the small town that the riders joined this afternoon at the end of the last connection section of the stage. In this scenario the pilots sometimes will meet rock mountains and plateaux, but rarely. For sure they will encounter any kind of difficulties along their long travel across northern African mainland. But for the moment any kilometre covered by the riders is useful to the riders in order to tuning the bikes and themselves. It is very important to synchronize the characteristic of the conduit with that ones of the track. For example. Todays stage was long and fast. Not the two transfer sections of 237 and 121kms, but mainly the special test of 312km. The riders encountered many changes of direction, and they have to face a speed limit monitor for the first time. For me it was an annoying stage, said the todays new leader of the race Cyril Despres, because of a new instrument installed on our console that we have to check continuously. The new rule of the Dakarimpose a speed limit of 160 km/h(about 100 milesper hours), and a monitor connected with the GPS warn us when we are reaching this limit. Unfortunately is the same alarm of the sentinel, the overtake warning. With the same beep. So with this new entertainment we are obliged to drive and open the gas intermittently. In addition I had a little problem with the bolts of the instrumentations, and the traditionals stony tracks of Morocco completed the todays Menu. Anyway I finished third and I reached the goal. I am fist overall and I am in the game. This the most important. If the leader of the race is now Gauloises KTM Team member Cyril Despres, the protagonists of today stage were the two Andys, Caldecott and Grider, In fact Andy Caldecott won the stage, and the Andy Grider was second. Both the Australian and the American are very satisfied: To many rocks and stones everywhere, then many changes of direction, said the Australian just after the finish line, It was not a walk, but I am used to be fast when the track is fast, and I like very much large open spaces. For Andy Grider the first African stage of the rally was also the first African stage or his career: Everything was new for me. Asserts the debutant of the Red Bull KTM Team. Our Manager Joe Barker has trained us in many tests in the american deserts, but this land is completely different. Every time you learn something and You can feel more and more confident. I enjoyed the stage, and all was under control. I started fast this morning. Rapidly the landscape changed. Suddenly a felt completely alone in the middle of the desert. But I also felt comfortable and I open the gas. In a few minutes I noticed far over there a cloud of dust. I forced and then I reached Andy (Caldecott). We drove together until the end of the special test, and there we discovered we was the first and the second of the rank. Finally it was a good day also for Marc Coma, the Spaniard of the Repsol Team, that is second of the overall ranking tonight: As we expect, the battle probably will be fight between me ad Cyril. So in the first days of the race we have to control each other. The most important in Moroccois to avoid any risk, falling down or damaging the bike. Then we will see. Of course the level of the participants has grown, and for sure we will face also other riders. Tomorrows stage will reach Ouarzazate. Over 600 kilometressouthward. One more long special test is announced. A special test still fast and with navigation problems, but mainly with the first dunes that the riders will encounter in the long road to Dakar. This night they will delight in the atmosphere of the first bivouac of the Rally. Rankings: 3rd stage Special: 314 km Stage Results: 1. Caldecott (Repsol KTM) 03:21:11h 2. Grider (Red Bull USAKTM) +03:04 3. Despres (Gauloises KTM) +03:06 4. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM) + 03:27 5. Pellicer (KTM) + 04:11 6. Coma (Repsol KTM) + 05:45 7. Amaral (KTM) + 06:28 8. AgraCarrera (YAMAHA)+ 06:46 9. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM) + 06:55 10. Ullevalseter (KTM) + 07:08 11. Gau (Gauloises KTM) + 07:42 12. Fretigne (YAMAHA) + 08:00 13. Duclos (KTM) + 08:27 14. Sala (Repsol KTM) + 08:39 15. Katrinak (KTM) + 08:59 16. Rivera (KTM) + 09:16 17. Casteu (Gauloises KTM) + 09:28 18. Street (KTM) + 09:44 19. Verhoefen (YAMAHA) + 10:22 20. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM) + 11:12 28.Viladoms (Repsol KTM) + 20:47 Overall Results: 1. Despres (Gauloises KTM), 06:03:12h 2. Coma (Repsol KTM), 06:04:28h, + 01:16 6. Pellicer (KTM), 06:04:51h, + 01:39 4. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), 06:06:53h, + 03:41, Penalty: 02:00 5. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 06:06:53h, + 03:41 6. Casteu (Gauloises KTM), 06:08:50h,+ 05:38 7. Fretigne (YAMAHA), 06:09:01h, + 05:49 8. Grider (Red Bull USAKTM), 06:09:12h, + 06:00 9. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), 06:09:47h,+ 06:35 10. AgraCarrera (YAMAHA), 06:10:33h, + 07:21 11. Duclos (KTM), 06:12:29h, + 09:17 12. Amaral (KTM), 06:13:23h, + 10:11 13. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), 06:13:35h, + 10:23 14. Street (KTM), 06:15:01h, + 11:49 15. Gau (Gauloises KTM), 06:15:13, + 12:01 16. Katrinak (KTM), 06:16:23, + 13:11 17. Sala (Repsol KTM) 02:46:56 + 9:32 18. Farres Guell (YAMAHA), 06:17:04h, + 13:52 19. Verhoefen (YAMAHA), 06:17:56h, + 14:44, Penalty: 02:00 20. Rivera (KTM), 06:18:17h, + 15:05 24. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), 06:44:01h, + 06:37
I like the coverage so far. i just wish there were more of it. It looks to me like they understand their audience now. last year was produced like a corporate fluff piece. Wrong choice of production companies. if they are listening to us i would like to see in-depth coverage and profiles of the American team members. a little late now but wouldnt it be nice to see the training and the preparation of the equipment by our US entrants. its a real feat to put a team together and especially for privateers. show the sacrifices many of the supporters and sponsors have made to see this happen. this would be good tv for any one and if they want to grow their coverage of the event the us sponsors and supporters are going to need to be recognized on the screen.
Not good news for Hog Wild Racing. We received a call from Scott's wife. They had problems with the sprocket on the first liaison. Word has it that they were assisted by a mechanic of some kind and eventually moved on to the end of the liaison with a rigged sprocket. Scott expressed concern that they may not let him start the special. He needs to get to the end of the stage to get to his spare parts to properly fix the problem. There is a good chance that it is over for Scott and Duane and the Hog Wild Racing team. We will try to keep our hopes up until official news comes in.
Can someone explain how the speed limit is enforced? Once the "sentinel" warning comes on, does the rider have to decrease the speed within a given time period or distance, or does a penalty apply immediately? What penalty is handed out per speeding violation? It seems the sentinel warning would be a major distraction itself, forcing the rider to take attention off the trail ahead.