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

Well it's not Mexico and it's not Namibia and there may not be much F5 hammering, but I'll see you in Odessa if you're there. Maybe we should have a F5 Rally Tragic's Anonymous meeting one night... hopefully not a 35 degree mud bath this year. :huh

Awesome!

Sounds like a plan !!!!!

Cool!

I had to honor the Dakar yesterday as well, hooked up with two ADVers I hadn't met (well, turns out I'd met one and just didn't know it) and we headed east hoping to stay out of the snow.

So far so good...


And then this . Lots of it.


One guy rode this on a DR with stock Trailwings! :eek1

Ended up a little more 'epic' than planned but we had a ball anyway.

Is that frozen fesh fesh?

The brown stuff underneath it most certainly is . Central Oregon is one of the few places I've ridden where you'll come out of the snow and immediately be making dust...

Another small country being represented!

Hats off to Ivan who did an incredible job for his Slovak brothers.

Well kids and junkies I think it is time to review the key lessons that were learned from this year's Dakar.

* Those that are headbandophobic are latent headbandual.

* When Luis B. walks it sounds like someone is clacking two billiard balls in a Crown Royal bag.

* The US still has the great missing the frontal lobe function hope in Casselli.:eek1

* If Despres is there, Coma needs to be there so the alien battle can be appreciated.

* The French are your natural superiors for another year for winning and creating this race. If you don't have french heritage sale your bike cheap to someone who can really do something with it.

Anyway, all of you need to find your way to the Dakardone clinic to help alleviate your event addiction.

Great job again f5ers and all of the other cliff notes threads.

PM great job again on the interviews and I'll be happy to see you all next year.

How awesome is this shot?!

Pizzolito & Vagnoni pushing Verhoven

Gets me all misty-eyed.

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/frostyuk/8405236370/" title="DSCN6500 by frostyuk400, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8376/8405236370_03712216d8.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN6500"></a>

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/frostyuk/8405235806/" title="DSCN6512 by frostyuk400, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8470/8405235806_60e2c4dd20.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN6512"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/frostyuk/8405235568/" title="DSCN6515 by frostyuk400, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8216/8405235568_4c0af61533.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSCN6515"></a>

till next year guys

Excellent photos of Craig and Tamsin there Frosty - bringing another one home to the valleys!

Jx

Hi Tomas - I think you misread my original post - that was my point - BMW realised that the G450X was perhaps not the 'golden ticket' they had hoped for, so dropped the competition line to concentrate on their large capacity Adventure range... letting Husqvarna take over any subsequent development of the 450X engine/platform for the 449.

As I'm sure you are aware, the Speedbrain kit was originally developed for the G450X, and modified/developed over the past couple of years to work with the modified chassis that Husqvarna employed for the 449.

My point is simply that by separating the racing programme/s (Mini & Husqvarna) from the parent company (BMW) the risk now is minimal for BMW - if it works, then it's great for the sub-brands; and it if doesn't, BMW don't suffer from adverse publicity/criticism, and their core business and brand image remains unaffected...

Jx

OK time is up!:huh

Thanks Jenny, i cant take credit for the pic though just the posting..... tamsin sent the pics to me


good luck next year ..... we'll be watching

Jordi Viladoms wrap up of his 2013 race:

"I'm home! The trip ended a little earlier than expected, sooner than I would have liked, but with my Dakar dose and high spirits.

It is inevitable to review all that has happened, the head spins on everything that's happened ... And also review has been inevitable as were the ratings before they started having mechanical problems, and again I say the same thing: the approach of the race was right and we were on the right track. When I finished the first special stage 7, ie half of the race, was 4 th overall and less than 4 minutes from Cyril Depres, who was the pilot who had to score close. My arms have always been the regularity and consistency and I think this could work well in Dakar, though not as showy as winning stages. Another point with which I stay is that I did not fall even once in the 10-stage race that I kept. Of course, always in the Dakar anything can happen and it does not make the story of the old ... are just data that give me moral and tell me that I have to continue in this line in future editions.

I feel very fortunate to have been involved again in Dakar, fight to be in the top positions and strange though it may sound a memory I have very good all lived in step 7, when I had all these problems! We can not forget that what we like is to overcome challenges and to me it was one of the most difficult to face and overcome. As he was fixing my adrenaline was going up, this is the only explanation of how I could go physically enduring all, why put up with the cold easily and why I could not sleep when it was three in the morning at the bivouac Salta!

Inevitably, after breaking my bike engine in step 10 is definitely ended and began my journey back home. When I arrived in La Rioja it was too late and I could only limit to take a shower, have dinner and go to sleep because at 5 in the morning had to leave the car with assistance to the next bivouac in Fiambala, I escape would take a step back from mountain range to nearly 5000 meters! This is especially hard, and could not help seeing the "motards" as they were warm, and I was telling mechanics how hard it is, with the accumulated fatigue, cold, lack of oxygen ... All resulting in a terrible dream! I could not help but worry when saw some pilot embarrassed ... To the extent we saw that one of them was stopping too often and decided to stop to see what was wrong. She wore cool clothes and the boy (20 years ...) it was freezing, her lips and fingers blue! I put a Buff of mine, the team physio put on latex gloves, cover it with plastic bags and after trying him warm and breathe some oxygen out again ... Even had to assist once again but this kid, because I recognized the opening of Dakar had a parliament, being the youngest participant, made it to the start of the special! I do not know who has this race but clearly shows the spirit of excellence in all of us and makes us cross all limits ... Incredible!

Once I arrived in Copiapó itself can organize my flight back to Santiago, then to Madrid and then Barcelona, &#8203;&#8203;where at the airport a few friends and family welcomed me. Although things did not go well and would not even notice that much time at the airport because I had to go to TV3 and TVE whistling, were there giving me a warm welcome to thank you very much!

And now, from the dining room of my house, I take leave of adventure DAKAR 2013. Thank you very much to all who have supported and encouraged me, and I promise we'll have more opportunities to live beautiful moments, whether successful or have more little adventures and challenges ahead which is what we like!

A big hug! "

well unfortunately i have had to lurk rather than participate in the last few days and not wanting to repeat what has already been said will just add

well done to all the finishers of the dakar and indeed all who took part. and well done to th ktm boys at the front. deserved podium places for all of them.

and thanks alot to all the guys in f5 land who are much better connceted than i and drop all the vids and pics and info onto the thread... only another year to go until we can do it all again...

No crowd....because the "public" was not allowed to be there.

Maray was having a fit on the radio about that...seems that only the "elite" few were allowed to view the medals ceremonies.

Dear Advriders!!
i have the luck of my life this year ...... the final stage "short special" took place so close to my parents house in Limache. so.... i have taken more than 600 pics... i would like to share the pics with you.. i have posted them in my facebook profile. i would accept request in facebook to Advrider inmates only


https://www.facebook.com/matias.a.r.10

also i would like to know if there is a topic on how can we prepare to race a rally like Dakar or Dos Sertoes... tech info about the bike, support team, etc.... thanks in advance for your info.
Bye

Nice


p.s. friend request sent.

Anyone want to hear from Luis?


Hoping to talk to him soon. Post up any questions....