Dakar Dazed - Debut! The LC4-50 at the Dakar Rally 2015!

Fantastic post from Calle via Capo Sakke on the pre-event coverage thread:

Go Calle! Go #159!!!

Jx

Real photos (rather than TV screen grabs) are starting to appear... some nice shots of Calle on the podium and the streets of Buenos Aires from Robert Duddan Claesson who travelled out from Sweden to support him and the other Scandinavian riders...









More to come I'm sure!

Jx

I can't wait ;I feel like I have family racing!!!

Corky kitted and ready to ride:



John has 'adopted' him for the duration of Dakar after his wallet was stolen a couple of days ago... "You're my wife now..."

Chris will be the first of the Torque Racing riders away this morning - at 6.11am local time, followed by Mikael & Anders Berglund, Calle at 6.23am and Ralf a couple of minutes afterwards...

I'll be doing what I can to bring you updates throughout the day on Facebook & Twitter (and dip in and out of the main firehose thread when I can), with a summary of the day here later this evening...

Good luck everybody!

Go #104 / #148 / #149 / #159 / #163 !!!

Jx

Countdown to start 3...2...1... 6.23am: Go Calle! Go #159!!! - The LC4-50 has started the Dakar Rally! #proudmoment



"There again I've more to do than simply get the message though, I haven't started... let's get this show on the road, lets make it obvious, Hagenblad is off and rolling..." Tim Rice, Via Eva Peron

Jx

Dakar Rally 2015 Day 1: Buenos Aires to Villa Carlos Paz = 838kms, with a 175km Special Stage approximately 2/5th of the way though...



To put that into perspective for anyone familiar with the UK - that's like getting up at 5am and riding from Aberdeen to London... with the sector between Edinburgh and Newcastle all off road and against the clock. On a single cylinder dirt bike. And this is just the first day. Still want to do the Dakar?! Go Calle! Go #159!!!

John snapped a photo of Carl leaving the bivouac this morning on the first liaison at 6.23am... #proudmoment


Jx

So clean. So keen.

Thanx so much for your continuing pix.

Wishing you and your team all the best luck available.

Go Carl!

John snapped a photo of Carl leaving the bivouac this morning on the first liaison at 6.23am... #proudmoment


Jx

It's exciting to imagine what goes through the minds of these riders and teams when start time arrives.

Awesome!

Great coverage! I'm in!

Great to see the project come to this point Jen! Already a WIN in my book!

Just a stupid question: Where can I get some Torque Racing swag??

Calle is in! 1st Special of the Dakar completed - in 133rd position - now for the LONG liaison to the bivouac 519kms away... bet he's glad he's on the LC4-50 ;o)

Jx

Shouldn't he leave the luggage with someone? That pack looks awefully heavy!

Hee hee - I'm not sure what he was carrying this morning - it might have been a cold start (or he'd forgotten his breakfast?!)... either way, I know the plan was to rendezvous with the team at the DSS, so he might have dropped it with them then?

Jx

What's on his backpack, Jenny?

Carl is probably wondering if he will get an oil change before rest day!!

Torque Racing (our assistance team) don't really have any swag as such - but if you'd like to support the LC4-50 project directly, we have team crew shirts available from either the Rally Raid Products webshop (for UK & European supporters) or directly from our sponsor ADVaddicts for the USA and rest of world.





Thank you all for your support!

Jx

Yay! In for a few!

Awesome!!!!!

Subscribed...Hell of an effort you all have put in. Oh, and good luck!