Dakar 2012 - Official Event Coverage - THANK YOU all Lurkers and Posters!!

[doyle]

Well, here we are again, another year, another multi-week flurry of posts, disappointed employers, spouses, and woefully neglected children.

I know we have a few threads going already, but with the pre-race thread at 42 pages let's concentrate that one on all the pre-rally preparation and this one on the day to day rally results and news.

For the n00bs, this will be the firehose at full blast. Last year's thread went 501 pages, 12,453 posts, and over 750K views...full speed ahead, buckle your seatbelts. Also, for a primer on following along, specifically on where to find and how to decipher some of the information on Dakar.com, check this thread.

Daily Information:

• Official ASO Dakar Website
• ADVrider Racing Forum (AKA here)
• Marathonrally
• Rally Pan Am on Twitter
• Also, check the rider list below for links to their personal or team pages, many of which are updated with individual news.

Another great source is Facebook. May be tough if you haven't 'friended' many of the riders, but it seems like the most up to date information on a rider by rider basis hit's FB first, even over twitter.

For this viewing via mobile, I'll add shameless plugs for my feeds. I'll be doing my best to keep the twitter feed rolling with play by play and then daily wrap ups at the minimum via my blog RallyRaidReview.

Where to listen:

• http://www.rallyraidio.net/ Competitors and rally followers, check with Packmule or Flood for call in numbers.
• Radio Maray (Spanish) If you hablas Espanol, Maray is THE source!

Where to watch:

• NBCSports. There is no telling what this years US/Canadian coverage may be since Versus, formerly OLN, was recently bought by NBC Sports. NBCS will be broadcasting Dakar, check your local listings. East Coast US coverage looks to be starting at 1:30am on January 2nd.
  
• Also of course, Eurosport.com runs two updates daily, an interview update and then a stage/daily coverage show. Check either the media or torrent threads as those are the best sources for this information.
  
• Eurosport always puts on some great pre-race content to whet your appetite. Check out the Destination Dakar and Roadbook videos on the Eurosport site.
  
• SBS - Looks like coverage starts on the 2nd with daily updates at 17:30 local time. (I am not sure of the time zones. )
  
• TN.ar - Excellent Spanish language live coverage. Usually continual coverage of the start festivities.

Who to watch:

ADVrider inmates and friends:
Number links to Dakar page, name links to personal or team page if one exists.

9 - QUINN ALEXIS CODY - (USA) - HONDA CRF 450X
14 - DAVID CASTEU - (FRA) - YAMAHA 450 WRF RALLY
19 - JONAH STREET - (USA) - YAMAHA YZ450
29 - THOMAS BERGLUND - (SWE) - HUSABERGFE 450 RR
36 - SAM SUNDERLAND - (GBR) - HONDA CRF 450 DAKAR X
50 - JUAN CARLOS SALVATIERRA - (BOL) - HONDA CRF450X
55 - KEMAL MERKIT - (TUR) - KTM 450 RALLY RR
60 - STANLEY WATT - (GBR) - KTM 450 RALLY
61 - DIMAS MATTOS - (BRA) - KTMKTM 450 RALLY REPLICA
62 - DAVID SCHWARZ - (AUS) - HUSABERG FE450
74 - ERIK KOFMAN - (NLD) - KTM 450
81 - NED SUESSE - (USA) - KTM 450XCW
104 - VICENTE DE BENEDICTIS - (BRA) - BETA RR 450
106 - JAMES EMBRO - (USA) - KTM 450 RALLY
107 - RONNIE BODINGER - (SWE) - HUSABERG FE 450
109 - ARNDT BUDWEG - (BRA) - KTM 450 RALLY REPLICA
113 - RODNEY FAGGOTTER - (AUS) - HUSABERG FE450
118 - DONALD HATTON - (CAN) - YAMAHA WR 450
147 - MICHAEL STANFIELD - (USA) - KTM 450 EXC
150 - LUIS BELAUSTEGUI - (ARG) - KTM XC 150
172 - MANUEL LUCCHESE - (ITA) - HUSABERG FE 450 RALLY
180 - JAGO PICKERING - (GBR) - KTM 450EXC
187 - TOBIAS YOUNGER - (GBR) - KTM 450EXC
188 - BILL CONGER - (USA) - HUSQVARNA 449

The full list of entrants can be found here.

Again, a special mention to all who follow and support the riders. Those who go without sleep, clean clothes, or showers and endure the bumpy roads and non-roads helping to keep the riders riding for our enjoyment. Thanks to you!

I'll also give special mention to Carlton Kirby for, in my opinion, excellent Eurosport commentating and lack of fear to dive into the less known and sometimes obscure competitors and story lines.

The Route:

[Flood]

[place holder]

[troy safari carpente]

"Testing... testing... one, two... testing...

hey... fella's... is this thing on...?

Oh... there it is...

Houston... this is F5 mission control... we are currently T-minus 34 hours and 35 minute to go for F5 main engine launch over... status reports all clear from mar del plata launch site... I see we have the first images starting to come through now Houston... over..."

[Bluebull2007]

Woohooo!!!!!!


Here we go.




Will Chaleco be able to pull it off this year from the Europeans? The Chileans certainly think so.

Perhaps this new image will help?

[tserts]

Boom, boom, is this thing on?

Just watched the images on TN, es una locuraaaaa!!!!

QUE TENGAMOS UNA BUENA CARRERA!!!

[sallad]

Not a bad way to start 2012

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by Bluebull2007

Here we go.




Will Chaleco be able to pull it off this year from the Europeans? The Chileans certainly think so.

Perhaps the new image will help?

from here: http://advrider.com/forums/showpost....&postcount=705

#4. Chaleco Lopez d’ Contender: The Chillean Redbullfighter has been relatively quiet since last years DAKADEMY awards… tripping over the steps on the way up the podium cannot be an easy thing to live down, for the COPEC Moviestar… but at least the lesson of “it’s not over until…” is not lost on Chaleco and his twin cylinder Aprilia home boys. I anticipate a strong showing in the opening acts, and establish himself amongst the frontrunners for an Oscar by the time intermission comes. The second half will be filled with passion and drama… but I am sure this year that Lopez d’ Contender will be calculated in his quest to hear the “…fat lady sing”.


Chaleco has certainly raised his profile... wall street racer now!

[tserts]

OK I'm ready...

[Brodovitch]

so I guess it's on?

[ArthDuro]

Oh it is on!

[knybanjo]

Originally Posted by tserts

OK I'm ready...

[cvlighthouse]

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/503/11...kar-Plans.aspx

Marc Coma:

"Truth is I have very good feelings and I am in full physical form. We expect a tough and demanding rally, where experience will be a key factor. Although we have to be focused from the first day, the stages in Atacama and Peru can decide the race.

I don't feel pressure, so I simply face the race with the same strength and determination. I will compete as always and then we will see what we can do. To win again will undoubtedly be the best reward, as there have been some years that a winner does not repeat victory, but we have to do it step by step".

[Vicks]

i'm in.. Yipee !!!

[cvlighthouse]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...on/?xid=cnnbin

Gordon hopes to conquer new territory with win in Dakar Rally

""I was only going to run one Hummer and it had already been shipped," Gordon said. "It had to be on the water two months ago to get through customs. Nasser approached me and we had a second Hummer in a position to run and we had the support trucks and guys. It was fortunate for us. The other Hummer is basically the same as mine."

[Brimstone]

Time to F5 and chew bubblegum. And I'm all out of bubblegum!