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NEWS
Historic stage win for Husqvarna
The KTM domination -- at least as far as stage wins is concerned -- in the 2012 Dakar Rally has been snapped, upstaged by an Husqvarna-riding SpaniardSpain’s Joan Barreda and the Bavarian-Italian Husqvarna Rallye Team have scored an historic win in stage 10 of the 2012 Dakar Rally, trumping KTM stars Marc Coma and Cyril Despres in the process.
The 694 stage from Iquique to Arica, of which 377km was a special test, saw Barreda claim a convincing one minute and 32-second (1:32) victory over Coma, followed by Despres (3:39), Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha, 5:16) and Jordi Viladoms (KTM, 8:48).
Team principal Wolfgang Fischer said after the stage: “All our hard work has been rewarded with this historic win. We’re extremely happy to see our bike perform that well -- obviously a machine capable of winning at the Dakar against the world’s best.
“Earning this result is very satisfying to say the least. A stage win against two of the sport’s greatest (Coma and Despres)."
Barreda’s mid-rally blitzkrieg has lifted him up to 14 in the overall classification, and if he maintains his strong form he’ll be eyeing a top 10 finish in the world‘s toughest rally.
Meanwhile, the battle at the front has tightened right up, wit Coma cutting Despres’ lead to just 21 seconds
“It's the tone that’s been set for the rally and I think we'll keep on battling until the end,” said Coma. “We keep trying to make the difference all the time and the entry into Peru will be decisive.
“The race will hinge on the smallest of margins. When the performance level is equivalent with the same team and the same bike, it's very difficult, both for him (Despres) and for me. But when it comes to the crunch, it will be entirely up to either one rider or the other.”
Despres agreed saying: “At this level, every second counts. It’s a scenario that I thought might happen, so I'm not surprised. I'm just happy to have got through another day. In any case, staying out in front for the whole 377km while riding flat out isn’t easy. If I finish in his (Coma’s) dust or him in mine, it doesn't change that much.”
Dean Nuttall (KTM) is the leading Australian in 37th.
Stage 11 is to be split into two times sections and, while riders will be permitted to work on their machines at the halfway mark, their support crews will not be able to assist them.
Organisers say this move was to inspire the “The Spirit of the Dakar” among competitors, forcing them to share tools and advice on mechanical matters. This maintenance method was also deployed in Morocco during the 2007 Dakar.
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Written byBikesales Staff
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