Dakar 2009

Part of an indertview with Etinne Lavigne at dakar.com re: Dakar 2009...
All the categories will be fiercely contested, as they were at the Central Europe Rally ! And above all, we should enjoy a fabulous race from the independents ! Gache, Delecour, Lavieille, Muller, Monteiro, Gordon, Henrard, Kahle, Patissier, Errandonea, Vigouroux... I’m bound to have forgotten someone… And in T2 – what a fight ! The differences are often infinitesimal !

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Permalink Reply by Kirsten on July 19, 2008 at 3:38am

On the vast Argentinean and Chilean territories, a large loop of 9 000 kilometres including around 6 000 kilometres of specials, will have to be covered by the competitors to reach Buenos Aires, start and finish place of the race. By first of all heading south towards the landscapes of Patagonia, the drivers and riders will then have to cross the Andes Mountains before enjoying a rest day at Valparaiso on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The return trip will then take them to the Atacama Desert and notably to the Argentinean provinces of Catamarca, of Rioja and of Cordoba.

The Dakar that has a vocation to discover unknown territories for off-road rally amateurs will cross over the Atlantic Ocean for its 2009 edition. The calendar has therefore been adapted in order to allow the shipping of the vehicles to Argentina’s capital: a first phase of technical and administrative scrutineering will take place on the 26th and 27th of November at Le Havre where the European vehicles will be boarded on ships. The organisers of the rally have announced the opening of the period to send registration files as of the 15th of May. During a month, the competitors that had registered for the 2008 edition of the Dakar will benefit from a priority.

26th - 27th of November 2008: first phase of technical and administrative scrutineering at Le Havre.

31st of December 2008 - 1st of January 2009: second phase of technical and administrative scrutineering at “La Rural” Palace in Buenos Aires.

2nd of january 2009 : briefings and start podium

3rd of January 2009: start of the first stage from Buenos Aires, on the “Plaza de la Republica”.

10th of January 2009: rest day at Valparaiso.

18th of January 2009: finish in Buenos Aires

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Permalink Reply by TOG on July 20, 2008 at 1:12pm

looking forward to this race.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Taylor on October 21, 2008 at 6:34pm

Yeah cant wait!!!

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Permalink Reply by Blues on July 20, 2008 at 1:16pm

Robby - Malcolm Smith has done alot of riding and driving in Patagonia and the Andes. Call him up and pick his brain!

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Permalink Reply by Ex Desert on July 21, 2008 at 1:28pm

Having the race in Argentina puts everyone on a more level playing field. This race has some areas closer to Baja too, plus the altitude kills those smaller motors. I was part of the Nissan class 4 off road team when we raced HDRA in Craig Colorado and at 7500 feet that litle six cylinder motor wouldnt pull the hat off your head. Wish I could go.

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Permalink Reply by Kirsten on August 19, 2008 at 6:32pm

You and me both. Hey Robby, want someone to take "official photos" of Team Dakar USA in 2009?

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Permalink Reply by Kirsten on August 21, 2008 at 3:32am

I scour the net for Dakar news and I'll post it here when I find it. :-D

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Permalink Reply by GrayAntiMatter on August 20, 2008 at 2:04am

I'm looking forward to the event, it should be good. But there is no getting around that it is just not the same...

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Permalink Reply by Turtle7 on August 20, 2008 at 12:02pm

Does this mean what I think it means... Ship the Hummers from LA to LeHarve and then from LeHarve to Buenos Aires? "The calendar has therefore been adapted in order to allow the shipping of the vehicles to Argentina’s capital: a first phase of technical and administrative scrutineering will take place on the 26th and 27th of November at Le Havre where the European vehicles will be boarded on ships." Only Europhiles would think up something this twisted.

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Permalink Reply by alan4s on August 20, 2008 at 1:54pm

It does say the "European vehicles" at Le Havre. I suspect RG can have it all done at “La Rural” Palace in Buenos Aires on the 31st and the 1st.

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Permalink Reply by 7 Gordon 7 on August 20, 2008 at 1:27pm

Awesome i'm looking forward to this one. Lets hope Robby has the issue with his hubs sorted out by then.

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Permalink Reply by Joan Forsythe on August 20, 2008 at 1:36pm

To La Harve then to South America? That might be too costly for RG to do. Maybe he could get a by and have specs done in Argentina. It doesn't make sense for him to ship to Europe then back to South America. Joan