It's a common procedure

As a Dakar fan, I'm quite disappointed with the A.S.O. For me, this rally was the epitome of the off-road competition. Endurance, intelligence, team work and top of the line racing equipment.

I always tought they were not like the FIA people, with all it's corruption. A.S.O. for me was the brightest race organization in the world, for making such difficult race happen, wich must be very difficult for itself.

And maybe this difficulty is one of the reasons why A.S.O. is clearly manipulating the results. The sponsors and big money teams, are starting to take over the Dakar. It's sad, because this rally stills one of the few worldwide competitions that the independents can shine over the mighty money factories team.

But the reality is, BMW/Mini already spent lot's and lot's of money on this competition, and the car is very slow for the competition standard. They know that, and they will do whatever they have to do to ensure victory, so they can merchandise over it.

After losing with shame for the VW Touaregs, now that the VW'S are out, they cannot afford to lose for an independent team, it will hurt their image pretty bad.

From the day one, with one of the multiple cars they signed in, it was settled that Mini would win this year Dakar, and that's what A.S.O. is ensuring to happen. A.S.O. is making it, maybe to defend their sponsors, like BF Goodrich...and to ensure the big sponsors like Monster and Red Bull still on the Dakar for the next years to come.

If you ask me, it's wrong...true competition is the sport soul, if you take competition out of the sport, turns it into a friends camping over the wilderness. And people don't want to see a bunch of rich fellas having fun, people want competion, motorsport.

I'm pretty sure now, this kind of situation have happened before, with a lot of competitors and other teams. Every time I see the Red Bull biker, Cyril Despre, and how he managed to get out of the mud and not loose any time (thanks to the organization, who credited him all the minutes he lost)...I feel ashamed...that's not racing.

The organization (A.S.O.) even PUNISHED the portuguese rider who helped him, because he was helped by locals. The curious thing is, if the section was cut off from the rally, why punish him them?

And Peterhansel, who deliberately rammed over a stuck motorcycle rider inside a flowing river?! He hit'n'run the guy, pushed his bike to the water and was TOTALLY clear with that.

If Robby was the one pushing the biker into the river, what you people think A.S.O. would do?

Competition is always fair, the best wins. But this, this is not competition, it's a marked game.

The tv coverage A.S.O. is providing is rich in images, but very poor on info, always speaking how great Peterhansel is with it's nine victories (but how he managed to win nine times...like this year?), and always making fun of non factories racing teams.

The good thing is, in south america people have cameras, and are posting videos on youtube...if you search, you will see who are the competitors the crowd loves, and the mini-mini pilots are not among them. There's no A.S.O. helicopter on earth who can prove that wrong.

"La Hummer, la Hummer" "La vien Robby", "Nasser Hummer, que loco"...and a lot of screams, hands to the air and people going crazy. The mini-minis only appear on the videos when they happen to be near a Hummer, otherwise most of the people don't even bother.

It's sad to see such a incredible race, in such beatifull place, tainted by this corruption scheme.

But people, let's be concient, who has ever watched the 2010 movie about Senna?
2010 Senna Movie

French driver Prost, F1 multi-champion...winning in conditions like this, with a lot of corruption from the french sport organization.

I'm not saying french people are corrupt, and it's not right blame a nacionality for something like this. But these kind of situations happens on sports, people should be aware of it.

I live in Brazil, if Robby is racing next year Dakar, will take the trip to argentina to see the Hummers close and cheer for the Speed Team wins.

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Permalink Reply by will on January 14, 2012 at 6:56pm

Cross posted from advrider.com also in Planet Biker Bar.
Worth a listen for a first hand look at how the factory teams are treated by the A.S.O.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/rallyraidio/12D22.mp3

Permalink Reply by will on January 14, 2012 at 7:45pm

Here's a big 'ol load of crap.
http://www.corsaonline.com.ar/2012/01/14/N-7734-los-malos-de-la-pel...

The Dakar, like any sporting competition, with strict regulations, proper career out of this category, since it belongs to the world. Hence more room is left to the brokers, primarily in the design of their vehicles. However, participants must respect the rules. To ensure this, the "commissioners" look at everything very closely.

There are 23 in total, 15 for cars and 8 motorcycles, all are federated, but voluntary, in order to ensure its independence and impartiality towards the organization. They are the "Commissioners" broad term used to designate those who have to "judge", 24 hours a day, the behavior of riders in the Dakar, through a well shot and it works effectively, ensuring the same treatment for all.

"We can introduce through three entities," explains Marc Ducrocq, director of motorcycle racing. "First there is the college of commissioners, or court for motorcycles, consisting of three persons. As the highest level of the pyramid, the "tribunal", which from a distance and expertise, decide on disputes and claims and then make a decision to apply the career direction. It resembles the legislature.

The direction of the race is primarily responsible for safety and sports issues during the race day. So sometimes you have to make decisions on their own, in case of serious problems, but you can always complain to the school, when returning to the bivouac. It resembles the executive branch.

Finally, there are the "technical" verifying the technical compliance of the vehicles at each exit and in the afternoon. The system is easy, but it can quickly be overwhelmed by the large number of runners, so not all claims are discharged to "court". 99% of cases the direction of the race directly applicable penalty provided by the regulations. Only the most contentious end to the school, when there is conflict between two points of regulation. "

To make a decision as fair as possible, the commissioners must know the exact circumstances of the infraction of the rules, which is not easy on a journey of thousand miles. "It is impossible to monitor everything," says Jean-Pierre Ipuy, president of the tribunal bikes.

"We attach great importance to the word of the corridors, in good faith. Therefore, we show very severe when it finds a patent falsehood or fraud. To verify the statements, in addition to the usual time recording cards, we have effective means of inquiry: the security tools. "

"These tools are the Iritrack and GPS that we provide very precise tests and speed, but can also highlight track behaviors are far from the statement made by the broker. Then there are the images of television cameras, that, in accordance with the regulations, available to us. All these means and the statements of different parts, allow us to make a decision as fair as possible, "explains Ipuy.

"Of course, for all runners, we are the 'bad guys', because we only see when you run the risk of a penalty. This explains why in most cases, show a rather repentance before us, "concludes Joseph Besoli, president of the school cars.

"However, we know that often we do everything possible so they can stay in the race, especially amateurs. But the rules are the same for everyone. Contrary to what most people think and amateurs, although the importance of the team has an impact on decisions, it is one more factor that plays against him. Great teams are professionals and know the rules as well as we do. So you can not excuse any violation of the law, "explains Besoli.

"For an amateur, who is making his dream come true and dispute the evidence of his life, suffering every day, we are clearly more lenient. Without being permissive, we will do everything possible so you can stay in the race , taking every opportunity that gives us the minimum regulation, which does not dominate the amateur. And very often the most surprised when we inform you that have not been excluded ... "he says.

Permalink Reply by pdxracefan on January 14, 2012 at 8:12pm

Well, that certainly clears things up.

;-)

Permalink Reply by Carl Abrams on January 14, 2012 at 9:25pm

What a load of shit.

You know what they do with people that can talk a line of shit this long?

Make them Politicians.

Permalink Reply by Philip on January 14, 2012 at 8:41pm

Well said.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Ball on January 15, 2012 at 9:25am

"Contrary to what most people think and amateurs, although the importance of the team has an impact on decisions, it is one more factor that plays against him"
"For an amateur, who is making his dream come true and dispute the evidence of his life, suffering every day, we are clearly more lenient. Without being permissive, we will do everything possible so you can stay in the race , taking every opportunity that gives us the minimum regulation, which does not dominate the amateur."

So let me get this straight, there are officially two sets of rules, just apparently they are in the other direction.
How about treating everybody exactly the same? Surely an illegal car means a penalty no matter how little money the team have?

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