Jan 6th 2010 Dakar Rally Stage 5 Race Info & Discussion

Join in and discuss all the action from Stage 5 of the 2010 Dakar Rally. Raceday chat will also be available throughout the entire 2010 Dakar Rally.

STAGE 5: Copiapo > Antofagasta

Connection 90 km | Special Stage 483 km | Connection 97 km | Total 670 km

Course Overview

The area has a reputation for its density in gold and copper mines. And that will be the theme of the hard day the competitors will witness on the road to Antofagasta, as demanding physically as it will be mentally. The open but rocky tracks of the first part of the day won't leave the slightest respite in terms of staying focused. And the off-road portions that follow will request solidity at all points of view: it is indeed here that the competitors will have to battle it out in the fesh-fesh, known on this continent as 'guadal'. At the end of this stage where changes in pace will be numerous; the notion of endurance will start to have its real significance. The less cautious will have already committed mistakes.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by dastexan on January 5, 2010 at 10:21pm

Damn tracker better be working tomorrow. That's all I really gotta say about that.

Permalink Reply by Wheaton56 on January 5, 2010 at 11:08pm

Im realy starting to like these tires more and more, Hope they hold up good in the rocks

Permalink Reply by Tooltime on January 6, 2010 at 12:00am

these tires are awesome in the rocks and sand. they really struggle on the hard packed tight twisty roads due to the lack of rubber meeting the road, or tire contact.

Permalink Reply by 1splat on January 6, 2010 at 1:08am

Its time to shine....starting 1st is going to be great....Rob and Andy are going to rocket through this stage and gain considerable ground on the field. Its "Hummer Time"!

Permalink Reply by Saint Yukon on January 6, 2010 at 6:15am

http://www.dakar.com/us/DAKAR/2010/live.html

reports

98 of 118 bikes have started
12 of 21 quads have started
0 of 83 cars have started
0 of 46 trucks have started

no one has cleared cp1

Permalink Reply by TOG on January 6, 2010 at 6:24am

thank you Saint for the updates.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Meyer on January 6, 2010 at 6:39am

Looks like a day of many changes in altitude and the track. Hoping for a mistake free day for Team Hummer!!

Permalink Reply by Saint Yukon on January 6, 2010 at 7:06am

http://www.dakar.com/us/DAKAR/2010/live.html

reports

117 of 118 bikes have started
21 of 21 quads have started
0 of 83 cars have started
0 of 46 trucks have started

10 bikes have cleared cp1
4 bikes have cleared cp2

Permalink Reply by bighead on January 6, 2010 at 7:12am

good morning planet

Permalink Reply by Shop Goddess on January 6, 2010 at 7:13am

Here's to Robby and RGM.......May they all kick some serious tailpipe today!

Permalink Reply by Saint Yukon on January 6, 2010 at 7:19am

from

http://www.dakar.com/2010/DAK/presentation/docs/concurrents/conseil...

After yesterdays debacle I became curious about the navigation and I found the following:

What is an itinerary?
This is represented by the road book, which shows the ideal route to follow.It is formed by the boxes of the road book (km, diagram, and comments). It is obligatory to pass through WPM, WPE, C/P, DZ, and FZs. Between these points, you may choose not to follow the road book route, at your own risk.

What is a WPM
A Hidden Waypoint. These are stored in the GPS, but their coordinates are not given in the road book.

What is a WPE?
An Eclipse Waypoint. The GPS directs the competitor to this point, whatever the distance,
only once the previous WPM has been validated.

What is a CP?
A checkpoint WPM where the time card has to be stamped.

What are DZ and FZ?
DZ : start of a speed control zone (generally at the entrance to a village, indicated by a special sign)
FZ : end of speed control zone (generally at the exit from a village)

What do we have to respect?
All obligatory points of passage (WPM, WPE, C/P, DZ, FZ) must be validated.Each non-validated point
will incur a time penalty, at to exclusion.

Permalink Reply by Shop Goddess on January 6, 2010 at 7:22am

testing.....testing......my last post disappeared......