Follow all the Dakar Day 6 action as it happens right here on the Auto Live Ticker!
So far this week, South African Dakar cars and men have done us proud over the first five days. So what does Day 6 have in store? According to the official Dakar website, “sand and dunes await the competitors at the start of the 448-km sixth special. “Though navigational skills will again play a decisive role in the outcome of this special, the riders’ and drivers’ physical capacities will also be sorely tested. “They will have to tackle the endless sea of dunes while trying to lose as little time as possible. “This stage precedes the rest day, which some competitors will welcome with open arms.”
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14h15 Cars: Nasser Al Attiyah has turned the tables on Stephane Peterhansel and clawed back a 3 minute deficit to finish 14 seconds ahead of the Frenchman closed the gap ever so slightly. Carlos Sainz and Yazeed Al Rajhi beat them both home with Baragwanath and de Villiers also in as the rest were still to finish.
13h40 Cars: Sainz seems to have it all under control 100 km from home, ahead of Al Rajhi,. The interest is in Attiyah, who has halved his deficit to overall rival Peterhansel in their dice for third. Sebastien Loeb’s race has gone from bad o worse – he’s broken his Hunter’s suspension and is waiting for assistance. Teammate Roma is having a good day in fifth ahead of Kuba Przygonski’s Hilux.
13h30 Bikes: Ross Branch and his Yamaha came in a strong second, just 13 seconds behind today’s bike winner Joan Barreda’s Honda. Daniel Sanders was third from KTM man Daniel Sanders, Ricky Brabe’s Honda and three more KTMs ridden by Matthias Walkner, Toby Price and Sam Sunderland. Branch is now just 3 minutes 41 seconds off the yo-yo overall bike lead, currently in Price’s care ahead of Honda duo Kevin Benavides and Ignacio Conrejo.
13h15 Cars: Sainz has dominated the stage over Al Rajhi, while Peterhansel has slowly edged away from Attiyah in fourth. Baragwanath and Giniel continue to deal with the disadvantage of opening the road towards the bottom of the day’s top ten.
13h05 Bikes: Barreda continues to lead but Ross Branch is now hos nearest rival , 48 seconds adrift as the bikes storm towards the finish. Sandrs, Brabec, Price, Walkner et-al are now over 2 minutes behind Barreda
12h20 Bikes: it’s close up front with Barreda now leading Sanders, Branch and Brabec, all within 30 seconds. Price has slipped a minute to fourth
12h15 Cars: Sainz still leads, but its Yazed Al Rajhi who has put in a charge today as he now runs second having disposed of Peterhansel, hho has meanwhile take two minutes out of Attiyah in fourth. Roma is next up ahead of Baragwanath and de Villies as they open the road.
11h30 Bikes: Barreda and Price were trading the lead up front with Brabec, Sanders and Branch in their own close spat for third and split be a few second a minute behind at 158 km.
11h25 Cars: Sainz now ahead by 29 seconds at WP1, Brian & Giniel have slipped down te order as they open the road today
11h05 Cars: It’s much the same in the cars at 48 km as Peter and Nasser duke it out with Baragwanath and de Villiers keeping a watching brief
11h00 Bikes: Price now slightly ahead of Barreda up front with Brabec, Sanders and Branch at 158 km
10h20 Cars: Giniel has meanwhile set of to get the car day underway…
10h15 Bikes: Joan Barreda led the way for Honda early on ahead of Toby Price’s KTM and `ross Branch on his Yamaha. with Floromino, Brabec van Beveren, Quintanilla and Howes next up through WP1. he first bikes on the road were also through 108 km WP2 is a similar order.
08h50 Bikes: The first machines have entered the stage….
05h00 All: Today’s stage has been shortened and the start delayed – bikes set off at 08h30 and th cars 10h15. Here’s why: “Due to the difficulties encountered in finishing stage 5 by a significant number of competitors, the decision has been taken to delay the departure of the riders and crews from the bivouac in Al Qaisumah by 1 hour 30 minutes. The route of the special on stage 6 has therefore been shortened by one hundred kilometres.”
00h00 All: It’s a more or less leisurely start on Dakar Day 6, with the bikes setting off 06h55 SA time and the cars starting 0830. Hold on to you hats!