Dakar 2023

Yes he is riding with Ondrej as a navigator, looks like the had a tough day one or two but results are tough to find for that class as they take a completely different route, it's kinda like the AHRMA vintage stuff, cars from the 80's

 

Flooding in the desert.

How bout those classics though?

 

The word "classics" implies old and outdated. That is hurtful. Please use "distinguished".

 

I'm confused, after watching the recap show of stage 4. 574.01 km in 04H 28' 18''?? That's over 79 mph average, with them clearly shown frequently in slower, difficult terrain. Must be lots of long, fast stretches they rarely show footage of. Fun to follow, so far this year.

 

Stage 4 was shortened due to inclement weather. There was flooding on the course...Typically desert races are around 45-60 MPH average. Depending all kinds of stuff

 

Please keep posting here @Critter. Terrific to have your insight.

 

There's a RedBull highlight vid on Youtube that shows the flooded river crossings.

 

Edit, I am traveling on business so I bit out of touch, I think it was stage 3 shortened so if stage 4 went the distance yesterday than that was really fast let me check on that, 79 MPH average on a stage is quick it that is correct

 

They showed two Lightweight Prototype quads, one being Christina Gutierrez Herrero, getting pulled out of a raging desert water crossing by some big trucks and mentioned that the stage was shortened for much of the field on Tuesday night's Stage 3 recap show.
Daniel Sanders mentioned on last evening's Stage 4 recap broadcast that the rains overnight had washed away tracks in the sand, so opening the stage was difficult for him to navigate. Mason had caught and passed him, and was the first to re-fuel, as I understood. Sucked that he got some bad gas when he did, but he just said that's what happens when you lead the Dakar Rally, or something to that effect.

 

Another great day for Howes and Klein. Howes now leads the bike class overall, with Klein in 4th, OA. Sanders was sick this morning, and lost a bunch of time.

The first paragraph of this Cycle News update explains how my speed average calculations may be inaccurate:
"A demanding 645 km Stage 5 with 373 km of timed special greeted the riders at the Dakar Rally today and it was Adrien Van Beveren who made the most of it, the Frenchman scoring his first win in the factory Honda colors."
Not all of the distance listed for every day is timed, I now remember. I knew they had 'transfer' sections on many days, but was unaware that perhaps the Rally includes these untimed sections in the stage mileage listed for their standings. Time on the transfer sections does not count, but speeding penalties still do, I believe.

https://www.cyclenews.com/2023/01/article/2023-dakar-rally-results/

 

How did two SxS hit each other head on in all that big ole desert?

 

They are SXS racers, as a general rule of thumb, think clubman novice except for some of the top drivers

 

I don’t know how I just discovered the sidecar class this year. That is an extra level of Wut?

 

Whenever I see SxS guys it reminds me of drunken frat boys on jet skis at Havasu. Partially blindfolded. And really drunk.

So maybe 600cc novice is a better comparison??

 

Ah yes the timed vs total, that will do it.....and I did not bother to do the math.....lol

 

I used to go to the dunes often to ride dirt bike - now you can barely even ride there. Every dipshit with a credit line and a pulse has a $40,000 sxs out in the sand, ripping it to fuck while doing basically nothing. Head on collision doesn't surprise me one bit.

 

Carlos Sainz Sr flips his Audi Dakar car, gets airlifted to hospital, tells pilot to turn around, returns to race

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/mo...dakar-car-gets-airlifted-hospital-tells-pilot