STAGE 7 - finally a longer stage with Speed & Dunes !
After the last two "shortened stages" , everyone is looking forward to long and varying tracks !
If you get a "GUTEN MORGEN" in German language from Danielo Petrucci, the day can't start better :)
By far the toughest day so far ( ... sounds like saying so every further day ?? ). The navigation was really hard and the pace was very high again. Benavides (last year's winner) said in an interview yesterday that it is by far the fastest Dakar he has ever taken part. You can't even come close to comparing it with motocross or enduro. " Off-road Moto GP " would be much more appropriate! đ
This was my day ... I was really motivated this morning and was able to drive a good speed straight away.
Unfortunately, water somehow got into my trip master (odometer) and it fogged up like frosted glass from the inside.
So I had to use my backup Tripmaster (there are 2 of them on the bike for emergencies). Presumably because of an incorrect setting in the configuration, this one aöways was a bit ahead to my road book - the milage information on the tripmaster never matched that on on the road book! For such problems, there is a switch on the handlebar which will synchronize the display with the roadbook again. The problem: I was on the throttle with one hand full for the first 50 kilometers and trying to readjust the tripmaster to the roadbook by use of a switch on the handlebars đ.
Somewhere at KM 60 I found a fallen rider who was a little dazed and I waited with him for some 5 minutes until he was better! The problem - I let a lot of riders pass from behind and then had to swallow their dust for the next 300km!
That was exactly what I didn't want! Nevertheless, I always tried to navigate myself to avoid mistakes as much as possible. Twice I lost a bit of time looking for waypoints, but I think it was still within limits.
For the help of the injured rider, I am still hoping for a small time credit this evening, which could get me a top 45 placement today. Unfortunately, I already know that a time penalty for speeding will add me a penalty of 2 minutes ... so back to square - all will stay as is :( ... but I'm still very happy with the day đ
After that day, however, I'm pretty exhausted . Maybe the lack of sleep for the past 1 1/2 weeks catching up with me?
In addition, today I also overlooked an edge at 130km/h that had really compressed me and may make me feel like that. Tomorrow we'll get up at 3:30 AM đ„ and have to ride / race a total of 800 km distance.
LET's go & Do It đ
Short status meeting with team boss Bart V.D. Velden - my technician has got something to do tonight :(
Awesome landscape - here in front of David Pabiska # 32 - who is riding his 13th DAKAR in 2022 !!!
The dream for enduro bikers - but it turns into a nightmare for quite a few of the Dakar participants.