Stage 7 of the Dakar was filled with nerve-fraying difficulties for every competitor – no matter what they are wheeling.
Fast drivers were in their element in the off-road sectors covering the first 100 kilometres, only to suffer in the quagmire of what is known as fesh-fesh, very fine sand that looks like solid ground but behaves like soft mud. The rough tracks on a plateau halfway through the 200 mile stage did them no favors, either.
This is how a refuelling works during the stage ! Thanks to our official fan: Primax !
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¡Así es como funciona un repostaje durante la etapa! Gracias a nuestro fan oficial: Primax!#Dakar2019 pic.twitter.com/D9KnZn03AT— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 14, 2019
For the next 50 kilometres, the focus switched to dune surfers, carrying through the Duna Grande and Duna Argentina sectors. This then transitioned back to faster stretches near the end of the stage, all while dodging the navigational pitfalls in the vicinity of San Juan.
In fact, route-finding is proving to be the bane of some teams, including the nine-time World Rally Championship-winning duo Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena. Loeb’s long-time co-driver has been so aggravated by the event’s roadbook he is not beyond up and quitting the race.
Loeb lost 28 minutes today due to an electrical problem at the beginning of the special.
And after that ?@SebastienLoeb perdió 28 minutos hoy por un problema eléctrico al principio de la especial.
Pero después ?#Dakar2019 pic.twitter.com/50Kmq30IDv— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 14, 2019
“If I could decide for both of us, we would take the plane and we would train for the Monte Carlo Rally and rest,” said Elena in an interview, referring to the WRC’s Monte Carlo Rally in which they are competing after the Dakar. Last Wednesday, during Stage Three, the team and others added considerable time to their tally by getting lost. Blaming the roadbook, Elena has demanded the organization return that lost time from stage three but his request has been refused.
Gerard Farrés and Sergey Karyakin, sitting first and second overall in the S×S category this morning, have had a great race so far only for it all to come to an end during Stage Seven. Karyakin did a barrel roll in his BRP machine, smashing up the running gear of his rig near the start of the special. Showing several cubic acres of guts and gumptions, neither driver has thrown in the towel despite plummeting down the classification rankings.
Three stages remain and attrition is fierce. Tomorrow sees drivers tackle Stage Eight, a route which includes a 135 mile Liaison and 225 mile special.