Toby Price dominates Dakar stage 12
In the top five placings seven times since the start of his first Dakar experience, Toby Price did not have much time left to pick up a possible first overall stage success on the Dakar. The Holy Grail for every debutant, already obtained by Matthias Walkner earlier on in the rally, finally fell into the grasp of the KTM rider on the penultimate stage of the rally where he led from start to finish. Far from lowering the pace after 12 days of racing, the Australian in fact put on a show of force on the road to Rosario by reaching all the time check points in the lead, to consolidate his superb third place in the general standings and now has a cushion of eleven minutes to KTM rider Pablo Quintanilla of Chile who is in fourth place, but whatever the outcome on Saturday, he can go away pleased with his debut ride. Price is only 25-minutes from rally leader Marc Coma, who will have to keep a watchful eye on this newcomer to the rally-raid elite.
Toby Price – “It’s my first go at the Dakar, but like we say, we’ve still got one day to go. Anything could happen and at this stage everything is just feeling good. We’re enjoying it, so it’s been a good experience.
“There have been a lot of highs and lows and good learning curves as well as a few mistakes, but we’re trying to fix them as best as we can and get to the finishing line. Hopefully, that will happen tomorrow
“. I always knew it was going to be difficult, but you don’t know until you actually come here and have a go and then you actually find out how really hard it is. We were fairly well prepared coming into the event. We’re just going to come back next year hopefully, now that we know what we’re in for and be an even bit better prepared again”.
Joan Barreda already belongs to this elite and the Honda rider proved it again on Friday. Second on stage 12 to Price, 1-minute 55-seconds behind the winner, the Spaniard played the role of opener while Paulo Gonçalves also again displayed his fine skills with the day’s third best time.
Joan Barreda – “Today was a very fast stage, the surface was all track, and it was very slippery for practically the whole distance. I open the road throughout the special and it was a bit dangerous because I kept coming across animals that had strayed across the track, and even police coming in the opposite direction. Anyway, I’m pleased because I was able to maintain a rapid pace. There is only one stage still to go, and we are going to do everything in our power to get Paulo to his goal.”
Paulo Gonçalves – “The Dakar is not finished. There’s still one day of racing left. I’m in 2nd place, but there’s no guarantee that I’ll remain there. Anything can happen, either positively or negatively. But, effectively, I’m happy for myself and the entire Honda HRC team for the work we have done. Joan Barreda had a strong lead before the stage at the salt lake in Uyuni. He lost his place due to a problem caused by water in the engine. But we’ll finish the Dakar on the podium, and that’s a very good thing”.
Marc Coma contented himself with managing his lead in the general standings. In sixth place, 6-minutes 25′-seconds behind Price, the official KTM leader did not take any risks and looks to be heading comfortably to his fifth outright triumph on the Dakar. The Spaniard goes into Saturday’s final stage of the 2015 Dakar Rally with a 17-minute 49-second lead over second places Paolo Goncalves of Portugal
Marc Coma – “It was not an easy day with 300 kilometres today. There was a lot to lose and it was important to not make any mistakes or crash and just to arrive at the finish. To find the balance to ride like that is not easy, but I’m happy, you know, we are here…
“Today the tyres were wearing a lot so I took care about that at the beginning of the special. On the last part I felt a little bit fresher and made a good pace to the end. I’m happy because the day was a fantastic one for us. It’s difficult to say at what percentage I’m riding, it depends. You always need to keep a little back in case of any surprises happening.
“We can’t say that we are untouchable but when we have had a stage like that… It’s just one day until the end. I was a little worried about the tyre today because the ground was very rough. I tried to save the tyre at the beginning of the stage and then the last part was ok. So, it’s important that we are here.
“There is still one day left, but today was a very tricky day, so I’m very happy today. Now we can see that the end is close. There are still some kilometres left, but the end is getting closer now. The conditions are always very tough all the time. The young riders are pushing a lot, so I have to use my energy. We spend all year preparing to arrive here in a good shape, so it’s time to spend that energy”.
Coma was also beaten on stage today by a Slovakian duo in form at the end of this second week of rallying with the 4th place for Ivan Jakes and 5th for Stefan Svitko. Pablo Quintanilla lost ten minutes to Price, meaning the final podium is slipping away from his grasp.
Riders are now almost at the end of the 9,000 km journey in South America and on Friday traveled from Termas Rio Honda to Rosario in Argentina, a timed special of 298 km and a 725 km liaison section. Saturday see the final stage 13, 219km of liaison and 174km of special making up the 393km day’s travel from Rosario to Buenos Aires.
Stage Twelve Dakar 2015 – Termas Rio Honda to Rosario – 725 km liaison, 298 km special (1024 km)
Stage 12 Results (Provisional)
1, Toby Price, AUS, KTM 3 hours 19.04
2, Joan Barreda, ESP, Honda at 1.55
3, Paolo Goncalves, POR Honda at 3.02
4, Ivan Jakes, SVK, KTM 3.08
5, Stefan Svitko, SVK, KTM at 5.01
6, Marc Coma, ESP, KTM at 6.25
7, Helder Rodrigues, POR, Honda, at 8.40
8, Pablo Qunitanilla, CHI, KTM at 10.07
9, Frans Verhoeven, NDL, Yamaha at 10.51
10, Lila Sanz, ESP, Honda, at 12.42
Dakar 2015 Overall Standings after Stage 12
1, Coma, KTM at 45:08.32
2, Goncalves, Honda at 17.49
3, Price, KTM at 25.18
4, Qunitanilla KTM at 36.57
5, Svitko, KTM at 40.43
6, Faria, KTM at 1:50.39
7, Casteu, KTM at 1:55.09
9, Jakes, KTM at 2:21.29
Saturday’s final stage 13: January 17th – Stage 13: Rosario to Buenos Aires 219 km liaison, 174 km special (393 km)
Caution is the name of the game on the fast tracks of the special stage, at the very least for those who haven’t got a position to defend. Because reaching the podium of the 2015 edition at the Technopolis in Buenos Aires is the ultimate goal which they have come to achieve.
