264 vehicles made it through the special stage
At 19.00 GMT, 171 bikes, 85 cars and 8 trucks had made it through the sixth special stage and were heading to or had already arrived at the bivouac in Zouerat, the finishing point of this 6th stage.
Pending validation, American driver Robby Gordon (Hummer), with a time of 3’36’39", won the sixth special scratch time stage as well as the open category, 17" ahead of Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser (Buggy Schlesser), who won the stage in the two-wheel drive category. Third place, 6’52 behind, went to place Giniel De Villiers (VW). The South African is still 2nd in the general rankings, 3’11 behind the leader, his Spanish team-mate Carlos Sainz (VW). Finally, in the Production category, Frenchman Paul Belmondo (Nissan) was triumphant with the 31st-placed scratch time.
moto
Pending validation, Spaniard Jordi Viladoms (KTM) won the sixth special scratch time stage with a time of 3’45’45", picking up his first stage victory on the Dakar, 57’’ ahead of Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM), who nonetheless remains in the lead in the general rankings, 12’07 ahead of countryman Isidre Esteve. Third place today went to American Chris Blais (KTM), 1’00 behind. In the 450 cc category, Portuguese rider Portugais Helder Rodrigues was victorious (Yamaha), with the 7th-placed scratch time. In the Marathon category, the stage victory went to Frenchman Frédéric Lepan (KTM), who boasts the 20th-placed scratch time. Finally, in the quad race, Portugal’s Joao Carlos Nazare Santos (Yamaha) won.
19:52
- Trucks - Stacey is the provisional winner of the special stageNo. 501, STACEY/GOTLIB/DER KINDEREN - MAN Now that the first 4 trucks have arrived at the finishing line of this 6th stage, the leader of the general rankings Dutchman Hans Stacey has provisionally won his 2nd stage of the rally, 14’07 ahead of his countryman Gerard De Rooy and 16’12 in front of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev.
19:05
- Trucks - Stacey leads after 313 kmNo. 501, STACEY/GOTLIB/DER KINDEREN – MAN Now that the first 4 trucks have completed 313 km, the leader of the general rankings, Dutchman Hans Stacey, is the virtual leader of the special stage, 7’22 ahead of his countryman Gerard De Rooy and 11’39 in front of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev.
18:50 - moto
Difficult day for MerkitNo. 203, MERKIT KEMAL – KTM Due to a series of mechanical problems today, Turkish rider Kemal Merkit lost more than an hour whilst repairing a mechanical breakdown, before setting off again on the special stage. He is now riding with Dane Marc Dullum (No. 71) and is nearing the 372 km mark.
18:34 - auto
Guinot waiting for his assistance teamNo. 332, GUINOT/KROISS - BUGGY VW, SUPER PRODUCTION Having suffered an oil pump problem after 152 km of the special stage, the French crew of Jean-François Guinot and Manfred Kroiss are now waiting for their assistance team.
18:32 - auto
Kleinschmidt stops after 372 kmNo. 307, KLEINSCHMIDT/THORNER - BMW, SUPER PRODUCTION Victorious in the 2001 edition, German Jutta Kleinschmidt is currently stopped after 372 km of the special stage and is trying to repair.
18:03
- Trucks - Stacey leads after 249 kmNo. 501, STACEY/GOTLIB/DER KINDEREN – MAN Now that the first 5 trucks have completed 249 km, the leader of the general rankings, Dutchman Hans Stacey, is the virtual leader of the special stage, 6’54 ahead of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev and 8’00 in front of his countryman Gerard De Rooy.
17:59
- Trucks - Van Ginkel is 3rd at CP1No. 513, VAN GINKEL/TIJSTERMAN/DE ROOY The Dutch team of Wulfert Van Ginkel, Willem Tjisterman and Richard De Rooy arrived at CP1 in 3rd position, 5’55 behind virtual leader Hans Stacey, but 1’07 in front of team leader Gerard De Rooy, who is now 4th.
Stacey in the lead at CP1Now that the first 3 trucks have gone through CP1, the leader of the general rankings, Dutchman Hans Stacey, has taken the provisional lead of this special stage, 5’33 ahead of Russian Ilgizar Mardeev and 7’02 in front of Holland’s Gerard De Rooy.
It’s all over for ChicheritNo. 312, CHICHERIT/BAUMEL - BMW, SUPER PRODUCTION Following an accident after 195 km of today’s special stage, 2006 free-ride champion Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit and co-pilot Matthieu Baumel have been forced to drop
