Pic: F.Le Floc'h / ASO DPPI
The usual contenders were back at the start with fac-
tory teams entered by the likes of KTM, Honda, Yamaha
and Husqvarna as well as many more privateers amongst
the 137 motorcycles on the starting podium. Magdalena
Beach in Lima, Peru’s capital, saw 100,000 spectator wave
off the bikes plus 26 quads, 100 cars, 30 side by sides and
41 trucks. An amazing sight.
Pisco, the city that gave its name to the Pisco Sour a
favourite cocktail of Peru, has become a Dakar “classic”
since the events first visit in 2012. On this first stage, the
riders and crews did battle among the dunes for almost
70% of the special stage route. To the north of the Ica re-
gion, this specific geographical zone has been named Cal-
ifornia!
Joan Barreda Bort, Monster Energy Honda, set the
stopwatches buzzing on the opening stage of the Dakar
by creating a significant gap for such a short stage (84
kilometres) between himself and his closest pursuer Pab-
lo Quintanilla (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) with a time of
1 minute 34 seconds.
“It’s always difficult, this kind of stage. Everybody is re-
ally fast over this terrain,” stressed Barreda Bort.
“I think I rode a good stage, I’ve got a good feeling and
we are ready for more stages”.
After an especially frustrating 2018 edition for Barreda
Bort, he started 2019 in the best possible way. The Span-
iard added to his collection of stage victories and now lies
only one behind Hubert Auriol, allowing him to take com-
mand of the general standings. Having often tasted mis-
fortune on the Dakar, Barreda Bort once again proved that
he is among the quickest riders, with impressive gaps for
such a limited number of kilometres … Xavier de Soultrait
(Yamalube Yamaha), on the lowest rung of the provisional
top 10, almost 6 minutes behind the leader.
The second longest stage of the rally (stage 2) varied
in aspect, with an alternation of dunes, sandy tracks and
portions of beaches. Once competitors made it past the
difficulties of Ica’s dunes, they headed to the Pacific Ocean
and followed the coast for one hundred kilometres, over
small dunes and sandy beaches.
Matthias Walkner, Red Bull KTM, improved his stage
victory count. The Austrian was faithful to his role as title
holder and beat Ricky Brabec, Monster Energy Honda, by
just 22 seconds at the end of a superb duel between the
two riders. In 3rd, Barreda Bort was still the leader of the
general standings.
Arequipa, the second most populous city in Peru, lies
at the foot of the Misti volcano and, although stage 3 took
place further away, the Dakar saw an eruption of sorts
turn the various classifications on their heads. The com-
petitors raced far to the north, in the Duna Grande and
Duna Argentina areas near San Juan de Marcona, befor-
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