2010 Dakar -Good News!

[NordieBoy]

Despres'ss's rim...

[NordieBoy]

Swedish Dakar rally rider Annie Seel reports from the bivouac in Copiapo, Chile:

"At km 131 the track split around some ruins, and joined again after. To avoid dust I cut from right track over to the left, across a small rise. Behind the rise a 5m deep tomb opened, 2x3 wide. I rode to slow to jump and to fast to stop. Put breakes on, slide bike to the left and abandon ship. I managed to jump to the left edge while bike tumbled down. I am lucky not to go down cause the walls were impossible to climb.

Stopped some riders to call for help. A helicopter came and I climbed down with a thin rope to check bike, it was ok. We tried to pull the bike, but no. They said I must wait for the organisation truck to come and help. Took a while but then Mr Etienne Lavigne, race director, arrived in a helicopter instead. Like a true hero he climbed down with a rope, tied my bike with the real tie roses, and instructed the pilot how to lift it. Now I could continue the race, saved by the angel from above. Only suffering from painful swollen hand and aching foot"

[Waihou Thumper]

Annie has had some real bad luck. I think either stage 2 or 3 she fell and demolished her helmet and supported a nice black eye. She is a hard woman!

[cooneyr]

Despres'ss's rim...

Thats not a bad effort!!

Swedish Dakar rally rider Annie Seel reports from the bivouac in Copiapo, Chile: ...Now I could continue the race, saved by the angel from above. Only suffering from painful swollen hand and aching foot"

Thats bloody lucky, not only that she is ok but pretty amazing that the bike was ridable too!

There is some bloody skilled/lucky people out there.

Cheers R

P.S. dont spoil all the stories. I cant watch the videos till i get home tonight!

[topo]

Annie, from the concersations i had with her at the safari is one of the toughtest women i've ever met and this only backs up my initial impressions!!


GO ROB POLLARD!!!!!!!!

[JATZ]

Is anybody saving/tapeing this footage, I tried to watch some yesterday on line, but............

f**kin telecom and thier lack of b/band

[NordieBoy]

Annie has had some real bad luck. I think either stage 2 or 3 she fell and demolished her helmet and supported a nice black eye. She is a hard woman!

Last year.

[cooneyr]

But the tyre had only done 160km.....

Is there pictures of said tyre around somewhere? All the talk but no proof - I want proof damn it!

Cheers R

[Brian d marge]

I am but how I could get it to you I dont know ( dropbox?)

Stephen

[Waihou Thumper]

Is there pictures of said tyre around somewhere? All the talk but no proof - I want proof damn it!

Cheers R

I grabbed this off Eurosport, they went into it quite thoroughly. They were on the computers and comparing tyre manufactures etc. Cyril sent over a camera crew to snap photos as soon as Marc finished. The second photo is Marc Coma's rear tyre, the third is the little pieces of new rubber still attached to the tyre between knobs and the first photo shows the comparative difference between Marc's tyre and Cyril's....Make up your own mind guys...What do ya reckon?

[Waihou Thumper]

Last year.

Aah, right. I was watching stage 9 of last years Dakar and then went straight into my episodes I have on this years...Thanks for clearing that up..

[cooneyr]

I grabbed this off Eurosport, they went into it quite thoroughly. They were on the computers and comparing tyre manufactures etc. Cyril sent over a camera crew to snap photos as soon as Marc finished. The second photo is Marc Coma's rear tyre, the third is the little pieces of new rubber still attached to the tyre between knobs and the first photo shows the comparative difference between Marc's tyre and Cyril's....Make up your own mind guys...What do ya reckon?

That looks pretty damn fresh. Doubt it did the 400kmish stage. I didn't realise they were both using the Pirelli's Scops instead of the Mitchy Deserts. Are the Deserts "old tech" now?

Cheers R

[Waihou Thumper]

That looks pretty damn fresh. Doubt it did the 400kmish stage. I didn't realise they were both using the Pirelli's Scops instead of the Mitchy Deserts. Are the Deserts "old tech" now?

Cheers R

They said in the coverage that they couldnt compare two different tyre manufacturers....So, one rides Pirelli, the other Michelin? Check out the first photo, they are different tyres...tread patterns

[cooneyr]

They said in the coverage that they couldnt compare two different tyre manufacturers....So, one rides Pirelli, the other Michelin? Check out the first photo, they are different tyres...tread patterns

Doh - just watching the sbs rest day coverage and realised that they are on different tyres.

[topo]

Coma's running Pirelli's, Despre's running deserts.
The first photo is the one to look at. both have supposed to have traveled 200km (ish) from the the first stage/CP. To me both have done 200km in sand when comparing with the tires from the safari, for example Andrew's tires on the first day of safari propper still had some of the little knobs left on the sides of both tires after 400km'ish.
If it was on sand i'd say it's the difference between being sympathetic to the tire V's thrashing it at any oppertunity.

my 2c.