adminSAN LUIS, Argentina – Portugal’s Carlos Sousa, driving a Haval, claimed the opening stage of the 36th Dakar Rally on Sunday but double defending champion Stephane Peterhansel lost time with a puncture.Sousa finished the 180km special from Rosario to San Luis in 2hr 20min 36 with Argentina’s Orlando Terranova (Mini) 11sec behind and fellow Mini driver, Qatar’s 2011 champion Nasser al-Attiyah, was third, 47sec back.
France’s Peterhansel, in a third Mini and seeking a 12th overall title (after six on a motorcycle and five in a car) had a puncture and was down in sixth place, 4min 21s behind Sousa.
Al-Attiyah said later: “It was a good day for us, a beautiful stage in which we didn’t take too many risks. I caught up with Peterhansel towards the end, he let me through, and I think we ended up posting a good time.”
Honda’s Joan Barreda clocked 2hr 25min 31 to take the motorcycle stage with Spanish compatriot Marc Coma (KTM) 37 seconds behind.
Frenchman Cyril Despres, defending champion and seeking a sixth career title, was third, 1min 40 off the provisional leader.
Barreda said: “I’m really happy with the first stage. At the beginning I had some trouble easing into the race due to a slight problem with the suspension but afterwards everything went smoothly.
“We’ll work on it to ride even faster and I’ll try to keep up this pace in the next few stages.”
Despres, winner in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2013, said it had been an emotional day for him on his debut for Yamaha, having switched from KTM for the 2014 race. “180km of this was a great way to get the ball rolling though I took some time to find my bearings and ease into my pace,” he said.
“The first special is always tough when you come from cold Europe and you get thrown into the thick of things, so I’m happy to get good feelings.
“I got a bit emotional at the start, what with starting a new adventure… It was a difficult year, with the decision to move to Yamaha, and then having to prepare the motorcycle, working with the entire team… So when D-Day comes, it feels good to be racing again.”
431 vehicles are taking part in the auto, motorcycle, quad and truck classes and will cross Argentina, Bolivia and Chile but could run into environmental protests along the way with fears about the effect of the race on the world’s highest salt flats at Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, despite only the motorcycles being allowed to cross into the country.
Chileans are worried about damage caused by the vehicles roaring along the Inca Trail.- Wheels24.
Online Reporter