Jan 10th: MARATHON STAGE IQUIQUE > UYUNI. Ales Loprais gains victory on his birthday

The seventh stage from Iquique leading to marathon bivouac without assistance teams and mechanics. First the trucks have to pass 101 km long connection stage followed by special stage measure 335 km.The trucks will once again embark upon a separate marathon stage, with the added bonus of competing on a route which is specifically for them. The leaders’ driving skills in the dunes will make the difference on this first separate day, with long and decisive sandy sections. Once again, they will need to find the right balance between self-control and performance. When they reach their private bivouac, the on-board mechanics will become the key players in this marathon stage.

12.55: Martin Kolomý is determined to end the dominance of the official Kamaz team, which has three trucks in the top 3 overall. The Czech narrowly beat Siarhei Viazovich and Gerard de Rooy at CP3. The Belarusian and the Dutchman also want to end the Russian team’s reign.

13.43: The first leader of this year’s Dakar, Hans Stacey, is now languishing in seventh place overall. However, the 2007 leader still has unfinished business in this Dakar and is on course for a great performance today, beating Martin Kolomý by 19 seconds at CP3.

14.44: Gerard de Rooy is light-years away from the overall lead after a calamitous fourth stage, but today he seems to be on course to add another stage win to his already crammed trophy room. Halfway through the stage, the Iveco driver went through CP4 with almost two minutes to spare over Ales Loprais.

14.47: Hans Stacey and Martin Kolomý, the two fastest drivers at km 78, are nowhere near the lead at CP4. The Dutchman was 24 minutes down and the Czech more than half an hour behind the leader.

15.59: Overall leader Eduard Nikolaev seemed to be treading water these last three days, but the Kamaz driver could crash out of contention today after losing over an hour between CP4 and CP5!

16.23: Ales Loprais was on the hunt for his first win at the 2015 Dakar after finishing fourth three times and third once. His day of glory finally came in Iquique, where he triumphed with over five minutes to spare on Gerard de Rooy. He also moved up to fourth place overall.

16.26: Eduard Nikolaev’s pain was Ayrat Mardeev’s pain, as the latter seized the overall lead after finishing the stage eight minutes behind today’s winner, Ales Loprais. Andrey Karginov’s third place in Iquique was good enough for him to climb to second overall.