The journey up the Pacific coast continues towards Iquique. The bikes and quads will cover an extra amount of kilometres during the special: the detour will take them over some endurance type terrain and on tracks along ridges overlooking the ocean. Afterwards, everybody will be confronted by an expedition through the chains of dunes that run along and dominate the coast. However, the arrival at the bivouac will not pass via the famous descent. For the first time, the arrival at the mid-way point of the rally will be celebrated on a podium set up in the city centre of Iquique: the meeting between the riders, drivers and the spectators will take on an emotional dimension, after the earthquake which affected the region at the beginning of 2014.

While Kamaz was in a class of its own, it was a good day for Tatra with Martin Kolomy finishing 7th, Artur Ardavichus 9th and Tomas Vratny 13th.

RESULTS:

• • STAGE

  • OVERALL WPA

  • WPA

• • Pos.	N°	Name	Make	Time	Variation	Penalty
    1	502	NIKOLAEV (RUS), YAKOVLEV (RUS), AKHMADEEV (RUS)	KAMAZ	002:54:28		00:00:00
    2	507	MARDEEV (RUS), BELYAEV (RUS), SVISTUNOV (RUS)	KAMAZ	003:00:05	00:05:37	00:00:00
    3	500	KARGINOV (RUS), MOKEEV (RUS), LEONOV (RUS)	KAMAZ	003:05:08	00:10:40	00:00:00
    4	501	DE ROOY (NLD), RODEWALD (POL), DAMEN (BEL)	IVECO	003:05:59	00:11:31	00:00:00
    5	520	SOTNIKOV (RUS), DEVYATKIN (RUS), AFERIN (RUS)	KAMAZ	003:07:12	00:12:44	00:00:00
    6	510	VIAZOVICH (BLR), HARANIN (BLR), ZHYHULIN (BLR)	MAZ	003:19:44	00:25:16	00:00:00
    7	506	KOLOMY (CZE), KILIAN (CZE), KILIAN (CZE)	TATRA	003:21:40	00:27:12	00:00:00
    8	504	STACEY (NLD), BRUYNKENS (BEL), DER KINDEREN (NLD)	IVECO	003:24:56	00:30:28	00:00:00
    9	515	ARDAVICHUS (KAZ), NIKIZHEV (KAZ), KOZLOWSKY (CZE)	TATRA	003:26:51	00:32:23	00:00:00
    10	511	VAN GINKEL (NLD), KUPPER (NLD), VAN DONKELAAR (NLD)	GINAF	003:33:50	00:39:22	00:00:00
    11	535	VASILEVSKI (BLR), KAZLOUSKI (BLR), ZAPAROSHCHANKA (BLR)	MAZ	003:36:58	00:42:30	00:00:00
    12	508	VAN VLIET (NLD), PRONK (NLD), KLEIN (DEU)	MAN	003:44:33	00:50:05	00:00:00
    13	517	VRATNY (CZE), HOLAN (CZE), MISKOLCI (SVK)	TATRA	003:44:52	00:50:24	00:00:00
    14	503	LOPRAIS (CZE), MARCO ALCAYNA (ESP), VAN DER VAET (BEL)	MAN	004:00:12	01:05:44	00:00:00

This is the first of the rare special stages in which all categories will compete. At the start of the race, the most confident drivers will be able to take advantage of the fast tracks to try to move up in the overall standings. But the temptation to do so may be risky, particularly in the hard-to-handle fesh-fesh areas where absolute self-control is the only guarantee of success. Overtaking here requires precision handling to the extreme.

Second two minutes behind Airat Mardeev at the start in Copiapo, Eduard Nikolaev has done the necessary on the route to Antofagasta to pick up a deserved second consecutive victory as well the lead in the general standings. The Kamaz driver beat his countryman by almost ten minutes whilst Byelorussian Siarhei Viazovich takes the day’s third place fifteen minutes behind the winner. In difficulty on the second half of the special, Andrey Karginov is now battling for third place in the general standings with Ales Loprais 27 minutes behind the leader.

Today’s best Tatra driver was Tomas Vratny with his yellow/black Bonver Jamal Tatra; he finished 8th.

Stage 6 was a disappointment for Martin Kolomy. The best Tatra truck driver loosing 1 hr 15 min.

Watch the Dutch trucks in this video from 13.30 and see Huzink’s Phoenix flip over at 15.00.

http://www.rtlxl.nl/#!/rtl-gp-dakar-145458/f86f4df0-f5ac-333d-a8db-4c6c7cb61478

In the category of trucks (T4), Arthur Ardavichus, the bronze medalist of Dakar 2012, competes in the 2015 Dakar with navigator Alexei Nikizhev and mechanic Daniel Kozlowsky, riding a Tatra under the number 515.

Artur Ardavichus spoke of the second stage: “We were going through serpentine rock, with frequent turns, and at some point the steering wheel got jammed. It turned to the left but not to the right, so the truck missed the correct trajectory. The road was straight ahead but the truck continued going to the left. There was a hill to the left of the roAd and we crushed into the hillocks and fell on a side.”

A truck passing by helped their Tatra us back up. No one was hurt in the incident. The hydraulic booster had to be repaired right in the field, so that the crew could finish the stage.

Scrutineers, or tech inspection, said they would check on the condition of the vehicle at 6 a.m. the next day to make sure it complies with the safety standards – the door had to open and close so as the windows. Unless the repairs are complete in time, Dakar would be over for the truck from Kazakhstan. Luckily, the safety cage of the truck was almost undamaged, so the repairs were made and the crew continued the Dakar.

After losing time, Ardavichus fell back to the 27th place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA-AykF7fDg&list=PLH0Av5DXFbhcYb7K7q-iKo9fX-TpYDlhS&index=2

The competitors will have to prove they are worthy of entering Chile! A very early start and a climb to a height of 4,800 metres will precede the border crossing at Paso San Francisco. The really challenging section will begin with a gradual warm-up on the mining tracks, before drivers are faced with the reality of the Atacama Desert. The route here is open and sandy. Over the course of the last 40 kilometres, the giant dunes and basins of Copiapo will have to be tackled and for many this will be at night. Overcoming them will require finesse and instinct.

As the special stage started very late today, only a few trucks have finished by now, with a top three KAMAZ finish. Former Tatra King Ales Loprais (MAN) came home fourth. Best Tatra driver Martin Kolomy is known to have lost valuable time (42 min) at today’s stage. Tomas Vratny was today’s best Tatra, more than half an hour adrift.

1 500 – ANDREY KARGINOV(RUS) KAMAZ 4326 2h06m51s
2 502 – EDUARD NIKOLAEV(RUS) KAMAZ 4326 +00:00:03
3 507 – AIRAT MARDEEV(RUS) KAMAZ 4326 +00:06:13
4 503 – ALES LOPRAIS(CZE) MAN TGS +00:11:00
5 504 – HANS STACEY(NLD) IVECO POWERSTAR +00:11:29
6 520 – DMITRY SOTNIKOV(RUS) KAMAZ 4326 +00:16:46
7 513 – MARTIN VAN DEN BRINK(NLD) RENAULT TRUCKS K520 +00:27:08
8 508 – MARCEL VAN VLIET(NLD) MAN TGS 480 +00:27:31
9 517 – TOMAS VRATNY(CZE) TATRA JAMAL +00:33:42
10 527 – PETER VAN DEN BOSCH(NLD) DAF FT CF 85 +00:34:33
11 522 – JOS SMINK(NLD) GINAF X2222 +00:34:41
12 510 – SIARHEI VIAZOVICH(BLR) MAZ 5309RR +00:35:00
13 535 – ALEKSANDR VASILEVSKI(BLR) MAZ 5309RR +00:36:28
14 539 – JAN SZUSTKOWSKI ROBERT(POL) TATRA T 815 +00:39:11
15 506 – MARTIN KOLOMY(CZE) TATRA 815 +00:42:08
16 515 – ARTUR ARDAVICHUS(KAZ) TATRA JAMAL +00:48:04
17 511 – WULFERT VAN GINKEL(NLD) GINAF X2222 +00:48:52
18 518 – JOSEPH ADUA(FRA) IVECO TRAKKER +00:57:23
19 523 – STEVEN ROTSAERT(BEL) MAN TGS 480 +01:00:16
20 516 – TERUHITO SUGAWARA(JPN) HINO 500 SERIES +01:02:34
21 519 – PASCAL DE BAAR(NLD) RENAULT TRUCKS K520 +01:02:44
22 532 – TON VAN GENUGTEN(NLD) DAF CF +01:10:53
23 509 – PEP VILA ROCA(ESP) IVECO TRAKKER +01:16:09
24 531 – AART SCHOONES(NLD) DAF DAF FT CF85 +01:31:09
25 525 – MARTIN MACIK(CZE) LIAZ 111.154 +01:45:18
27 528 – EDWIN VAN GINKEL(NLD) GINAF X2222 +02:13:09
29 538 – CORNELIS BEZEMER(BEL) MAN TGA 480 +02:22:55
31 514 – FRITS VAN EERD(NLD) DAF FT CF 85 +02:53:02
32 529 – EIMBERT TIMMERMANS(NLD) DAF FT CF 85 +02:54:35

The pressure endured by the competitors yesterday, to a very late hour for some, will drop a notch on the route to Chilecito. The decrease in mileage and intensity will allow the competitors to enjoy the majestic landscape. The red earthen tracks overlooking cliffs or plunging into canyons will take the Dakar to the heart of one of Argentina’s must beautiful regions. However, the competitors will have to resist the temptation of tourism, especially in the bike and quad categories for which the route holds several bumpy sections in store. After avoiding thousands of rocks, all it takes is one to ruin this splendid day!

The third truckstage takes the competitors from San Juan to Chilecito. After the short connection the special stage – which is 284 km long for trucks – starts. After the special stage there is 232 km long connection part ends by bivouac in Chilecito.

6th on the first stage and then 3rd on the second, Airat Mardeev has continued his progression with a first stage victory on the Dakar 2015, enabling him to take the lead in the general standings. The Kamaz driver managed to open up a gap of almost two minutes over a second Kamaz driven by Andrey Karginov, the winner in 2014, and a gap of 4′30 over the ever consistent Gerard de Rooy. In the general standings, Mardeev now boasts a lead of eight minutes over his main rivals.

The fast but short stage 1 was succeeded by the longest stage of the Dakar. Any rest will be short-lived, because before reaching San Juan, the competitors will have a particularly busy schedule: quite simply the longest special stage in the rally, which is varied enough to unsettle even the most experienced of drivers. Hard terrain at the start of the race will be followed by dusty sections in the middle of the day and a sandy stretch to finish. This is the first real test, which can only be successfully overcome through constant vigilance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62zvicSr51U&list=PLH0Av5DXFbhcYb7K7q-iKo9fX-TpYDlhS