The Ales Loprais crew during the 9th Stage had an accident with serious consequences, which prevented the team to continue.  Until then, Loprais was successful, won the eighth stage after two second places, held the second place overall in the truck category as well as in 9th Stage and was ready for  an enormous battle with Gerard de Rooy and other rivals.
 
Unfortunately, the competition ended cruelly for Ales’s crew in the neutralised zone, where they did not measure the time between the 340th and 460 mile, asphalt on a flat section in the neutralization zone.

“On the 374th kilometer stage we unfortunately had a fatal accident. After the tense part of the first stage, I let Peter Almášiho (mechanic) control the truck, who unfortunately dozed away. Me and navigator Michael Ernst unfortunately had fallen asleep ae well. I woke up in the moment when the car started hurtling into a huge ravine. I yelled at Almiho, but he did not respond. Shock was crazy. He immediately ripped off both front wheels and the car flipped over several times over the front axle. At the moment it was over, “said Ales accident.
 
Priority immediately became completely different things. Initially it seemed that the crew of InstaForex Loprais Team was just bruised, but eventually had to organizing intervention helicopters. “The main thing was to transport us all to treatment. The entire transportation was tiring and lasted three hours, for the helicopter we waited over an hour. We are currently in hospital in Iquiqe. I have broken two vertebras and Peter has a concussion. Michael escaped fortunately without consequences, “says Alex.
 
After a year-long preparation of a new, very competitive car and the whole crew, as well as the precision-built interim results for Ales who enjoyed the respect of people not only in the competition, he came harsh and abrupt end: “For this year’s Dakar we have a whole team and I did our best, including winning the Silk Way Rally and etapových existing range, we were poised to great results. I would encourage Peter Almášiho. I know it will be a long read, but mikrospánek overcome for many people. We are still a great team, and after recovery, we would like once again to fight for the Dakar title. I thank all partners and fans for their feedback, they are incredibly numerous and very pleased of their support. Thank you very much from the Hospital de Iquiqe, “says Alex.
 
The whole team for the rest of the day focused on the repatriation of the crashed truck at the accident site and should be noted that the contest remains a second car, Bonver Dakar Team Thomas Porter, whose crew finished the stage. In the bivouac after the arrival of her background helped logistically and other Czech teams, for which they deserve great thanks.
 
InstaForex Loprais Team

The Loprais team has crashed in the neutralised part of stage 9. The team was taken to hospital for a check-up.  There were bruises and a concussion.   According to rumours, it was not Loprais driving but one of the other crew members who fell asleep.

We keep our fingers crossed

More to follow….

http://www.rtl.nl/(/sport/rtl_gp/dakar/nieuws/)/sport/rtl_gp/components/dakar/nieuws/2012/articles/120110_ales_loprais_uit_de_rally.xml

Winning stage in Antofagasta! Ales is (now) reinforces the overall second instead of

The eighth stage of Dakar Rally brought Alex’s first stage victory. The advantage of Gerard de Rooy became less but with only 1:31 minutes.  Gerard de Rooij still leads overall, bur the orher trucks dropped back.

The longest special stage sof ar was 477 km, confirming the growing trend of special tests .

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Also this stage in brought three leaders. The initial part was dominated by Gerard de Rooy and after 60 kilometers he led  Ales by  2 minutes and others even more. Leter de Rooij lost a bit and Arthur Ardavičus ( Kamaz Astana) led. He lasted quite long, but then he lost ten minutes, probably due to defect. Ardavičus managed to maintain technical leadership and the passage between the second and third controlpoint, when the crewwas busy mastering sand mountains over 3000 meters above sea level.  Ales took after victory in the end, with de Rooij almost within sight.  He finished second in the stage and virtually controlled the overall standings, in the end even the loss of a few tens of seconds.  On his website the Rooij said he did not go flat but used his brains. Stacey, who was and still is Alex’s closest pursuer, became  3rd overall in the general standings but lost a lot of time due to a puncture. He was very unsatisfied.

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“The stage was really hard, heavy and extreme nervous, we are still moved in the range of minimum distances to be de Rooy, which we managed to reach the stage, but to release him ways was reluctant. The stage was a huge amount of dust in it suffered not only filters, but we in the cabin. In addition, navigator Michael Ernst had to swallow problems with knee, luckily for us our old physical therapist, who becomes a necessity.  The stage was literally terrible but the tires, any defect plays a large role in the overall standings. The towers only two spare wheels and finish we’ve seen all the tires completely killed off, slowly separating strip.  If the stage was longer, the tires because we did not get to your destination. Overall, for us in results did not change, our main goal is Lima, “summed up phase Ales for Czech Television.

Winning is nice, but in the overall ranking does not change anything. Gerard de Rooy leads to a slight lead, and Alex wants to stay in touch, and at a new  stage everything begins again at zero.  Stacey at the 3rd site has lost over 48 minutes and is now 33 minutes behind Ales.  Ardavičuse, is doing great but his vehicle, a non-works Kamaz, is like an unwanted child. He has to know his role and probably has to finish behind the Young Kamaz Works drivers.

What can we expect next? The ninth stage from Antofagasta to Iquique, dunes will come up eventually, led to the last, over 1000 meters high, falling from the mountain dune slope over 32 percent to the sea.  

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/09012012/58/dakar-trucks-loprais-finally-wins.html

OVERALL:

1- Gerard De Rooy (NLD), Rodewald (NLD), Colsoul (BEL), Iveco Strator-Torpedo, 23h14m03

2- Aleš Loprais (CZE), Almáši (CZE), Ernst (CZE), Tatra 815-2 a 15m39

3- Hans Stacey (NLD), Van Goor (NLD), Der Kinderen (NLD), Iveco Trakker Evo II a 48m06

4- Artur Ardavichius (KAZ), Kuzmich (RUS), Turlubaev (KAZ), Kamaz 4623 a 58m40

5- Atrat Mardeev (RUS), Shibalov (RUS), Belyaev (RUS), Kamaz 4326KV a 1h34m53

6- Pep Vila (ESP), Torrallardona (ESP), Van Eerd (NLD), Iveco Trakker Evo II a 2h06m05

7- Andrey Karginov (RUS), Devyatkin (RUS), Mokeev (RUS), Kamaz 4623 a 2h11m00

8- Ilgizar Mardeev (RUS), Mizyukaev (RUS), Sotnikov (RUS), Kamaz 4623 a 2h29m09

9- Franz Echter (DEU), Ruf (DEU), Klein (DEU), MAN TGS a 3h11m37

10- Martin Kolomy (CZE), Klian (CZE), Klian (CZE), Tatra 815-2 a 3h12m12

Trucks have been surprising from many points of view this year and all for good. First of all, the race is extremely tight at the top which always gains a lot of good publicity and increases the number of fans and secondly the fight between Kamaz, Tatra and Iveco has brought the colour of the trucks that the sport really needs. What I’ve always liked about the Trucks in Dakar and know other fans have also it to witness another great battle between the names: De Rooy and Loprais! This time around, the battle is between the younger generation. After one week of racing, Gerard De Rooy leads the Trucks with his Iveco while Ales Loprais is second, just 17 minutes behind in his Tatra. Third is the last African edition winner of the Dakar, who is also in a de Rooy team Iveco, Hans Stacey is 33 minutes behind. One of the surprises in the Trucks has been the trouble seen by the Russian Kamaz team through they do hold positions 4th to 6th and in the past Kamaz has been very reliable and again they are; but compared to De Rooy and Loprais, it seems to lack a bit of speed. Tough stages of Chile are made for the Kamaz liking and we might see them get back into the top 3 to mount a challenge.

http://www.motorsport.com/dakar/news/reflection-of-the-first-part-of-the-dakar-2012-event/