Quinn Cody Honda CRF450R Team Honda Europe - Photo by Willy Weyens -
Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing
Race Report - Dakar Rally
January 10, 2011 - Antofagasta Stage 8 Road section, 268 km - Special, 508 km
Honda’s Quinn Cody moves into top 10 - Laia Sanz takes women’s category lead
As the Dakar rally moves into its second half, Quinn Cody of Team Honda Europe is riding top ten times and has moved into 8th position overall. Flying through the stages, the American competing aboard the Honda CRF 450 Dakar X is enjoying every moment of what is his first Dakar Rally.
Quinn is no stranger to the sharp end of Rally Raid competition. Riding for the JCR Honda squad in the US, Quinn has won the Baja 500, the Vegas 2 Reno and most recently took the victory in the Baja 1000 last November. The 6,000 mile Dakar is however a very different challenge but one that Quinn seems to be relishing.
Honda’s 10-time FIM Trial World Champion, Laia Sanz has also taken the lead in the women’s category, and sits in 42nd position overall, 9 places ahead of her nearest rival Annie Seel. Riding for Team Arcarons, Laia has proved that her trials skills are directly transferable to the discipline of rally raid and also seems to have grasped the spirit of the Dakar Rally.
One day before the rest day, Laia Sanz courageously stopped to help a fellow rider who had broken his collarbone in an accident. Laia activated the emergency beacon and stayed with the injured rider until the helicopter came for him. This cost her some 20 minutes, but the stewards only took off 3 minutes when she reached the bivouac. The rest day (at the halfway point of the rally), clearly benefitted Laia, as since then she has pushed hard on the two following stages and leap-frogged Seel to move ahead of her KTM rival by over 1 hour 10mins.
Laia Sanz’s team mate, Jordi Arcarons, is also having a successful rally, currently sitting in 44th place, just a few places behind Laia. Team Honda Europe riders Alexey Naumo, Mirjam Pol, Vadim Pritulyak and team mates to Quinn Cody have all had an eventful time of things but up until yesterday were all still in the rally. However Vadim Pritulyak chose to withdraw at around midday.
Things are really hotting up as the rally begins to enter its final stages. Two further tough sand stages are to follow so really anything could happen in the coming days.
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Laia Sanz Team Aracons - Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing
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 Quinn Cody, Team Honda Europe:
“Gnarly stage today508k special 776k total pretty fun got completely lost in the desert thought I was going to run out of gas it was great!”
Laia Sanz, Team Aracons:
“Naturally, the first thing you do in when there has been an accident is come to the aid of the injured party. They come before the race itself and the time you lose.
Today In the navigation zone I did very well and made no mistakes, so I’m very happy, because it wasn’t an easy day. I also felt very comfortable on the sand. All in all, it’s been a perfect day.”
January 10, Antofagasta Stage 8
Road section, 268 km - Special, 508 km
Results of Stage 8
10th position for Quinn Cody
Total time 06:48:29 Variation 00:43:27
42nd position for Laia Sanz
Total time 07:41:14 Variation 01:36:12
43rd position for Jordin Aracons
Total time7:43:13 Variation 01:38:11
81st position for Alexey Naumov
Total time 010:11:21 Variation 04:06:19
71st position for Mirjam Pol
Total time 09:09:57 Variation 03:04:55
96th position for Vadim Pritulyak
Total time 11:52:43 Variation 05:47:41
Overall Results
8th position for Quinn Cody
Total time 34:50:28 Variation 02:31:36
41st position for Laia Sanz
Total time 41:46:11 Variation 09:27:19
44th position for Jordi Aracons
Total time 41:56:23 Variation 09:37:31
57th position for Alexey Naumov
Total time 44:26:29 Variation 12:07:37
73rd position for Mirjam Pol
Total time 49:41:16 Variation 17:22:24
92nd position for Vadim Pritulyak
Total time 00:00:00 Variation 00:00:00
For all media enquiries, please contact
Tom Hobbs in the Honda Motor Europe Press Office www.hondaproracing.com |
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