Team HRC's Barreda Wins Stage 7 for Third Win in 2014 Edition of the Dakar Rally

Dakar 2014

Stage 7

12/01/2014

An outstanding CRF450 RALLY and a third win for Joan Barreda in the Dakar 2014

The Rally Dakar left Argentina today and for the first time in the race’s history entered Bolivia. It was Joan Barreda who took the honours in the Salta-Uyuni stage, giving Honda TEAM HRC the fourth victory in 7 days of racing. Hélder Rodrigues finished in seventh place and Laia Sanz twelfth.

Week two of the Rally Dakar got underway this morning from the Argentine city of Salta, in the northern region, heading towards Bolivia, for the first part of the special. Nevertheless, the meteorological conditions were such that the start had to be moved 103 km further up the course to the site of the way-point.

 

Joan Barreda started at a cracking pace, clocking up the best times in both parts of the the special before arriving home with a 4.03 minute deficit over Marc Coma, the stage runner-up and overall leader.

 

A fine performance too from Hélder Rodrigues in the seventh stage on the Honda CRF450 RALLY, who holds on to eighth overall place. The team’s third rider Javier Pizzolito, made a significant improvement in this stage, always up among the top twenty riders, arriving in Uyuni in 18th, where the riders will be without mechanical assistance, as this is the first part of the race’s second marathon stage.

 

It was also a day of success for the team supported by TEAM HRC with the new Honda CRF450 RALLY machine. Laia Sanz goes from strength to strength and today recorded some excellent times on the stopwatch. She crossed the line in twelfth place. Her Honda Argentina Rally Team colleague, Pablo González put in a steady performance too. 

Video Rest Day, here                     Video Behind the Scenes Rest Day, here 

Joan Barreda       1st       03:28'41       TEAM HRC

For sure I´m very happy about my result. Anyway it was very hard to stay focused. The high altitude made me feel a bit dizzy. Especially when the going got tough in the water and mud of the river.

Helder Rodrigues       7th       +10'57       TEAM HRC

In this high altitude I was happy not to worry about any power loss of the motor. The engine with its self adjusting fuel injection worked very fine. Also I was impressed by the bolivian crowd waving flags the last 40 kilometres.

Javier Pizzolito       18th       +18'42       TEAM HRC

It was a nice stage which made a lot of fun despite the rain in the first part. Honestly I didn´t expect such  a overwhelming welcome by the bolivian crowd. It was incredible.

Classifications Stage 7

1	Joan Barreda	03:28'41	ESP	HONDA	TEAM HRC
2	Marc Coma	+04'03	ESP	KTM	KTM Red Bull Rally Factory
3	Cyril Despres	+05'35	FRA	YAMAHA	Yamaha Racing
4	Joan Pedrero	+06'57	ESP	SHERCO	Sherco Rally Factory
5	Kuba Przygonski	+08'56	POL	KTM	KTM Rally Factory
6	Jeremias Israel	+10'04	CHL	SPEEDBRAIN	Team Speedbrain
7	Helder Rodrigues	+10'57	POR	HONDA	TEAM HRC
8	Mario Patrao	+11'27	POR	SUZUKI	RR Motos Credito Agricola Suzuki
9	Olivier Pain	+11'37	FRA	YAMAHA	Yamaha Racing
10	Jordi Viladoms	+11'57	ESP	KTM	KTM Red Bull Rally Factory

General standings after Stage 7

1	Marc Coma	26:40'44	ESP	KTM	KTM Red Bull Rally Factory
2	Joan Barreda	+38'14	ESP	HONDA	TEAM HRC
3	Jordi Viladoms	+01:16'03	ESP	KTM	KTM Red Bull Rally Factory
4	Alain Duclos	+01:16'35	FRA	SHERCO	Sherco Rally Factory
5	Jeremias Israel	+01:39'29	CHL	SPEEDBRAIN	Team Speedbrain
6	Olivier Pain	+01:50'42	FRA	YAMAHA	Yamaha Racing
7	Kuba Przygonski	+01:54'52	POL	KTM	KTM Rally Factory
8	Helder Rodrigues	+02:08'18	POR	HONDA	TEAM HRC
9	David Casteu	+02:23'50	FRA	KTM	Team Casteu
10	Cyril Despres	+02:26'13	FRA	YAMAHA	Yamaha Racing

TOMORROW'S STAGE

Monday, January 13
Stage 8: Uyuni – Calama
Liasion: 230 km            Special: 462 km            Total: 692 km

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Uyuni, a vision of white

The Salar de Uyuni is quite simply the biggest salt flat in the world! And the motorcyclists will be able to realise this, since they will have to go right round this gigantic stretch during the eighth stage of the rally. The route will be marked out around and across the salt flat, a marvel stretching over more than 400 kilometres, and will also pass by several islands which make this site so exceptional. The stature of the Tunupa Volcano (5,300m in altitude) will be a permanent feature on the landscape. An amazing daydream vision between heaven and earth on a white backdrop may be apparent, weather permitting!