Day 09: San Miguel de Tucamán > Córdoba

Jan 15th

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Stage 09: No rest for the wicked…

With the designated rest day already fading like a distant memory, the 2013 Dakar is rolling once again. Resumption of the pre-dawn routine prepared the riders for their 176km liaison before 5.00am. Stage 9 to Córdoba was to be the longest of the rally and certainly made its mark on the standings. The arduous sea of sand dunes encountered in earlier stages has been left behind for the time being and the rally is firmly within grasp of the Argentine mountains. In their stead was an equally taxing special threaded though forest on 593km of dusty, rock-laden soil trails. They remained untouched by the rains from two days ago and so it was that dust played a major part in the outcome today. GHR rider #156 Todd Smith was in the thick of it, forced to pick his way through it due to starting well down the order for the day.

GHR times and overall placings: MOTO
“Following a welcomed rest day, Stage 9 proved to be a big one – 593km special with about 250km road section. It was another tough day, taking us up and down hills, around a heap of corners, all on really slippery roads. It was challenging, mainly because I started in 81st position and had to ride in more dust than I have ever experienced. I had lots of quads and other bikes to catch and pass… I ended up 19th in the stage so hopefully will get a better run tomorrow.”

By virtue of their earlier start positions today, #131 Warren Strange and #89 Brett Cummings were spared the worst of the dusty onslaught and their top 40 finishes will mean the same tomorrow.

The rest day refurbishment of his TRX700XX allowed #274 Paul Smith to push hard on the stage and he was clearly out to make an impression on the standings. Crossing the line 07:25 behind the stage winner, his 5th place finish brings him up one place in the overall.

GHR times and overall placings: MOTO
31st #131 – STRANGE Warren (AUS) 28h54m02s (+02:56:50 behind leader)
42nd #156 – SMITH Todd (AUS) 30h15m11s (+04:17:59 behind leader)
60th #089 – CUMMINGS Brett (ZAF) 32h09m53s (+06:12:41 behind leader)

GHR times and overall placings: QUAD
12th #274 – SMITH Paul (AUS) 33h53m46s, 5th on stage (+04:47:27 behind leader)

Stage 10: Córdoba > La Rioja
Tomorrow the course will remain on mountain soil. Stage 10: Córdoba > La Rioja breaks the southward journey into Argentina, turning north-west with a 37km liaison, a 357km special and a final 242km liaison to the bivouac.

Dakar 2013: Stage 10 Córdoba > La Rioja. Courtesy of dakar.com

Dakar 2013: Day 09

Day 08: Salta > San Miguel de Tucamán

Jan 13th

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Stage 08: The best laid plans…

After the lofty, exhausting Stage 7 and lonely “marathon” bivouac, it’s understandable that the riders were already thinking about being reunited with their crews. But nobody was quite prepared for the chaos that was Stage 8 before they were. Torrential rain forced the hands of race control and they enacted a last minute route revision. The network of dry river beds that were to play a part in the passage to San Miguel de Tucamán were now rolling rivers. The revision discarded the first section of the special, but navigation in the now shortened stage still caught a large portion of the field including the lead group. GHR riders #156 Todd Smith, #131 Warren Strange and #89 Brett Cummings all lost time when they strayed from the correct path. Cummings recovered well to finish the stage 16th and Strange arrived in 51st place, but it was Todd Smith who suffered the greatest setback with a heavy crash on top of the navigation issue. Having elevated himself to 8th fastest on stage, his push up the order was foiled and he had to settle with 74th. In contrast #274 Paul Smith banked another solid run and closed in 13th place.

Comments from Todd Smith:
“Had another tough day at Dakar. The first part of the stage was cancelled from all the rain we had the night before, so we had to ride it as a liaison. The second part of the stage started off on nice fast roads and off piste sand flats until half way, then we had to ride up a flowing creek. I was doing well but I got lost with a heap of riders lost a lot of time there. It’s the rest day so I’m going to recharge the battery and see if I can do a bit better in the last 6 stages.”

GHR times and overall placings: MOTO
33th #131 – STRANGE Warren (AUS) 22h18m12s (+02:21:39 behind leader)
49th #156 – SMITH Todd (AUS) 24h06m06s (+04:09:33 behind leader incl +00:15:00 penalty)
65th #089 – CUMMINGS Brett (ZAF) 25h31m48s (+05:35:15 behind leader)

GHR times and overall placings: QUAD
13th #274 – SMITH Paul (AUS) 27h04m42s (+04:26:07 behind leader)

Tomorrow is the precious rest and recuperation day for the riders. With no racing they’ll take the rare opportunity to sleep in and spend the day out of the saddle. Meanwhile, the service crew will work on the bikes and quad in preparation for the second part of Dakar 2013. It’s from this point on that engine changes, penalties and injuries will start to mix up the order, and as Stages 7 and 8 demonstrated it only takes a little upset to dramatically change the shape of the rally.

Dakar 2013: Day 08

Day 07: Calama > Salta

Jan 12th

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Stage 07: Doing it tough all on their own.

The route to Salta provided no real technical riding challenge but it certainly wasn’t an easy day. The 218km special was a fast-paced dash along the mountain roads and tracks. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the day was the “marathon” status of the stage, meaning there was no service or contact with support crew. Extreme altitude deprived lungs and engines of oxygen for much of the day, upsetting progress for many as altitude sickness and asthmatic fueling took their toll. Combined with the frosty temperature and poor weather during the 585km liaison legs, it made for a formidable day with no creature comforts in sight at the end. The bivouac sleeping quarters consisted of a space on the floor of a gymnasium.

There’s been no direct contact between the riders and the service crew since they are in different bivouacs in accordance with the marathon day rules, but Glenn Hoffmann has called in from one of the service cars. The Audi support car has been struggling in the conditions so most of the uphill transport was driven in limp mode at 20kph with the hazard lights on and warning lamps blinking. The truck made it over the top in 12 hours. The crew have a evening of relative quiet before moving again tomorrow to the bivouac San Miguel de Tucumán that will serve as home for two nights and designated rest day between them.

GHR times and placings: MOTO
35th #131 – STRANGE Warren 19h43m53s (56th for stage, +02:15:36 behind leader)
46th #156 – SMITH Todd 21h22m00s (38th for stage, +03:53:43 behind leader, +00:15:00 penalty)
68th #089 – CUMMINGS Brett 23h07m00s (37th for stage, +05:38:43 behind leader)

GHR times and placings: QUAD
13th #274 – SMITH Paul 24h08m42s (9th for stage, +04:00:09 behind leader)

Sadly there was a fatal traffic accident on the non-competitive liaison leg en route from Calama to the start of the Stage 7 special at 08:23 local time. 25 year old French #106 rider Thomas Bourgin was killed when his motorcycle collided with a Chilean police car. It was his first his first Dakar Rally and the exact circumstances of the accident are still under investigation. GHR Honda’s thoughts go out to Thomas’ loved ones and team mates.

Stage 08: Salta > Tucuman: We understand that due to a sudden deluge of rain there will be last minute alterations to the first section of the route. The terrain is unknown due to the imminent route change, but the bikes and quads were scheduled to cover more than 700km for the day at moderate altitudes. The original special was to cover 492km of highly variable ground including a 111km neutralised road section. In completing the only marathon leg for the 2013 rally, riders will need to balance the urge to push for positions against the risk of breaking their machines.

Dakar 2013: Day 07

Day 06: Arica > Calama

Jan 11th

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Stage 06: Into the hills.

Conditions today were reminiscent of home for the Australians, with firmer terrain and less sand but abundant dust as they entered the mountains in Chile. #131 Warren Strange finished 44th for the day, #89 Brett Cummings pulled up just behind in 45th place, advancing well up the order from his start position. The biggest advances for GHR were in the quad class with #274 Paul Smith spending most of the day in the top 10, finishing 11th for the day and now standing in 13th overall. #156 Todd Smith‘s otherwise smooth run was upset near the end of the stage and the team are aware of entrants with fueling troubles.

Comments from Todd Smith:
“We are now in Chile! I had a great stage, moving my way up the ranks until I was 20 km from the end. My bike had what we think was a fuel problem. In the end I had to push it over the finish line. A bit disappointing, but tomorrow is another day…”

GHR times and placings: MOTO
30th #131 – STRANGE Warren 17h23m46s (+01:48:23 behind leader)
49th #156 – SMITH Todd 19h15m27s (+03:40:04 behind leader +00:15:00 penalty)
78th #089 – CUMMINGS Brett 21h00m37s (+05:25:14 behind leader)

GHR times and placings: QUAD
13th #274 – SMITH Paul 21h34m48s (+03:51:55 behind leader)

Stage 07: Calama > Salta means a crossing of the Andes into Argentina. The bikes and quads take a 418km liaison just south of the Bolivian border before starting the 218km special for the day. The highest point on the stage exceeds a dizzy 3,850m, and all but the very end will be held above 3,400m elevation. Shortness of breath will tax both the riders and their machines – an situation which compounds any weaknesses. There will be no sand encountered tomorrow, just soil, stones and the chilly mountain air. Avoiding major mechanical problems will be of utmost importance since Stage 7 is a marathon stage without assistance from the service crews. All will be mindful that they’ll only have their own resourcefulness to prevent any issues being carried over into Stage 8.

Dakar 2013: Stage 7 Calama > Salta. Courtesy of dakar.com

Dakar 2013: Day 06

Dakar 2013: Fesh fesh

Jan 11th

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Fesh Fesh: courtesy Dakar.com

For the uninitiated, this is the reality of riding in fesh fesh. Without notice the ground gives way and jettisons talcum powder like dust into the air. Until the rider hits it there is no warning of how deep it may be, nor what debris lies hidden. Knee depth washouts filled with fesh fesh and rocks are a nightmare for riders.

Dakar 2013: Pictures

Day 05: Arequipa > Arica

Jan 10th

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Stage 05: Done and very much dusted.

Stony hills, riverbed crossings, fesh fesh, broken tracks, and off piste sections littered with boulders conspired together with the ever present challenge of navigation in a punishing 136km leg to Arica. Even the leaders were taken aback by the difficulty of the seemingly short stage in which passing was both onerous and perilous.

Comments from Todd Smith:
“Stage 5 was a tough one, thank God its done! I didn’t have much energy as a result of yesterday but went ok. I stopped along the way to help (fellow Australian) Troy O’Connor. I gave him a spanner then a heap of quads got back past me. It was tight running in bull dust for ages after. I lost time at the end because they changed the road book for the last 10km and I went back to check it out. The stage itself started with knee deep fesh fesh (bulldust) then 11km off piste rock field (with no defined road), and more fesh fesh. I was constantly passing riders. To top off the exhaustion we lose 2 hours tonight with the change of time zones!”

Glenn Hoffmann: “After Stage 4, Todd and Brett were pretty drained but they both soldiered through Stage 5 and that’s what matters. Everyone riding for the team is up to it. The mechanics are up to it. We keep going. Obviously Todd’s troubles are frustrating because they came just as he was coming to grips with the sand and the navigation. But the team are doing what they do best. It’s a long race. The bikes are fast and the boys are uninjured. Warren (Strange) is in the top 30 and riding really well. He’s always had the ability but this year he’s incredibly focused on the end result. Each of the last three days has brought an improvement in the standings for him. Same thing for Paul Smith who is very strong in the rough terrain. He’s still looking to sneak into the top 10 quads. The longer and tougher the stage, the better he does on the 700XX. The next couple of days are expected to be long, brutal shifts for everyone but that’s why we’re here.”

GHR times and placings: MOTO
28th #131 – STRANGE Warren 13h01m04s (+01:09:35 behind leader)
50th #156 – SMITH Todd 14h45m04s (+02:53:35 behind leader)
89th #089 – CUMMINGS Brett 16h34m56s (+04:43:27 behind leader)

GHR times and placings: QUAD
16th #274 – SMITH Paul 16h42m12s (+03:21:16 behind leader)

Stage 6 Arica > Calama will be the longest yet at a total of 769km, including an extensive 455km special. The bikes have a very early start at 04:30, perceived as 02:30 due to a change in time zone. The bikes, quads, cars and trucks share a single route once more so the added pressure of traffic will compound the duress as they move into the Atacama Desert. A neutralised zone mid stage will provide some time for recovery before they’re dropped knee deep into fesh fesh. While the top 25 riders in the moto division are still only separated by a single hour, the lengthy stage, fatigue and damage are bound to mix things up.

Dakar 2013: Stage 6 Arica > Calama. Courtesy of dakar.com

Dakar 2013: Day 05

Day 04: Nazca > Arequipa

Jan 9th

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Stage 04: the ups and downs of Dakar begin

Stage 4 claimed some big names from the moto class during its testing 288km special. Were it not for some outstanding team spirit exhibited by Brett Cummings, GHR’s Todd Smith would not have found himself on the start list for Stage 5. Smith aboard his #156 bike was having a swift run straight out of the gate but was soon to be bitten.

“Well, what a day… probably the hardest day of my life filled with every emotion possible. I started the stage feeling great on the bike. Rod Faggotter (#131, Yamaha, AUS) and I were riding together having a heap of fun, tackling the dunes and doing whatever Dakar throws at you. I was working my way up the field averaging 14th throughout the stage.”

By the time the pair passed WP8 their stage times were separated by the slimmest of margins – only 6 seconds in favour of Faggotter. But around the 265km mark the tables turned.

“I was then faced with mechanical problems with just 20km left of the competitive stage and then 429km on the road. Brett Cummings came by and decided he’d tow me to the end – which proved to be a challenge in itself. We got stuck, and had to push the bike, but we got to the end eventually! I honestly thought my race was over… but my mechanics are working on my bike as we speak to get me going again tomorrow. I’ll start stage 5 in 127th spot, and hopefully have a bit more luck.”

Brett had already lost time early in the day and described the stage as “the toughest and most spectacular stage by far.” He will depart 124th on the road for stage 5 and stands in 91st place overall. Due to the extra workload sustained today his bike has also required work.

Day 04 - Arequipa 3.45am: Mechanic Jake Young attending to Brett's #89 bike

In contrast to his team mates, #131 Warren Strange had another steady day and finished 27th in the stage, 9 places above his start position.

Having a better stage than yesterday was quad rider #274 Paul Smith who hovered around 14th place for most of special. He brought it home 18th fastest at the end of the demanding day which claimed another 3 quad riders.

GHR times and placings: MOTO
30th #131 – STRANGE Warren (AUS) 11h01m11s (+00:50:33 behind leader)
64th #156 – SMITH Todd (AUS) 12h43m32s (+02:32:54 behind leader)
91th #089 – CUMMINGS Brett (ZAF) 13h36m20s (+03:25:42 behind leader)

GHR times and placings: QUAD
18th #274 – SMITH Paul (AUS) 14h11m28s (+02:50:02 behind leader)

Stage 5: Arequipa > Arica delivers the race from the mountains of Peru to coastal Chile for the first time. The bikes and quads will enjoy a relatively late start on the 136km special as the first on road departs at 08:30. Although conditions will remain rough, the rocky soil may allow Todd Smith to make up some lost time in terrain more in keeping with home. As the cars and trucks take a different route riders have some breathing room without the threat of heavier vehicles bearing down from behind. Total distance covered before the bivouac will be 410km.

Dakar 2013: Stage 05 Arequipa > Arica. Courtesy of dakar.com

Dakar 2013: Day 04

Day 03: Pisco > Nazca

Jan 8th

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Stage 03: Straight out of Africa…

As predicted, Stage 3 of the 2013 Dakar was a real roller-coaster ride for the riders. 171 bikes and 35 quads rolled into a decisive special where all faced the dilemma of whether to follow their own navigation or trust that of their competitors. From afar the landscape was breathtaking, but the 4km transport delivered the field straight into a sea of rolling sand dunes waiting to swamp the unwary. The roadbook only hinted at the true difficulty of the topography and once more the field has been whittled down by hidden hazards. However with all three taking care today, GHR riders #156 Todd Smith, #131 Warren Strange and #89 Brett Cummings all improved their overall standings in the moto division.

Comments from Todd Smith:
“I had a good day today and took it really easy. I’m getting much more confident, and have got to know the navigation better. I picked a few guys off but made a few minor navigational errors and had a little lie down in the fesh fesh. I’m getting the hang of the dunes – the other guys are so fast through the dunes, but I catch them on the flats. I got 19th for the stage and have moved up to 24th outright. All going really well.”

Warren Strange had a steady run without trouble. Fluctuating between 29th and 36th fastest on the special he closed in 32nd place for the stage and 33rd overall. South African Brett Cummings lifted his 79th overall by 4 spots to secure 75th outright. He was 76th on the stage.

In spite of some mechanical damage and navigation issues, GHR quad rider #274 Paul Smith only slipped back one place overall to hold 19th overall in his division. Starting well, the navigation errors had cost him 40 minutes by WP3. “I should have trusted my gut” were his words at day’s end. Instead he was lead astray by others before sustaining front suspension damage on rocks at the base of a steep 600m descent. Importantly he remained uninjured, and despite later fuel transfer issues he nursed his TRX700XX to the end of the day, 21st on stage.

GHR times and placings: MOTO
24th #156 – SMITH Todd 6h38m17s (+00:23:14 behind leader)
33rd #131 – STRANGE Warren 6h48m38s (+00:33:35 behind leader)
75th #089 – CUMMINGS Brett 7h48m22s (+01:33:19 behind leader)

GHR times and placings: QUAD
19 #274 – SMITH Paul 8h47m54s (+01:52:14 behind leader)

Stage 4: Nazca > Arequipa continues to flank the Pacific in a south-easterly direction, but will be the first really arduous day for the 2013 edition of Dakar. The GHR crew face another pre-dawn reveille for the special and the first bike will leave bivouac at 05.45hrs. Three massive ascents waiting in Stage 4 will dwarf those encountered in previous stages, as will the severe drops beyond each one. The first, a 1,600m dune, will give way to mountainous rocky tracks topping out above 2,200m only to thrust downwards once more to the refuel at CP1. Beyond the 250km mark the final brutal climb up 1,000m of sand may prove to be especially difficult for anyone who has sustained damage or logged fatigue earlier in the day. The stage then drops from dizzy heights immediately before the finish. All will have traveled over 700km before respite and repairs come at the Arequipa bivouac.

Dakar 2013: Day 03

Day 2: Pisco > Pisco

Jan 7th

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Stage 02: Into the dunes…

The 242km Pisco > Pisco stage spared the Dakar field little on what was the first day of real racing. After their 85km liaison the riders were thrown straight into soft, repetitive dunes with hidden drop-offs and deceptive waypoints. GHR riders Warren Strange and Brett Cummings both achieved substantial gains in the overall moto standings by day’s end, holding 31st and 79th respectively. Todd Smith started the day on a charge but slowed when he encountered the sand dunes for the first time. He ended the day holding 34th place overall. In the quad class, #274 Paul Smith dropped from 13th to 18th overall. The grueling stage has already forced the retirement of 3 quads and 8 riders in the moto division. Unfortunately #91 Glen Grundy’s race was halted by mechanical problems 85km into the special. Thankfully he’s uninjured and will stay on with the team to assist.

Comments from #156 Todd Smith:
Well, to say that the 2nd stage was a steep learning curve would be an understatement! Wow… first time in the dunes, and the first time using my GPS. A long story short: I struggled to find my way! Had a pretty big scare off one of the dunes, and dropped about 6m down onto the flat and crashed. Also got stuck on the top of a dune and had to drag my bike down to pick it up. Other than that the stage was really fun. I’m feeling good and we will see what tomorrow brings.

GHR times and placings: MOTO
31st #131 – STRANGE Warren 3h46m41s (+00:22:30 behind leader, as high as 13th at WP3)
34th #156 – SMITH Todd 3h47m38s (+00:23:27 behind leader, 9th fastest to WP1)
79th #089 – CUMMINGS Brett 4h19m48s (+00:55:37 behind leader)

GHR times and placings: QUAD
18th #274 – SMITH Paul 4h34m03s (+00:43:18 behind leader)

Dakar 2013: Stage 03 Pisco > Nazca. Courtesy of dakar.com

Stage 3 Pisco > Nazca continues in a south-easterly direction roughly 80km in from the coast. A short 4km liaison from the overnight bivouac will guide the field to another testing 243km special and subsequent 96km liaison run to Nazca. The projected terrain will be a mixture of deep sand dunes and sandy soil tracks meaning there will be little time to rest. In contrast to the modest elevation changes from Stage 2, there will be a series of steep gradients starting with a dramatic drop at 115km mark.

Dakar 2013: Day 02

Dakar 2013: Start & Prologue

Jan 6th

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D day for GHR. The 2013 Dakar Rally has started!

GHR Honda’s second Dakar Rally campaign is finally under way following the ceremonial start and prologue were held today in Peru. After 5 days of preparation and build up in Peru’s capital, Lima, the four Honda CRF450X motorcycles and one Honda TRX700XX quad entered by GHR crossed the ceremonial start with 444 other competitors and their machines. Embarking south on a scenic coastal liaison, they traced the coastline for 250km to Pisco where the racing started. The prologue stage of the 2013 event was a warm-up sprint throughout the sand dunes merely 13km in length, so brief that most riders finished in under an hour before returning to the Pisco bivouac.

Dakar Rally 2013: Stage 1 Route. Courtesy dakar.com

Lead GHR rider #156 Todd Smith from Condobolin finished in 34th place from 183 starters.

“Well, day 1 is done and dusted… I’m pretty happy with how it went, and just cruised through to come in 34th – a great place to start Day 2. I’ve done my map and the track looks good for tomorrow – some dunes and some road sections. It should be a good stage to learn the roadbooks and GPS. The bike is great, everything worked well.”

Second time Dakar entrant, #131 Warren Strange from Western Australia was the next GHR bike to clear the stage and stands in 59th place. A veteran desert racer, he’s aware that the race can’t be won on the opening stage but it can certainly be lost. His position tomorrow will allow him to start chipping away at his objective of a top 20 finish.

GHR have with their ranks two South African riders, both of whom raced the 2012 Australasian Safari with the Australian team. #89 rider Brett Cummings from Witbank and winner of the 2012 Dakar Challenge division at Safari crossed the line in 103rd place today. The 29 year old engineer has been training hard in preparation for this year’s Dakar with fellow South African competitor, #91 Glen Grundy, 48. While Cummings is aiming for a top 50 outright placing in the event, Grundy’s sole objective is to finish the race.

Victorian quad rider #274 Paul Smith started today as the first ever Australian to enter the quad class at Dakar. The 34 year old farmer completed the prologue in 13th place and has his sights set on a podium spot this year.

Today’s results have determined the start order Stage 2, consisting of an 85km liaison and 242km special over mixed terrain in the table lands to the west of the Andes. 3 sections of dunes will test the riders’ navigation skills and endurance before they return to Pisco for the second night.

Pictures from Glenn Hoffmann: