Just one stage left for Pat Trahan, in the 2010 Dakar Rally. The Team Honda Europe Rider expressed fatigue at the end of the long 12th stage yesterday, writing on his blog that he stopped to take a nap under a tree during the liaison to the bivouac and needed a red bull to regain his mojo. But the Montrealer continues on, finishing today’s penultimate stage 52nd in a field that has withered to less than half its original size, from 161 riders in stage one to just 75 at the end of today’s 13th stage. Barring catastrophe tomorrow, Pat will become the fourth Canadian to ever cross the Dakar Rally finish line.
As for the front-runners, while Cyril Despres has a virtual lock on the championship, the fight for runner up continued today and saw KTM rider Pal Ullevalseter winning his first ever Dakar stage. The Norwegian takes a 4:22 advantage over Aprilia’s Chaleco Lopez into the final round. Should be quite a battle between the two tomorrow.
Check the video below for all the highlights.
2010 Dakar Rally Stage 13 Results
1. ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM 03:27:05
2. DESPRES (FRA) KTM 03:27:48 00:00:43
3. COMA (ESP) KTM 03:29:51 00:02:46
4. LOPEZ CONTARDO (CHL) APRILIA 03:32:40 00:05:35
5. DUCLOS (FRA) KTM 03:33:29 00:06:24
6. RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 03:35:13 00:08:09
7. PRZYGONSKI (POL) KTM 03:35:14 00:08:09
8. STREET (USA) KTM 03:36:38 00:09:33
9. PAIN (FRA) YAMAHA 03:43:01 00:15:56
10. FARIA (PRT) KTM 03:43:11 00:16:06
2010 Dakar Rally Overall Standings
1. DEPRES (FRA) KTM 49:38:44
2. ULLEVALSETER (NOR) KTM 50:42:56 01:04:12
3. LOPEZ CONTARDO (CHL) APRILIA 50:47:18 01:08:34
4. RODRIGUES (PRT) YAMAHA 50:59:25 01:20:41
5. FRETIGNE (YAMAHA) 51:34:50 01:56:06
6. DUCLOS (FRA) KTM 51:37:50 01:59:06
7. STREET (USA) 52:24:57 02:46:13
8. PRZYGONSKI (POL) KTM 52:52:21 03:13:37
9. PAIN (FRA) YAMAHA 53:06:47 03:28:03
10. PEDRERO GARCIA (ESP) KTM 53:09:41 03:30:57