Sherco Rallye round Casteu
By TMX Archives on 7th Jan 10
FRENCHMAN David Casteu and his new Sherco team were the early leaders of the 2010 Dakar Rallye after two special stages between Buenos Aires, Cordoba and La Rioja in central Argentina.
The rider from Nice set the fastest time on the shortened opening stage last Saturday and followed Yamaha's David Fretigne to the finish of the second special into La Rioja to take a provisional 37-second lead over defending champion, Marc Coma, into the third test towards Fiambala. But Coma was later awarded a 22-minute penalty for a speeding violation in a village and plummeted down the leader-board to 14th overall.
The performance of the new 450cc Sherco had been a revelation and the introduction of a power restrictor for the 690cc KTM machines had made the start of the 32nd Dakar the most open for several years.
Two-time champion, Cyril Despres, moved up to second overall after Coma's penalty was imposed and Fretigne, Italy's Luca Manca and Spaniard Jordi Viladoms completed the top five.
2010 DAKAR RALLYE
Standings after Stage 2
Overall:–
1 David Casteu (F - Sherco) 5-hr 50-min 45-sec
2 Cyril Despres (F - KTM) 5:52:55
3 David Fretigne (F - Yamaha) 5:52:59
4 Luca Manca (I - KTM) 5:59:28
5 Jordi Viladoms (E - KTM) 5:59:33
6 Helder Rodrigues (P - Yamaha) 6:00:12
7 Ruben Faria (P - KTM) 6:04:36
Select others:–
10 Jonas Street (USA - KTM) 6:07:29
13 Francesco Lopez (CHL - Aprilia) 6:13:05
14 Marc Coma (E - KTM) 6:13:22
16 Pal-Anders Ullesvalseter (N - KTM) 6:14:48
British and Irish entrants:–
26 Craig Bounds (GB - KTM) 6:26:18
105 Philip Noone (IRL - KTM) 7:44:12
123 Tamsin Jones (GB - Yamaha) 8:07:38
129 Andrew Neri (GB - KTM) 8:22:16
133 Paul Carlyle (GB - BMW) 8:34:03
138 Duncan Tweedy (GB - KTM) 8:49:12
FOR FULL REPORT SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010