Dakar 2014

Last saturday (january 18th) Rally-Raid Dakar finished it's 2014 edition. In South America as the immediatly past years. During it's 34 years, 6 were developed in South America, in four countries (Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia). This year all countries except Bolivia. And other important fact is that quads start running in South America, not in Africa.

This year's edition was the most difficult since Dakar arrived in South America, according to drivers. Long days (jan 5 - jan 18) marked the routes that cars, bikes, trucks and quads crossed. More than 400 participants and the best machines did a good competence. More than the half of competitors left the race.

In cars, MINI (with Xraidteam) were the leaders during the whole Dakar (the most). Drivers like Peterhansel and Roma (winner) lead all the race. Sometimes Sainz try but MINI were the best. 

In bikes Coma (KTM), Despres (Yamaha) and Barreda Bort (Honda) were the absolutely leaders. Coma won the race with a totally domain.

Finally in Trucks, Karginov (Kamaz) won. Kamaz won the last years, except 2012 (Iveco).

In quads, finally other pilot different of Patronelli Brothers could won. Ignacio Casale from Chile did it.

*Videos by #Dakar @dakar (http://www.youtube.com/dakar)

Taken from www.dakar.com

Chile looking forward

Elections in Chile, next sunday november 17th, are important in several ways.
Current president, Sebastian Piñera, did good things during his time in the Palacio de la Moneda.Obviously with many critics but he moved Chile to be a referent of South America as a leader (can say as Brazil).
Michelle Bachelet (former President) want to return. She was a good president forsure. She started in a good way that engine called Chile. Nowdays many factories conquered the continent and Bachelet  started that fact.

Picture: emol.com

There are many questions about the new chilean president. Maybe she will be a good president? she will be a 'neutral' pole, talking about left or right in South America? Why she? because the possible president will be a women.

South America is changing year by year and many presidents want to stay as leaders. Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia presidents are doing that. If Bachelet win, she will stay many years? Probably not, but its important to mention that she is trying to be president for third time.

Chile is looking forward, not back as Venezuela, but the elections will tell what the chileans want.

Dakar organizers challenge

The most difficult race around the world (Rally-Raid Dakar) just finished two weeks ago in Santiago, Chile.
This year's race was great! But at the end the winners were the same as the last year. In cars Peterhansel (MINI), in motorbikes Despres (KTM) and in quads Patronelli (Yamaha).
The route was hard. It started in Perú, then Argentina and finally Chile, trough its deserts.
There's a lot of sand in those countries but there are not as many changes year by year since it arrived to S America some years ago.
The routes can be the same.
There are huge differences between Europe-Africa race and South America one!
There in Africa there is a lot of sand of the Sahara and the routes can be different. (Taking into account that Dakar were there 20+ years).
The challenge of the Dakar organization is to return to Africa!
In America they can design different routes (Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia) but is not in off for this race.

Video: Dakar Channel in YouTube

Video: Dakar Channel in YouTube

Raid Dakar, more than a Rally

Dakar Official logo. http://www.dakar.com

Since 2009 the Dakar was transferred from Europe and Africa to South America. The landscapes changed (not radically) but Sahara dessert is kind of diferent of  different of Atacama dessert and Andes Mountains.


Raid Dakar was born in 1979, 33 years ago. Cars (Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Hummer, MINI, BMW, Renault, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Peugeot, Citroên, Toyota), motorcycles (KTM, Yamaha, BMW, Jincheng, Cagiva, Aprilia, Honda), trucks (Iveco, Kamaz, MAN, Tatra, Hino, DAF, Merecdez Benz) and quads (Yamaha) compete around 15 days each begin of the year across 8000 kilometers.

Dakar is a Off road endurance race and most of the vehicles are modified. During the history of the race there are lots of incidents and some drivers died. Its important to remark that the organization prepare a good test each year taking into account the geography.

This is the most difficult car race in the whole world. Only professional drivers can do the most important goal: arrive to the end.

http://www.dakar.com

Dakar 2012 final results