As the 2016 Dakar heads towards the second marathon stage, the race has seen a slight reshuffle in the overall standings, yet with Paulo Gonçalves still firmly in contention after today’s very difficult stage. Team HRC on course to achieve their objectives.
The Dakar Rally course has now veered off towards Belén in the south east without losing sight of the Andes.
The course towards the leadership has also taken a turn with respect to the opening week. The stage was split into two parts with a neutralization zone for the passage from Salta to Catamarca. The backdrop has changed as the race moves on to far tougher navigation compared to the previous week’s racing. The eighth stage took in some 766 kilometres, including a 393 km timed section.
Paulo Gonçalves concluded the special stage as runner-up 5’17