The Dakar Rally, en route through Bolivia, is taking a bad beating from the weather. The country, which has been suffering an extreme drought for several months, has seen the arrival of the race coincide with arrival of the rain. The heavy downpours, while good for local irrigation, are causing more than a few headaches for the national road system.
Yesterday afternoon with the Oruro bivouac a mud-filled washout, ASO, the governing body of the Rally Dakar 2017, emitted the following communication:
Considering the extreme climatic conditions and that some drivers are still on the stage course, considering that is impossible to bring the vehicles of all participants back to the bivouac and prepare the next stage in the best conditions and considering that people of the organisation in charge of the reco of tomorrow’s stage course informed that the road is unpracticable, the 6th stage (ORURO-LA PAZ) has been cancelled.
Stage 6 from Oruro to La Paz with 527 kilometres of timed special stage, was set to be the longest of the twelve Dakar stages to be raced against the clock. Now, the stage scheduled from Uyuni and Salta, with 492 kilometres of special, will be the most lengthy in the Dakar 2017.
Today the riders, assistance and crew of the Monster Energy Honda Team will make the liaison by road to the La Paz bivouac. Tomorrow the team will get to savour a well-earned day off in the Bolivian capital and set about preparations for the following day.
As a logical consequence the race order remains the same as yesterday’s bar any minor modifications.
Rider Standing
1. Sunderland Sam (GBR) – Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team, 15:22’05
2. Quintanilla Pablo (CHI) – Husqvarna Factory Rally Team, +12’00
3. Van Beveren Adrien (FRA) – Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team, +16’07
4. Farres Gerard (SPA) – Himoinsa Team, +20’57
5. Walkner Matthias (AUT) – Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team, +29:01
6. de Soultrait Xavier (FRA) – Viltais Racing Team HFP, +36’06
7. Svitko Stefan (SLO) – Slovnaft Team, +48’43
8. Renet Pierre-Alexandre (FRA) – Husqvarna Factory Rally Team, +54’45
9. Duplessis Mart