Day 6 Dakar 2014: Duclos Wins Stage, Palante Found Dead

Fri, 10 Jan 2014

Sherco rider Alain Duclos took today’s stage, eight years after his first win in Bamako. With three top five finishes this year Duclos has proven his own increased competitiveness as well as that of the Sherco 450 Rally bike he’s aboard.

In more tragic news, the body of Belgian rider, Eric Palante was found Friday morning on a part of the fifth stage route that riders completed on Thursday. Palante was discovered after a truck was sent out Friday morning searching for the missing rider. Event officials offered few details but said the cause of death was being investigated. More about the tragedy is reported here.

Marc Coma stood on the second step of the podium today 1:15 behind Duclos, maintaining his overall lead in the standings in front of Joan Barreda by 42:17. Barreda managed a fourth place finish, 2:22 behind Duclos, while Depres was behind him in fifth, 2:55 behind Duclos, but because of his terrible result on day four is out of top ten contention.

Saturday brings the only rest day of this year’s Dakar. The riders will take care of their exhausted bodies and the bikes will receive a major overhaul for things to come in week two.

Provisional results Stage 6:
1. Alain Duclos (FRA, Sherco) 04:21:34 hrs
2. Marc Coma (ESP, KTM) +00:01:15
3. Michael Metge (FRA, Yamaha) +00:01:49
4. Joan Barreda (ESP, Honda) +00:02:22
5. Cyril Despres (FRA, Yamaha) +00:02:55
6. Helder Rodrigues (PRT, Honda) +00:04:21
7. Stefan Svitko (SVK, KTM) +00:07:46
8. Jakub Przygonski (POL, KTM) +00:08:12
9. Jordi Viladoms (ESP, KTM) +00:10:26
10. Jeremias Israel Esquerre (CHL, Speedbrain) +00:11:13

Provisional overall standings:
1. Marc Coma (ESP, KTM) 23:08:00 hrs
2. Joan Barreda (ESP, Honda) +00:42:17
3. Alain Duclos (FRA, Sherco) +01:00:58
4. Jordi Viladoms (ESP, KTM) +01:08:09
5. Jeremias Israel Esquerre (CHL, Speedbrain) +01:33:28
6. Olivier Pain (FRA, Yamaha) +01:43:08
7. Jakub Przygonski (POL, KTM) +01:49:59
8. Helder Rodrigues (PRT, Honda) +02:01:24
9. David Casteu (FRA, KTM) +02:12:05
10. Daniel Gouet (CHL, Honda) +02:17:26

By Tom Roderick