Welcome rest day in Chile for KTM's Dakar stars

From KTM

After seven days hard riding the four KTM factory riders are resting up in Valparaiso on the Chilean coast before tackling the remaining six days of racing.

Riders still have plenty to occupy themselves during the day off and to prepare for the second half of the race. The first week of this South American Dakar was supposed to be a ‘gentle' warm up but has turned out to be as tough as any ‘African' Dakar that has gone before it. And it is certain that next week is going to be even tougher.

Marc Coma (Repsol KTM) 1st overall
When people back home watch us on television and see the towns we pass through, the bivouacs we are sleeping in, I think they might get the wrong impression. Obviously the living conditions in South America are easier than in Africa, but let me tell you, out on the piste the Dakar spirit is very much there. It has been an extremely tough week - at least as hard as any other Dakar I have done before. My week has gone reasonably well, and for sure I am happy to be in the lead, but the situation with the rear mousse has been a big additional stress. All we can try and do is make the best choice for the day ahead and hope that it is the right one. I have been lucky that Jordi (Viladoms) and Gerard (Farres) have been so close behind me and that has helped reduce the problem - but for sure it is always in the back of my mind. The restart will see us heading into the Chilean desert and I am sure it will be very beautiful. I am also sure it will be very hard. Physically I feel strong and I think I am going to need all that strength!

Cyril Despres (Red Bull KTM) 5th overall (at 1h35'23)
It looks like Jordi (Viladoms) is going to get a 20 minute time penalty which means I will move up to fifth overall. That means that in one week I have moved up 17 places - though obviously the closer you get to the lead the harder those places are to take! Clearly in terms of pure speed Marc and I are pretty evenly matched, but the Dakar is an endurance race and we have seen before that anything can happen. Here in South American with the mousse “surprises” and the fact that we know the terrain much less that is even more the case. It is why I remain convinced that I still have a chance of final victory and why I will keep pushing all the way to the end. We haven't yet received tomorrow's road book, but looking at the profile of the stages to come it would seem that the next six days are going to be even tougher. The harder they are the better my chances of being able to pull back time.

Riders on Sunday tackle the journey from Valparaiso to La Serena following the Chilean coastline northwards. It should be a day for the top riders to shine over medium altitude mountain roads, the highest altitude to be just over 1000 m.