Jan 5th , 2011 Dakar Rally Stage 4 Race Info & Discussion

Join in and discuss all the action from Stage 4 of the 2011 Dakar Rally.Robby Gordon will start at 11:59am/et & Eliseo Salazar will start at 12:20pm/et. Raceday chat will also be available throughout the entire 2011 Dakar Rally.

STAGE 4 TRACKING

STAGE 4: San Salvador de Jujuy > Calama

Connection 554km | Special Stage 207km | Total 761km

COURSE OVERVIEW

The Dakar leaves Argentina provisionally to cross the Andes mountain range via the Paso de Jama pass. To reach this point, the climb will start during the night. Once they have crossed the border, the crews will ascend to an altitude of 4,800 metres, i.e. the same height as Mont-Blanc, without crampons or ice-picks! In sporting terms, the arrival in Chile also heralds the entrance to the Atacama Desert and the first off-track racing of the rally. The start of the relatively short special stage will take place at 3,300 metres. At this point, the vehicles will have to handle stony terrain as the dunes approach.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by TOG on January 5, 2011 at 6:30pm

29th

Permalink Reply by Joey Brasil on January 5, 2011 at 9:53pm

How is it that Salazar and the support trucks cannot rescue Gordon before so much damage is done? Is there limited communication? Is Robby not in charge? Salazar should have been behind Gordon even on the connection route, why would he not stop?

Permalink Reply by Jeff Carr on January 5, 2011 at 6:28pm

Robby through waypoint 2 almost 5 hours back. Must be running on his own and thinking they will let him continue?

Permalink Reply by ktm pilot on January 5, 2011 at 6:36pm

i wait all year for these 2 weeks,,, this is a bummer ....................

Permalink Reply by Adam G on January 5, 2011 at 6:47pm

Is he going like a bat out of hell

Permalink Reply by Steve Ficacci on January 5, 2011 at 7:07pm

probably not, he cant see shit in the dark.

Permalink Reply by Adam G on January 5, 2011 at 7:53pm

I'm sorry we are talking about Robby Gordon aren't we

Permalink Reply by f1aroo on January 5, 2011 at 10:01pm

Alison LaRoza talked to Steve. 327 did not see 303 when they passed and were totally unaware of Robby breaking down

http://www.larozadakar2011.blogspot.com/

Permalink Reply by Joey Brasil on January 5, 2011 at 10:26pm

How can this be? How is there not a distress call when one truck is in the teens, and the other in the 30's? How is Robby not blocking the road to make 100% sure the 327 does not pass? I just dont get it? If Im the boss, everyone in a speed energy uniform would stop drop and roll if I had a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Help me understand!!

Permalink Reply by Bruce Smith on January 5, 2011 at 11:38pm

Joey, the 327 probably took a little different route and didn't really "drive right past" RG. There is no way they could have missed the 303 as it looks like a neon orange road sign. They had to be on a different route. By tomorrow morning we should know quite a bit more about what happened.

Permalink Reply by Joey Brasil on January 5, 2011 at 11:44pm

Ok, wait for tomorrow. I saw the RG interview posted on FB and Twitter and RG looked POed about the 327 passing him by. Maybe there is a better explaination?! We will see in the morning.

Permalink Reply by R. ALDRIDGE on January 6, 2011 at 12:22am

Not really sure if he is disappointed about being missed by the 327 or the sweeper. If he paid for space on that ASO truck and they passed him by, THAT could be the grounds for appeal and running tomorrow. Hope for the best.