WOW! 3 Aussie Riders still doing very well in the Dakar 2014 including ex Eudunda lad Shane Diener.
Shane Diener riding in the Dakar 2014Photo of Shane looking in great style from his Facebook Report.
Today is a rest day, so to review the end of Day 6 – Friday’s action – a section from Tucuman to Salta in Argentina the official timing show Shane Diener in 33rd, with Troy O’Connor only 3 place behind in 36th and Allan Roberts in 47th.
Part of Shane’s summary explains a lot,
“Day 6 did not go to plan for the Dakar competitors but I doubt any of them were complaining. The second selective was cancelled. People and bikes were pulling up everywhere due to the heat and the harsh conditions. Two bikes burns to the ground during the morning. Shane had pulled up to try and find a missed way point and next minute Troy O’Connor pulled up along side him. Troy looked down and saw flames coming out of the bottom of his bike. Luckily he was able to pull the burning debris out as both he and Shane had little water left to do anything with.
Alan Roberts from Gawler had the same problem during the same stretch.”
Shane went on to say that 174 Bikes started the race and at the end of day 6, 82 riders remain. He came 33rd in the first selective and results for the second selective are still not in and he is currently in 54th position overall, remembering that he is carrying a 3 hour penalty.
One sobering reminder that everyone is ‘out there on the edge’ is that one of the well known competitors Belgium rider Eric Palante (Honda) was found dead, though the circumstances of the 50-year-old’s death are unknown.
We all wish the riders a safe ride.
Results at http://monitor.trackingdakar.nl/ and here is a snippet of the Aussie Results at the moment.
