This year, the Dakar rally will take place in South America, travelling more than 9.000 km in Argentina and Chile.
The adventure will begin on January 3rd and end on January 18, both start and final arrival are set to be in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina.
There will be 235 competitors only in motorcicle, 29 in quads, 194 in cars, 84 in trucks. In bikes, KTM is the widely preferred brand, and there's an interesting participation from China, as a first time, with 3 pilots:
- number 149, Zhiheng LI
- number 209, Jianguo CHEN
- number 210, Guanghui WEI
The first pilot is riding a KTM bike, but the other two are riding Jincheng bikes, using each one a 250cc bike. Looks like a copy of a XR 250.
Interviewer:
"We're here with Nestor, who will present us the official Jincheng team from China. They're racing in the Dakar Rally 2009, in Argentina and Chile. Please, introduce the pilots"
Nestor:
"The first pilot is named Wei, the other one is named Chen, they're the first from China and this is our first time on the Dakar, and we expect to use this chance."
Interviewer:
"You told me that the bikes were a new 2009 model"
Nestor:
"yes, that's right"
Interviewer:
"well then, congratulations and i hope you have a nice race"
That's great. Very few, if any, Chinese manufacturers support any sort of sport. This is unlike the early Japanese that got involved in sports from the beginning. Just think that Honda had already won the Isle of Man TT races before anyone in the US had seen their first Honda.
A good way to establishing credibility, even if they don't win.
01-01-2009, 10:01 PM
CrazyCarl
Drac,
Thanks for the info and we look forward to future updates. This is exactly the kind of participation manufacturers need. Like Forch said, even if they don't win it will go a long way towards boosting credibility as long as they can just finish!
Are you going to any of the stages yourself?
CC
01-02-2009, 07:26 PM
dracvlbiker
Hey, i'm glad you liked the post...
i'm worried about jincheng bikes, as i think they may have not enough power to race side by side with ktm the other bikes... 250cc against 450cc and more... however, i really hope they have a good race...
besides, in Argentina there are several villages, towns and cities on the way of rally, so supplies won't be trouble... but in northern Chile, they'll race in tha Atacama desert, the world driest desert... i know, as i lived several years there and in about 4 o 5 years only rained once for about 40 minutes...
i'll try to go to Copiapo (the city where i lived), hoping too catch some images of the coast race between La Serena and Copiapó. Well, i will also be "suffering" laying in the sand at those beatiful sub-tropical beaches... I say i'll try beacuase from my home in Santiago to the north, the trip is about 14 hours of continuos car driving...
By now, teams are worried about crossing the Andes mountains, their height, plus the bad weather and the snow may slow down many teams...
According to press, there will be a couple of decisives stages, like the southern part of Argentina, (from Puerto Maadryn to Jacobacci) with cold and fast roads; northern Chile (Copiapó - Copiapó) with more than 600 km of hot (yes, really hot) desert; and La Rioja - Cordoba, with rutes used often by WRC...
"It is perfectly normal that the prospect of taking part in the Dakar in South America gets the competitors excited to a certain degree. One of them, however, was blinded by this euphoria, or even over-confidence. Registered to take part in his first Dakar, Chinese rider Li Zhiheng quite simply forgot to bring biking overalls to wear on his KTM. As if that absent-mindedness was not enough, he also arrived in Buenos Aires without the license issued by the international federation, which is essential for taking starter’s orders for the rally. Alongside his two countrymen, Chen Jianguo and Wei Guanghui, both similarly lacking in paperwork, Zhiheng is now in a race against the clock to present the required license before the first stage of the race starts.
Apart from the Chinese trio, who could be worthy overall winners in the forgetfulness standings, all the competitors had, on the contrary, prepared for this event in minute detail."
01-03-2009, 06:09 PM
CrazyCarl
Sigh. Looks like they may need to pay more attention to detail. :deal:
:lol8:
CC
01-03-2009, 09:31 PM
bigdamo
Chen and Wie from Jincheng finished the 1st stage but I can't see Li.
It would be heartbreaking to spend all that money and time getting there not to be able to start because you left something at home.
This Dakar will be a test of the Chinese metal. Hope they finish. :thumbsup:
01-03-2009, 09:56 PM
bigdamo
1 Attachment(s)
I thought the chinese where on the smallest cc bike
Nope this bloke takes the cake. 125cc and it look small. It's a Honda monkey bike.
Ivor Kastan says he likes a challenge. Looks like he got one. I bet he will finish.
01-06-2009, 12:08 AM
bigdamo
Looks like Chen on the Jincheng is out.
That leaves just one Chinese's rider left :popcorn:
01-06-2009, 07:22 PM
CrazyCarl
Big D,
Damn that was fast! Mind giving the link where you're finding this info?
CC
01-06-2009, 08:44 PM
bigdamo
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrazyCarl
Big D,
Damn that was fast! Mind giving the link where you're finding this info?
Now I can't find Wie and there is this Gronk bloke on a Jincheng honda?
01-12-2009, 01:14 AM
bigdamo
Mr Wei is out too.
01-12-2009, 06:25 AM
CrazyCarl
Sigh. I guess that leaves it to MotoGP. I was hoping they'd last a bit longer. Whelp maybe next year!
CC
01-18-2009, 09:47 PM
dracvlbiker
hi guys.. i'm back...
sorry for being missed all that long, but i was there, in the desert... and sadly, i couldn't get any wifi signal where i was...
y hace some videos and pics to share, i hope you like them. I don't know if i'll be able to upload them today, beacause i arrived just last night and now i'm getting ready to travel again... later i'll try to post at least a couple of pics, the rest, may be tomorrow
01-19-2009, 01:44 AM
kingmarty45
Quote:
Originally Posted by dracvlbiker
hi guys.. i'm back...
sorry for being missed all that long, but i was there, in the desert... and sadly, i couldn't get any wifi signal where i was...
y hace some videos and pics to share, i hope you like them. I don't know if i'll be able to upload them today, beacause i arrived just last night and now i'm getting ready to travel again... later i'll try to post at least a couple of pics, the rest, may be tomorrow
Would love to see them. :popcorn:
01-19-2009, 07:37 PM
CrazyCarl
Drac,
Hope you had a good time! Did a lot of people show up? Did you get a chance to see the Chinese riders or were they already out by the time you got there?
Please put up whatever you have!!! :popcorn:
CC
01-19-2009, 10:41 PM
kingmarty45
there are some sweet pics of the race, and a couple of the first "Africa Race" here
