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Caldecott wins Dakar Rally third stage
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-01-03 09:53 Australia's Andy Caldecott, riding a KTM, won the
third stage of the Dakar Rally from Nador to Er Rachidia on Monday fully
justifying his late call-up to the race.
Caldecott won the 314-kilometre timed section in 3 hours 21 minutes 11
seconds from American Andy Grider by 3 minutes 4 seconds and by 3:06 from Cyril
Despres of France.
Dakar rally :
France's Cyril Despres rides during the third stage of the 28th Dakar
rally between Nador and Er Rachidia. [AFP] |
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Reigning champion Despres took the lead in the overall standings ahead of
Spaniards Marc Coma and Jose Manuel Pellicer.
Caldecott admitted he was stunned to have won the stage as he had only been
granted entry after Spaniard Jordi Duran had pulled out after suffering an
injury in the middle of December.
"I am pretty surprised to have won the stage," said Caldecott, who won two
stages last year.
"Only because I arrived for the Dakar at the last minute without really being
prepared for it.
"I thought, however, I might be lucky because I started from 25th position
and that made it easier in terms of navigating the route."
France's two-time winner Jean-Louis Schlesser won the car section in 2 hours
50 minutes 58 seconds ahead of Japan's Hiroshi Masuoka by 19 seconds with
defending champion Stephane Peterhansel of France 37 seconds back.
Spain's Nani Roma leads overall ahead of Masuoka and Frenchman Bruno Saby.
Schlesser said while some outside the team would be surprised his victory
would not have come as one to his Schlesser-Ford team.
"There are some who will be surprised but not us because we are confident,"
said Schlesser, who won in 1999 and 2000.
"We will definitely be there at the end because we have a good car and a good
team," added Schlesser, who was winning his first stage since the 17th one in
the 2001 edition.
On Tuesday, the rally sees the 639-kilometre fourth stage from Er Rachidia to
Ouarzazate, in the centre of Morocco, which includes a 386-kilometre timed
section
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