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11.09.2007 |
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Marc Coma victorious in Las Pampas Rally ... |
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... and takes firm lead in World
Championship. |
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KTM Factory rider Marc Coma overcame snow, swollen
rivers, dunes and lunar landscape desert to emerge
triumphant in the South American Las Pampas Rally to now
take firm hold of the world championship standings.
It was Coma's third victory in four Las Pampas Rallies
and follows up on his wins in the Sardinian and Tunisian
Rallies for more valuable points in the World Cup. It
was a well earned win after 4116 km of punishing riding
and extreme conditions.
The race was eventful and ran the full gambit of weather
and terrain challenges, enough to make it one of the
world's toughest and excellent preparation for the
legendary Dakar Rally in early 2008. Coma has said he
"wants to win (the Dakar) at all costs" after closely
missing victory in the final stage in 2007.
Riders were to start at Bariloche in southern Argentina
for 280km of track into Chile on day one but snow forced
organizers to cancel the first stage for the
motorcycles. The first half of the race was also
complicated by wet conditions and swollen rivers that
proved impossible to cross and also forced the
organizers to shorten some of the legs. Coma took a
early lead, worked his way up to a comfortable cushion
of time and then settled down to take on the huge range
of terrain and conditions - everything from riding on
the beach, dunes and in desert that is, in fact, the
world's driest location reminiscent of a lunar
landscape.
The race concluded after nine stages at Iquique in
Northern Chile with Coma again mounting the victory
podium. "This was a very complete rally," he said. "I am
very pleased with how it all went well."
Coma will now contest the Rally of the Pharoahs
September 29 - October 7 before settling down for some
serious preparation for the legendary Dakar.
Results
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POS. |
RIDER |
MANUFACT. |
NAT. |
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1 |
Marc Coma |
KTM |
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2 |
Pal Anders Ullevalseter |
KTM |
 |
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3 |
Jordi Viladoms |
KTM |
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4 |
Andres Tamm |
KTM |
 |
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5 |
Felipe Prohens Osorio |
KTM |
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World Standing
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It was Coma’s third victory in four Las Pampas
Rallies |
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