Dakar 2012: Bad weather causes cancellation of Stage Six

Organizers have been forced to cancel Friday’s Stage Six of the Dakar 2012 because of bad weather conditions that made it unsafe for competitors to cross the Andes Cordillera at the highest point of this year’s edition.

Chilicito, Argentina, January 4, 2012:  Following a navigation error yesterday, KTM factory rider Marc Coma rode with a passion in Stage Four to take his second stage victory in Dakar 2012 and claw back two minutes on overall leader and teammate Cyril Despres. Both riders are going for their fourth Dakar title.

Privateer American rally motorcycle racer Jonah Street withdrew from the 2012 Dakar Rally held in South America due to mechanical problems after only two stages of the 14-race-day event. Street, a six-time competitor in the world’s most grueling motorcycle race was one of America’s best hopes for a top finish.

KTM factory rider and three-times Dakar Rally winner Cyril Despres of France turned up the heat on Tuesday to take the Stage Three victory in the world’s toughest rally and assume overall lead. In a change of fortune in the KTM factory team, Despres crossed the line 13 minutes ahead of rival and teammate Marc Coma who ran into difficulties in the final stages of the race.

DAKAR 2012: STAGE TWO A GOOD DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR KTM’S COMA AND DESPRES

San Rafael, Argentina, January 2, 2012: KTM’s two triple Dakar Rally winners Marc Coma and Cyril Despres got down to serious business in Stage Two of the 33rd edition of the world’s most challenging rally with Coma notching his first stage victory for 2012 ahead of factory teammate Despres to take the lead in the overall standings.

Mar Del Plata, Argentina, January 1 2012: New Year’s Day 2012 and KTM’s Dakar riders opened their bid for the eleventh consecutive Dakar Rally victory for the Austrian sports motorcycle specialists.