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PAVEY CLIMBS TWO MORE PLACES After yesterday’s torturous ride, today promised to be better. But the 2005 Telefonica-Dakar Rallye is turning out to be the most hazardous yet and the Kayes to Tambacounda stage was to prove little different. In bright sunshine, the weary riders cautiously departed the Kayes bivouac and steeled themselves for another 630 km of physical and mental abuse. By now many will be wondering what they are doing in this unforgiving African dustbowl. Simon Pavey, the Team DOME BMW rider on the only BMW in the rally, is putting his trust in previous experience and the continuing reliability of the little F650 GS single. The good news is that he made it to the finish at Tambacounda in Senegal. Mentally though, the Aussie-born honorary Brit had been somewhat battered. He had suffered yet another of those experiences he would prefer to forget. Pavey explained: “When you ride in an event of this kind you make friends, very good friends,” he said. “One of the closest of my rally pals is Irishman Gary Innes and today Gary had a very big crash. He hit a massive pothole at about 70 km/h simple because the dust thrown up by the passing cars had made visibility almost zero and he had ridden off track. Unfortunately, Gary broke a femur. I waited with him until rescue arrived and tried not to let it effect me as I pressed on to the end of the stage.” Despite the delay caused by Gary’s accident the BMW off-road instructor has climbed another couple of places and lies in 78th position in the overall standings. If he finishes without losing ground it will be a remarkable achievement. If he improves and moves up the field, he will have ridden the motorcycling equivalent of a miracle. “It was a great feeling to arrive in Senegal,” said Pavey. “Just two days to go and I am determined to make it to the finish. All I have to do is stay out of trouble and ride sensibly.” What he hasn’t mentioned is that his achievements so far have been remarkable. Suffering from the effects of a broken wrist, sustained before the Dakar, Pavey is consuming regular doses of pain killers. Let’s hope he has enough to see him through two more days of African torture. Today’s stage brought an astonishing first place for Brazilian Jean de Azevedo. He was followed home by David Fretigne (FRA), Chris Blais (US) and Alfie Cox (SA). In the overall standings, Cyril Despres still leads the rally ahead of Marc Coma and Alfie Cox. Tomorrow’s stage from Tambacounda to Dakar totals 569 kilometres of which 225 km comprises the special stage. In theory, it should prove easier than today as the liaison sections are (Simon Pavey believes) on tarmac. The way things are going though, this probably counts for nothing.
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