Stage 6 of the 2022 Dakar Rally came to a premature end for the bike category. Since the stage was a reverse loop, the bikes had to follow the route taken by the cars and trucks in Stage 5. The original length of the stage was 404 km. But due to the deteriorated condition of the track caused by the cars and trucks that crossed earlier along with heavy rain, the stage was halted for the riders at the 101km mark. The changes in the tracks, especially around the danger zones, no longer corresponded to the markings on the day’s roadbook, making it extremely unsafe for the bikers.
The stage rankings for this stage have been calculated from the arrival times of riders at the refuel station, which was at the 101 km mark. Both riders were cautious when they were making their way through the course. Joaquim Rodrigues started from P11 and his early charge through the stage allowed him to grab the P10 position.
After the stage, JRod said, “Today we found ourselves in a stage completely broken from the cars yesterday. It was extremely dangerous to ride on the broken tracks, and it felt like we were risking everything. Hence at refuel, we raised the issue to the organizers, and I’m grateful that they understood and decided to stop the stage there. Anyway, I’ve had a good week so far with my stage win. I look forward to the rest day tomorrow to recover completely from yesterday’s crashes, and head back into the race for an even better week ahead.”
Aaron Mare rode this stage a lot carefully due to the bad conditions of the track, especially in the fast sections. He finished the stage in P25 but manages to be in P16 overall.
At the end of the stage, Aaron said, “The stage today was cancelled at the refuel point as it was really torn off and dangerous for the riders. The rocks were all over the place after the cars and trucks went on the route yesterday. It was a good call by the organizers to stop the stage. I took it easy on the fast-paced track and am happy to be back with the team. We can now enjoy the rest day, and start again on stage 7.”
Tomorrow is a much-needed rest day for the participants because from Sunday onwards, there will be non-stop action till January 14. On Sunday, the riders will enter an unchartered territory of almost 700km before ending the day at Al Dawadimi. For more news from the world of motorsports, stay tuned to evo India!