Cyril Despres took the first two stage wins, and his KTM rival Marc Coma took the next two stage wins. Now just two seconds separate the two as we enter stage five.
Here are some quotes from the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally:
Olivier Pain: “I prefer the stages with lots of navigation” “Overall, it was ok, even if I fell near the end. Courage was more useful then technical skill today. Of course, there weren’t any beacons today unlike the previous days. I had to be careful on several changes of direction, but it was a nice stage. I prefer the stages with lots of navigation. Going hell for leather isn’t what suits me the best.”
Chaleco Lopez: “I feel a lot better in Chile” “It was a very quick day. I finished 3rd on the special. I feel a lot better in Chile even if it’s going to be a lot more complicated tomorrow. Cyril and Marc are riding at a crazy pace. I can’t keep up with them for the moment. I prefer the stages with more off-track riding. Today was a positive day. I’m going to dry and claw time back on Coma and Despres but it’s not easy. They have machines that are performing excellently and they’re great riders as well. Mind you, there’s still a long way to go in the rally.”
Cyril Despres: “In second, 2 seconds behind, for a number 2” “For this type of terrain that’s so different you need to change the way your brain’s wired. There’s no more hard ground, just desert, off-track riding and surfaces which break up. For a first day in the sand, it was a good start to the desert stages. Today, Marc Coma rode a great stage. It’s a superb battle with Marc. Today again we opened up a little more of a gap on the others. This evening, I’m in second, 2 seconds behind. For a number 2, that’s a neat trick, isn’t it?”
Marc Coma: “The general standings don’t matter for the moment” “It was a very important day for me, even if it was only a 207-km stage. It was difficult to open the way. I’m happy and I felt great. I hope it stays like that right until the end. The general standings don’t matter for the moment. The most important thing will be the last day. It’s essential to have a good pace and avoid making mistakes. Now we’ll have to deal with two very difficult stages”.
