As we head into the final days of the 2012 Dakar Rally it couldn't be closer at the top. Marc Coma cut down Despres' two minute lead to just 21 seconds today during the 10th stage of the Dakar.
Despres or Coma will win the 2012 edition of the Dakar but Joan Barreda Bort could be a force in the next few years. The young Spaniard finished third behind Coma and Despres during yesterday's stage and today he took his first stage victory. Bort finished today's portion of the Dakar ahead of Marc Coma and Cyril Despres by 1'32" and 3'39" respectively.
Bort is, however, more than three hours behind Despres and Coma in the overall race. Coma and Despres will be concentrated on minimizing the mistakes over the next couple of stages, as one navigational mistake could now equal second place.
"It's the tone that's been set for the rally and I think we'll keep on battling until the end," Coma said. "We keep trying to make the difference all the time and the entry into Peru will be decisive. The race will hinge on the smallest of margins. When the performance level is equivalent with the same team and the same bike, it's very difficult, both for him and for me. But when it comes to the crunch, it will be entirely to do with one rider or the other."
Despres is also ready for the Dakar Rally to come down to the wire. Despres and Coma have alternated Dakar victories for the last 6-years so they are used to close competition between one another.
"It was all going well for me until the 225-km point and I'd managed to keep up a good pace," Despres said. "But I made a small navigation mistake and that's when Marc overtook me. He was with Joan Barreda, who I'd like to congratulate on riding a superb stage. At this level, every second counts! It's a scenario that I thought might happen, so I'm not surprised. I'm just happy to have got through another day. In any case, staying out in front for the whole 377 km whilst riding flat out isn't easy. If I finish in his dust or him in mine, it doesn't change that much."
Behind the top two riders, Helder Rodriguez is taking claim of the final spot on the podium. Rodriguez is the only rider who has managed to stay within an hour of Coma and Despres. Rodriguez is currently 45 minutes behind Coma and about a half hour ahead of fourth place rider Jordi Viladoms.
