Dakar 2015: Barreda Bort takes command on two wheels
Sam Sunderland had put in a stellar performance during the first stage of the 2015 Dakar, leading the motorcycle category. However, it was a frustrating second stage of the rally for the British rider as he got lost on the long stage that led from Villa Carlos Paz to San Juan. This allowed the rest of the motorcycle riders to get ahead of him on the timing sheets, with HRC's Joan Barreda Bort moving into the lead of the rally after taking a commanding win in the second stage.
Finishing the stage second was Barreda Bort's Honda team-mate Paulo Goncalves, with Ruben Faria taking third place in the stage for KTM. Goncalves and Faria are also currently second and third overall in the motorcycle category.
And while Nasser Al-Attiyah might have incurred a penalty that robbed him of his victory in Stage 1 of the 2015 Dakar, he managed to retake the lead in the rally with a very commanding win at Stage 2 of the event. Driving a Mini for the Qatar Rally Team, Al-Attiyah managed to beat Toyota driver Giniel de Villiers to the stage win, while Bernhard Ten Brinke finished third in a Toyota. Orlando Terranova who won the first stage of the rally had a miserable Stage 2, losing his way, and also losing 20 minutes to the leaders.
Over in the quad bike category, Rafal Sonic won the stage, ahead of Stage 1 winner Ignacio Casale. While in the truck class, 2013 Dakar winner Eduard Nikolaev took a stage win, although it wasn't enough to move him into the overall lead of the class, which still rests with Hans Stacey.
Images: Shakedown Team