Dakar 2011: The Lonely Bultaco Abandoned His Dreams |
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File under Dakar Race
Author: Mike Werner
Location: Normandy, France
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It's sad in a way, but predictable. The lonely Bultaco  motorcycle, a vintage 2-stroke motorcycle, that took part in this year's Dakar rally (link ) abandoned in Stage 6.
According to the rider, Ignacio Chivite , after having had several mechanical problems on his 1978 motorcycle, two nights without sleep, Ignacio couldn't continue. He was exhausted and had started making mistakes that could cost him his life (like forgetting to plug in the rear brake during his nightly maintenance).
Ignacio is riding in a category that has no mechanic support, so after riding for 18 hours, he needs to maintain his motorcycle by himself, grab a hopeful 1 hour sleep, and go out on the track again. Even on a modern day motorcycle this is an almost impossible achievement, but on a 1978 2-stroke vintage bike, it would have been a miracle if he finished.
Too bad he didn't make it, I was rooting for him to ride his Bultaco over the finish line.
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