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STAGE 16 FINAL STAGE - Dakar-Dakar
It's all over but the partying -- and that long, long flight home!
Red Bull KTM U.S., Dakar Team Final Results:
Chris Blais #22, 9th Overall
Scot Harden #17, 17th Overall
Kellon Walch #21, 22nd Overall
This entry courtesy www.ktmusa.com
Kellon Walch from Team KTM Red Bull USA wins the final stage! He clocked a time of 17’17 minutes on the 31 km special. It was an excellent ending for the American KTM team which rode an incredible rally. Isidre Esteve Pujol claimed 2nd place. He'd started the final attack in 3rd and came in 52-seconds behind Walch. The Netherlander Eric Verhoef, a KTM amateur, finished 55-seconds adrift.
Further KTM team rider results:
# 7 Giovanni Sala (Team KTM Repsol-Red Bull) + 1´22
# 8 Chris Blais (Team KTM Red Bull USA) + 1´43
# 10 Alfie Cox (Team KTM Gauloises) + 1´58
# 13 Marc Coma (Team KTM Repsol-Red Bull) + 2´10
# 16 Cyril Despres (Team KTM Gauloises) + 2´38
# 17 Jean Brucy (Team KTM Gauloises) + 2´41
# 24 Andy Caldecott (Team KTM Motorex Australia) + 3´28
# 28 Scot Harden (Team KTM Red Bull USA) + 3´49
# 56 David Schwarz (Team KTM Motorex Australia) + 7´31
The debut of the American factory riders Chris Blais and Kellon Walch was very promising. Scot Harden, team manager and rider, has obviously found two diamonds which have undergone some major grinding in their first desert rally. The young rookies from the US would like to return.
"It is the toughest race that I have ever participated in," explained Kellon Walch. "But I’ve got to admit that I also had a lot of fun. I had no problems concerning my physical condition and navigation got easier with every new stage. But most important of all is that all three of us have reached Dakar. Everything went very well for us." His team manager seems to think alike.
"To reach Dakar was our most important goal," stated Scot Harden. "Chris and Kellon were further able to rank in excellent positions. We have worked very hard here and we have learnt a lot. Therefore I like to claim that we have accomplished the first part of our three-year plan. Next year we’ll ride for a place on the podium. We’ll come back here!"
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