Dakar Diary - U.S. Team Red Bull KTM Checks in From the Rally

The Rest Day - Nouakchott, Maruitania

Sunday, January 8, 2006

Still a long way to go!
4205kms are still to be covered in this 2006 Euromilhoes Dakar and already it's been a rally full of drama and upsets. —from www.dakar.com

Chris Blais in the sandy Stage Eight of the Rally.

A welcome day away from rocks and sand was heaven sent for Chris Blais #9 and the entire Red Bull US Dakar team support staff. Blais' heroic 2nd place finish in what the Dakar front runner have considered the toughest of thus far, is a badge of honor for the 25-year old Californian but grueling days ahead keep team enthusiasm in check.

Joe Barker - "Thanks to our friend Jordi Arcarons, we were able to get a house for the rest day which allowed us to escape the circus atmosphere back at the bivouac. We ate good meals, got cleaned up and rested comfortably. Don't get me wrong, the food throughout the week has been fantastic and the Dakar organizers do a fantastic job for everyone involved with the rally.It's just nice to be away from the noise and out of the blowing sand for a few hours."

Taxi! - During his call, Barker also mentioned that in addition to the house, the team had been given the use of what he thinks could be the only Chevy Suburban in Nouakchott. "Maybe the only one in Mauritania. Never thought I'd see, let alone ride in, a Chevy over here!"

Blais Still Going Strong - After a tough week and with half of the Dakar Rally to complete Blais is still in amazing shape, both physically and mentally. Team physician, Dr. Dr. Jonathan Edwards maintains a close watch on his riders, as well as others, and he is very pleased with the results of Blais' condition.

Penalties - At tonight's briefing, rally officials have levied heavy time penalties on a few riders for violations that may have included exceeding the 160km per hour limit and missing stage 8 waypoints. Suffering the blow of a 1-hour penalty is Chile's top rallyist Carlos De Gavardo #4. De Gavardo now drops from 3rd to 5th overall. A devastating 2-hour whipping was issued to Australian Andy Caldecott #10, who drops from 6th place to 10th. It wasn't fully divulged during the rider briefing just how exactly the penalties were determined. As expected, the affected team filed some protests.

Silver Lining for Blais - Running smart and under the penalty radar, Chris Blais moved up two notches overall - he now occupies the 8th position.

Tomorrow - Monday morning will come early and open the gate on another very difficult stage filled with more sand dunes, more rocks, a mountain crossing and technically demanding navigation. To make matters more interesting will be another inverted start for the motorcyclists.

Back in the Saddle Again - The first bike will leave the line at about 6:30am but Blais won't get his big KTM 660 Rallye rolling until almost everyone else is on their way. He expects his day to be filled with a broad network of errant tracks and miscues from the remaining 120+ bikes ahead of him. If Blais keeps his cool, and rides smart throughout his expected 12-hour shift, he will hopefully remain in the top 10.

Barker on Arcarons - "Repsol KTM team boss Jordi Arcarons has become a staunch ally and friend to the Red Bull KTM US Dakar team. He personally goes through the roadbooks with us to point out the significant things for the riders, based on his own personal experience. We have developed a very strong bond with Jordi and the rest of the Repsol team. We have learned fast but we are still learning and it's wonderful to have someone like Jordi in an event like this. His experience as a competitor and manager have really made things better for us."

Barker also mentioned that the American team has reciprocated as much as possible and the Dr. Edwards has used his talents to support the Arcaron's team as well.

Blais Celebrates Second Place Finish! Moves into top 10

January 7, 2006
Stage 8 - Atar to Nouakchott
Total distance: 568 km - 34 km transfer - 508 special test - 26 km liaison

My morning wake up call today was extra special. On the phone from the Stage 8 finish in Nouakchott, Mauritania was an elated Chris Blais. The Red Bull KTM team rider had just wrapped up 2nd place for the day, the best finish of Blais' budding Dakar Rally career. Here are a few highlights from Chris' spectacular day:

Chris Blais "I guess it was a little bit of luck and a little bit of everything today that worked for me. It was another wild day. Everybody is charging way fast. Sometimes to just stay on top of the sand and not sink in, sometimes to chase down the guy ahead, and sometimes to try to stay ahead of the pack.

Lost! - At 272km in, there were big gap between the GPS waypoints and the lead group [including Esteve, Coma, Despres and De Gavardo] ended up going quite a distance off piste [off course]. We appeared to be going off to the right too far in search of the proper waypoints which are supposed to appear 3km before you get to them. Lots of confusion for everyone. I saw that nobody had a proper read so I stopped and went to one side of the course, retraced my tracks and went back 1 to 2km in the direction we'd come. I was convinced that we were all at least 5km off course.

Eureka! - I'd located the course again and acquired the waypoint we were all looking for, I started to head back in the proper direction. Despres #1 and Casteu #8 saw what I was up to and passed me. I dropped in with them and chased 'em to the fuel stop. Had I not found the waypoint we would not have found the fuel stop. And this is not a place where you want to be lost and out of fuel.

Maalox Moments I began the day with a bad stomach so I had to stop and take care of business at 60km. I lost a few minutes taking care of my situation but it was worth it. Believe me.

Sand, Sand & More Sand The sand out here is endless and tricky. At first very fast washes then super soft sand then lots and lots of loose rocks and more sand. I kept pushing hard but I wasn't comfortable going so fast. After the sand and rocks the course entered a twisty, 2nd gear brush sections.

Men Overboard Everybody was crashing, and often. I watched guys like Gio Sala #6 and Andy Caldecott #10 falling off and getting stuck in the very soft sand. Everybody is falling no matter how much experience they have. Pro or amateur they're all going down. Again and again. Everywhere you looked riders were cartwheeling. We's skid off dunes and roll over. One time I fell down hill and couldn't unstick my bike. I'd try to turn it around but the bars would just dig deeper - a bad spot an extreme angle. I tore up parts and ended up riding the last 120km with no front brakes. To make things worse we had very windy, sandstorm conditions. It was much warmer today and my feet were hot all day from endless standing. You couldn't sit ride you had to stand on the pegs all day.

Good Samaritan - At one point I launched off a small cliff and went down. Caldecott stopped to get me going again. I dropped in behind and let him lead the way after that. He did me a big favor by helping me. I owe that guy a big one!

Blais' Near Death Experience Approaching a fuel stop I hit a road crossing and launched my KTM about 60-feet! It was very scary. It was like clearing a big double. Fortunately I didn't crash but it was hairy - not something I expected to see and I'm disappointed that it wasn't marked in our road books.

Carnage Both Casteu's and Fretigne's bikes were very torn up. They'd obviously gotten off hard and lost pieces and parts including road book holders, which you can't navigate without.

Finally A Day Off! The entire Red Bull KTM US Dakar team is glad to have arrived at the rest day. Speaking for myself I need a break to make the rally fun again. For me it gets tiring riding every day as much as we do and 24-hours off the bike will be awesome.

Joe Barker

Sightings, Etc - In the beginning we went through 4 or 5 villages then 300km where we didn't see a damned thing. No living beings.

Jonah Street, passed me on his 525 KTM. It's better suited for the tight stuff and he blasted by in the twisty section.

About 50km from the finish there was some guy on an Adventure bike riding along straight toward us, appearing to be having a good time. I thought "Who is the guys coming at me? And what the hell is he doing way out here?"

The roadbook hasn't' been as good as it should be. We went for 15km where there were no notations—nothing to gauge from. You can't go in a straight line and detect partially visible tracks but they are not reliable.

We see photo guys every so often. When you are out there you realized there is nothing out here. The organizers tell us how much fuel need to be in the bikes. I always want a little bit extra so that if I get lost I won't also get out of gas, too. If you are all by yourself and nobody else goes.

Blais on Grider After the stage 7 start I never again saw Andy [Grider #23]. I had branched off with a couple of other riders during the stage and our paths didn't cross. Until I finished riding yesterday and arrived at the bivouac, I had no idea that he'd been hurt or that they had transported him to the hospital in the Canary Islands.

How Things Will Change with a One Man Team Andy's mechanic will stay on to help out and gain experience but now we'll just have one less rider. Both mechanics, Matt Spencer and Matt Hebert are working on my bike right now. A decision was mad to leave the same engine in the bike because it's really been running well. No problems at all. Normally we would change the engine by now but we'll leave the bike as is. My WP forks and rear suspension never even get serviced, they're good. Same grips. Same bars. Same seat very nice. Same bodywork no damage at all.

Joe Barker Checks In: Red Bull KTM US Dakar team manager, Joe Barker, is the tireless captain of the American team. His flashlight burns into the wee hours of each rally morning while he checks and rechecks the all important details that will assure that his riders and mechanics will have a chance to continue on until next weekend. Today, he was elated to locate and secure a house, with one bed [maybe for Blais?] so that his guys might seek a few hours of refuge from the blowing sand.

"It's really blowing out at the bivouac. Couldn't see anything, couldn't breathe. The bivouac is 3km from the airport which doesn't allow easy access—we couldn't just run back and forth. There are a ton of military types around these parts. So thanks to our friend Jordi Arcarons, we've been able to secure a house for the rest stop and it's been a real treat. Steak and pasta dinner. Showers. It's all good!"

Stage Eight Rankings: Special: 508 km

Stage Results:

1. Casteu (Gauloises KTM), 05:55:55h
2. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), + 02:13
3. Despres (Gauloises KTM), +02:17
4. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), + 06:58
5. Coma (Repsol KTM), + 08:02
6. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), + 08:47
7. Rodrigues (YAMAHA), + 09:51
8. Vinters (KTM), + 11:24
9. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), + 12:16
10. De Azevedo (KTM), + 13:52
11. Sala (Repsol KTM), + 14:07
12. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), + 15:21
13. Bethys (HONDA), + 16:24
14. Ullevalseter (KTM), + 25:38
15. Duclos (KTM), + 30:33
16. Meillat (HONDA), + 45:03
17. Piroud (YAMAHA). + 48:06
18. Rivera (KTM), + 49:44
19. Stanovnik (KTM), + 52:15
20. Gau (Gauloises KTM), + 54:07

Overall Results
1. Coma (Repsol KTM), 30:49:20 h
2. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), 30:55:43 h, + 06:23
3. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 31:01:09 h, + 11:49
4. Despres (Gauloises KTM), 31:16:14 h, + 26:54
5. Sala (Repsol KTM), 31:33:48 h, + 44:28
6. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), 31:36:49 h, + 47:29, Penalty: 02:00
7. Ullevalseter (KTM), 32:01:33 h, + 01:12:13 h
8. Casteu (Gauloises KTM), 32:10:36 h, + 01:21:16 h
9. De Azevedo (KTM), 32:17:27 h, + 01:28:07 h
10. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), 32:17:56 h, + 01:28:36 h
11. Duclos (KTM), 33:32:18 h, + 02:42:58 h
12. Gau (Gauloises KTM), 33:50:01 h, + 03:00:41 h
13. Czachor (YAMAHA), 34:14:30 h, +03:25:10 h
14. Bethys (HONDA), 34:38:15 h, +03:48:55 h
15. Rodrigues (YAMAHA), 34:40:54 h, + 03:51:34 h
16. Marchini (YAMAHA), 34:41:55 h, + 03:52:35 h
17. Stanovnik (KTM), 35:01:38 h, 04:12:18h
18. Vinters (KTM), 35:15:27 h, 04:26:07h
19. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), 37:10:18 h, + 06:20:58h
20. Piroud (YAMAHA), 37:23:22 h, 06:34:02

Stage Seven - Grider Crashes Out of the Dakar

January 6, 2006

Stage Seven: Zourat to Atar
Total distance: 521 km - 10 km transfer - 499 special test - 12 km liaison

Report by Scott Cox - Photos by P. Batini - Maps from www.dakar.com
Thanks to www.ktm.com and www.dakar.com
Thanks to AMA District 37 for riding along, too!

It was a tough Stage 7 for the Red Bull KTM US Dakar team with devastating consequences for team rookie, Andy Grider #23. After surviving two difficult, very lengthy stages through Morocco and Mauritania Grider and his Red Bull KTM teammate Chris Blais #9, joined the course out of Zouerat, both looking forward to warmer weather and the challenge of the first major dunes of the rally.

Yesterday's dramatic Stage 6 was riddled with crashes and serious outcomes not the least of which saw the front runner, Cyril Despres #1, limping into the bivouac last night with a dislocated collar bone. He managed to gather himself up for a courageous attempt at Stage 7 but for all intents and purposes the Frenchman's dreams for a podium spot are on hold until next year. From a competitive standpoint, Despres' dire situation fueled more than a few late strategy sessions in the tents last night.

Joe Barker, Red Bull KTM US Dakar Team Manager - "Today was really going well for us. With the inverted (reverse order) start the opportunity to ride fast without lots of technical navigation challenges early on suited Chris and Andy well."

Disaster in the Sand - Unfortunately, Mauritanias infamous soft "quick sand" of the El Beyyed erg swallowed the front end of the #23 KTM sending Grider on what Barker describes as "an F16 style ejection ride."

Grider was just ahead of KTM rider Viladoms #21 when his crash occurred. According to Viladoms, Grider flew fast and far, completely clearing the long sand embankment they were both negotiating eventually impacting his back on the hard desert floor. Grider immediately rose climbed back up the embankment and attempted to restart his #23 KTM. However, the gravity of his situation immediately sunk in. His day and his Dakar Rally hopes were over with.

After a helicopter ride back to the bivouac, an examination by rally doctors as well as the Red Bull KTM US Dakar team physician, Dr. Jonathan Edwards, Grider was flown to a hospital in the Canary Islands. Upon learning of his situation, Grider's family members curtailed their stay in Europe to join him. Preliminary reports are that Grider is stable and his injuries were not deemed serious or life threatening.

Blais Blazes On - By contrast to his teammate's day, Chris Blais #9, had a smooth, non-eventful Stage 7 adventure. His approach to the Dakar is one of solid determination and cunning. As a second year vet, Blais is well aware that the real racing takes place in the later stages when lack of sleep, fatigue, injury and the elements will begin exacting revenge on the entire rally.

"Chris is cool and calm," observed team manager Joe Barker, "He rides his own race, at his own pace and all he has to do is look around him to see that all the effort is for not if he doesn't make it to Dakar."

Blais survived the dunes, camel grass, high-speeds and rocky plateaus over the nearly 500km+ stage. He arrived at the bivouac comfortably in 13th position for the day and now sits in 12th place overall.

Rankings: Special: 499 km

Stage Results:
1. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 06:28:11h
2. Coma (Repsol KTM), + 01:27
3. Sala (Repsol KTM), + 02:00
4. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), + 04:29
5. Ullevalseter (KTM), + 13:56
6. De Azevedo (KTM), + 17:12
7. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), + 20:28
8. Fretigne (YAMAHA), + 23:12
9. Despres (Gauloises KTM), +30:23
10. Bethys (HONDA), + 32:29
11. Casteu (Gauloises KTM) + 32:34
12. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), + 33:41
13. Farres Geull (YAMAHA), + 34:37
14. Czachor (YAMAHA), + 36:29
15. Katrinak (KTM), + 36:38
16. Rodrigues (YAMAHA), + 37:30
17. Vinters (KTM), + 40:20
18. Knuiman (YAMAHA), + 40:29
19. Stanovnik (KTM), + 40:47
20. Street (KTM), +46:45
22. Gau (Gauloises KTM), + 47:22

Overall Results:

1. Coma (Repsol KTM), 24:45:23 h
2. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 24:49:53 h, + 04:30
3. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), 24:52:50h, + 07:27
4. Despres (Gauloises KTM), 25:18:02h, + 32:39
5. Sala (Repsol KTM), 25:23:46 h, + 38:23
6. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), 25:32:07 h, + 46:44, Penalty: 02:00
7. Ullevalseter (KTM), 25:40:00 h, + 54:37
8. Fretigne (YAMAHA), 25:41:36 h, + 56:13
9. De Azevedo (KTM), 26:07:40 h, + 01:22:17 h
10. Casteu (Gauloises KTM), 26:14:41 h, + 01:29:18 h
11. Katrinak (KTM), 19:13:05h, + 57:20
12. Blais (Red Bull USA KTM), 19:17:56 h, + 01:02:11 h
13. Gau (Gauloises KTM), 26:59:59 h, + 02:14:36 h
14. Duclos (KTM), 27:05:50 h, + 02:20:27 h
15. Farres Guell (YAMAHA), 19:42:26h, + 01:26:41 h
16. Czachor (YAMAHA), 27:20:12 h, +02:34:49 h
17. Street (KTM), 28:13:06, + 03:27:43
18. Stanovnik (KTM), 28:13:28 h, + 03:28:05 h
19. Knuiman (YAMAHA), 28:14:23 h, + 03:29:00 h
20. Bethys (HONDA), 28:25:56 h, + 03:40:33 h

Stage Six - Another Day, Another... Mine Field!

January 5, 2006

Stage Six: Tan Tan to Zouérat
Total distance: 792 km - 336 km transfer - 444 special test - 12 km liaison

Report by Scott Cox - Photos by P. Batini
Thanks also to www.ktm.com and www.dakar.com

Andy Grider

Today's action started early, very early. Riders climbed out of their tents at midnight in order to get lined up for a 1am start and another very long 500-mile day. The day would start out in the Moroccan rocks and rugged trails, across the Mauritanian border, through a minefield, across sand dunes and into the first camel grass sections.

Speeds for the most of the day were very high, for some that means wide open. As velocity rose so to did the risk of setting off each vehicle's 160km per hour (about 100 mph) alarm, and suffering penalties for it. Organizers have instituted strict limits and harsh 3 strikes punishments for violators. Should the bike-mounted sensor hit the 160 km limit more than twice, a racer could be eliminated from the rally.

Satellite communications were good today so we'll let Chris Blais #9 and Andy Grider #23 share their side of the story as of Stage 6:

Andy Grider - "We ran for a distance of 150 to 200 km at just under 160 km per hour. Chris and I rode together and our warning blinkers were flashing the entire time. Above 150 and approaching 160 it really lets you know that you're about to get pegged."

Chris Blais - "I really tried to keep my bike at around 148-150 km but it's tough and with the pack Andy and I were riding with, that was tough. It was really fast today."

Stage 6 started with a very long, cold 336 km transfer section, which our riders completed with enough time to take a 1-hour nap before attacking the long 444 km special test.

The bivouac at Tan Tan - Stage 4

Grider - "We arranged to have a tent at the start of the special so that Chris and I could catch some winks. About an hour was all."

Blais - "With one tent it was pretty tight but it was good to get a little rest prior to such a long special test."

If the high speeds, rocks and camel grass wasn't enough to keep riders wide awake, a 5am jaunt through an active mine field did the trick.

Grider - "Chris and I rode side by side through that section - it was crazy. It was at the beginning of the special test and there were police vehicles on each side. We had a narrow corridor to ride through. The special was long but I had a good clean ride and the only trouble I had was with my GPS. This year it only shows a pointer when you're within 3km of each waypoint but my arrow would not come on for some reason. So I followed my road book carefully to pick my way through."

"When I got to the refueling stop I discovered that another fuel connector had broken like in Stage 4. I only had 15-minutes to take on fuel and fix the connector so I got to work. Completed the repair with literally 1 minute to spare before the restart. Bad thing is that in order to fix it I had to damage the fuel line and I did not have a hose clamp. I tried to ride carefully for the rest of the stage so I would finish without another breakdown."

Speeds increased throughout the stage, even in the very technical sections of camel grass.

Grider - "The first 20-30km of the day were hard rocky roads, twisty. Then we were taped for 200km - at the speed limit the entire time. After the fuel stop we hit a couple of dune sections, which were no problem. I am very happy with my KTM, it's set up perfectly for me and really goes well. The camel grass is a pain in the ass, though. Today it wasn't too big the grass was there, not too many big bumps. Made bike = between 70-80km in these sections. Over 100 km through some sections.

Despres Desperate After Getoff - The big news of the day was that current front-runner, Cyril Despres of the Galoises team had crashed hard and was possibly out with a broken collarbone.

Grider on Despres - "I heard about Despres as soon as I got to the finish. The OLN TV guy told me he had crashed. But the medical staff here is awesome and Cyril should have very good care. A crash like that however will take a big physical and mental chunk out of him. He and his team are here to win. But I respect him he's a very tough guy to push on."

Grider On Sleep "I am trying not to make any mistakes - I am sleeping like a baby and I feel a lot better than I thought I would be. Sleep usually catches up with you a few days afterwards. Fortunately the rest day is only 2 days away."

Grider Wheelin and Dealin "The last 2 days because of fuel problems - I passed 15 riders. Today I started 17th, physically came in 9th, passed 8 riders. Tomorrow we start inverted - so I expect to pass many other riders.

I Can See Clearly Now Grider is convinced that he brought the best goggles to the rally. "My Oakley goggles with Iridium lenses are incredible. I am very happy with Oeem. No problems with dust and the Iridium lenses somehow kept the moisture flowing off even in the heavy fog we've had to ride through. It's like a miracle! My Oakley's were clean and clear and everyone was at a stand still. I was passing guys Oecause I was able to go about 40-mph faster. It was bitchen!"

Great Food "We had incredible steaks last night - cooked to order. It was great! Tonight was also good - pasta with pork gravy."

The Hardest Working Wrenches on Earth "Right now I am looking at my bike. It's very good and my mechanic Matt Herbert is doing all the work on it. He and I got together in Tunisia but this is the 1st time we have worked together as a team. Originally I met him at Scot Harden's Nevada Rally Experience in 2004. Matt and I get along, we listen to the same types of music. He's doing a great job keeping me going especially after days like yesterday when Chris and I really beat these things up. Our wheels were hammered and we had some pretty good "smiles" in our rims. You couldn't quite see the bib mouse tubes but you could see all the tire beads on the rims. Couldn't believe how much those bike were bouncing when we came in!"

Hats Off to the Privateers "Tonight I visited the privateer bivouac and I feel very spoiled. We have several sets of gear, tires, parts, physical therapists, everything. Those guys? Wow."

Grider's Stage Seven Strategy - "I'm running a new prototype sand goggle, the Oakley Crowbar goggle with thicker foam. These aren't on the market so I'm not sure what they'll call it. I just call it the Sand Goggle. I will also be using Troy Lee Cold Weather Gloves in the morning along with my KINI gear and Gaerne boots."

Grider Shout Outs - Andy would like to give a special Shout Out to Dr. Jonothan Edwards and Platinum Performance Products for keeping him mentally and physically in tune during the rally.

Go Street - Andy also added that Jonah Street is incredible "20th overall and I am amazed at how he and his 525 KTM are hanging in there. He's really good."

Chris Blais

Chris Blais Blasts "Wow, those last 2 days I can hardly remember yesterday because today was so freakin long! I had a really good time today though - it was fun and very fast. We averaged over 100km per hour today. We had 80km of high-speed camel grass and ran some sections at 100km through this stuff. It was crazy."

"We were in a pack of 4 riders - I led for a while but I didn't want to hold anybody up so I let Andy take the lead and let him hit the big stuff first. Man, he was airing his bike out big time! We all rode together Andy, De Azevedo #7 and #60 Katrinak. It was a good ride."

Blais on Despres "He was trying to make his move today and it didn't work out for him. They say he crashed in the camel grass and that doesn't surprise me."

Blais on 1AM Starts What an early ass day, up at midnight - riding before 2am then ultra high-speed can't afford any brain fades.

Watch Your Speed-O: The speedo cap (speed alarm) on Chris' bike - wasn't working so the alarm was intermittent "that's why Andy caught me toward the beginning. He just held it wide open for 150-200 km. I tried to keep it down below 148 km. At over 160 km the alarm goes off and today a couple of guys had 161 km, 162 km. I need to avoid that."

Wheel Breaker "Yesterday we destroyed a complete set of wheels. It was really rocky and I noticed that my front brake caliper had come loose, but the safety wire kept it in place. Everything's getting beat up but we keep going strong."

On The Border "The section at the border was lit with burning oil cans so at about 5am - Andy and I rode through this section together. Prior to the start of this section a guy named Georgio was there with a tent that Andy and I shared for an hour and a half. It was tight, but it was good to get more sleep."

Feelings - "I am still feeling good but guys will start dropping out tomorrow - the pace up front is very, very fast. Only physical problem is my lower back - the bike's big and heavy and it jerks me around in the whoops and camel grass. Doc Edwards has had to work on my back a little but I'm Ok."

Blais Gear Tips "I got new Scott goggles with light sensitive lens - clear in the dark and blue when things light up. They're really good for me because I hate the stress of swapping lenses - I want everything to be good and not have to do a bunch of prep every day. My new SIDI boots "Crossfires" are really nice, they're the latest things out there. I like them much better than the Alpinestars I used to ride in. Last year they were almost worn out by half way."

Happy Feet "Joe Barker talked me into wearing a wool ski boot sock. I AM SO HAPPY! I use Dr Scholls liners and my feet have been VERY GOOD. I don't have to smell them in my tent anymore."

Top Wrench - Matt Spencer Matt's wrenching my bike again - he is the lead mechanic. He was been with me since last Dakar and I have had no mechanical problems since I hooked up with him. These conditions are harsh - Andy went through the skid plate yesterday - through and through - and into the pipe. But our KTM's are very tough and they just keep going. Even when I am convinced that my bike is OK, Matt still spends 4-5 hours on the bike to assure that there are no problems. It's cool to see everybody working at night in the bivouac."

"As for tires, we have 2 different rear compounds depending on how long the stages are and what type of terrain we're in. The trucks have all the wheels we'll use here with us. The back of the truck has 3 racks of wheels. It's amazing."

Privatization "Lots of the privateers don't do anything to their bikes - they are just too tired when the arrive and they rely on the fact that they might make it to the end without too much maintenance. Those guys have it pretty rough but a finish is like a win for them. We're got other objectives we're here to race."

Blais Shouts Out "Thanks to all of my sponsors, my family and especially my wife Patty for all the support.

Rankings: Special: 444 km

Stage Results:
1. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 04:00:32h
2. Sala (Repsol KTM), + 03:23
3. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), + 03:52
4. Ullevalseter (KTM), + 05:31
5. Coma (Repsol KTM), + 05:55
6. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), + 06:44
7. Despres (Gauloises KTM), +08:13
8. Fretigne (YAMAHA), + 08:19
9. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), + 10:14
10. Amaral (KTM), + 11:12
11. Grider (Red Bull USA KTM), + 11:28
12. De Azevedo (KTM), + 12:00
13. Blais (Red Bull USA KTM), + 12:31
14. Katrinak (KTM), + 12:44
15. Rivera (KTM), + 14:21
16. Duclos (KTM), + 17:40
17. Marchini (KTM), + 19:11
18. Rodrigues (YAMAHA), + 23:54
19. Farres Geull (YAMAHA), + 24:09
20. Czachor (YAMAHA), + 24:50
23. Gau (Gauloises KTM), + 28:03
25. Casteu (Gauloises KTM) + 37:09

Overall Results:
1. Coma (Repsol KTM), 18:15:45 h
2. Despres (Gauloises KTM), 18:19:28 h, + 03:43
3. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), 18:20:10 h, + 04:25
4. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 18:21:42 h, + 05:57
5. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), 18:43:28 h, + 27:43, Penalty: 02:00
6. Fretigne (YAMAHA), 18:50:13h, + 34:28
7. Sala (Repsol KTM), 18:53:35h, + 37:50
8. Ullevalseter (KTM), 18:57:53 h, + 42:08
9. Katrinak (KTM), 19:13:05 h, + 57:20
10. Casteu (Gauloises KTM), 19:13:56 h, + 58:11
11. Blais (Red Bull USA KTM), 19:17:56 h, + 01:02:11 h
12. De Azevedo (KTM), 19:22:17 h, + 01:06:32 h
13. Farres Guell (YAMAHA), 19:42:26h, + 01:26:41 h
14. Agra Carrera (YAMAHA), 19:43:38 h, + 01:27:53 h
15. Amaral (KTM), 19:44:05 h, + 01:28:20 h
16. Gau (Gauloises KTM), 19:44:26 h, + 01:28:41 h
17. Duclos (KTM), 19:50:47 h, + 01:35:02 h
18. Faria (KTM), 19:52:07 h, + 01:36:22 h, Penalty: 12:00
19. Rivera (KRM), 19:59:40 h, +01:43:55 h
20. Grider (Red Bull USA KTM), 20:05:59 h, + 01:50:14 h
23. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), 21:00:00 h, + 02:44:15 h

Stage Five - A Long Haul for America's Team

January 4, 2006

Stage Five: Ouarzazate to Tan Tan
Total distance: 819 km - 187 km transfer - 350 km special test - 282 liaison

Report by Scott Cox - Photos by P. Batini
Thanks also to www.ktm.com and www.dakar.com

"No results for the press, no information and no satellite communications. 'This is Africa, this is the Dakar'"
— Etienne Lavigne, headmaster of the Dakar Rally.

Andy Grider, Joe Barker and Chris Blais

America's Dakar Rally hopefuls, Chris Blais #9 and Andy Grider #23 continued to forge forward on today's lengthy 500-mile plus stage across Southern Morocco's Adraa Valley. With four days in and nearly one-third of the rally behind them, the Red Bull KTM riders have found their race pace.

Today's 4am start was anticipated with some remorse by riders and technicians alike. Not only would it deprive them of much needed sleep, it would open the door on a tough, two day marathon. Thursday's stage 6 start from Tan Tan begins at the even more ungodly hour of 1am. Service, if available at the end of the stage will be limited at best so preserving bodies and equipment are the order of the day.

Thick morning fog and overcast conditions made it impossible for support planes and helicopters to fly. Suffering also is the ability for teams and riders to communicate with the outside world and stateside followers (likeme) who have enjoyed daily contact and updates since before the rally. (Apologies for a lack of rider quotes and anecdotes in this report.)

Support vehicles and team trucks are today sharing the same track as the competitors, no short cuts and no other way out. No team vehicles will be allowed to begin the journey before the last rider has taken the starter's signal in Ouarzazate.

The U.S. Red Bull KTM pits in the Tan-Tan bivouac

Onward - There is still a lot of distance to cover and a lot of race to be raced. As the mileage clicks by and the days blend one to the next, second year veteran Blais will have the chance to dig deep into his 2005 Dakar bag of tricks - when the going gets tough and when he recognizes an opportunity for attack. On the other hand, every new Dakar day and every new obstacle is a new learning experience for rally rookie, Grider. Already he's suffered reality's harsh reprimand but he remains unshaken in his resolve and commitment to excel. As he claimed prior to the start in Portugal, "I'll ride my own race." And every indication is that this continues to be Grider's plan.

Meoni Remembered - This item from www.ktm.com - One of the private riders is Italian Fabrizio Mugnaioli, a 44-year-old farmer from Tuscany. We met him near the airplane that transports the metal cases, one for each rider. There the competitors can store everything they want only limited by the volume of the boxes. Normally, a sleeping bag and spare parts. Fabrizio is competing on an old 2001 KTM Rally Replica that the late Fabrizio Meoni gave to him. The motorcycle is conserved as the reminder of a friend and a Champion we will never be able to forget.

Rankings: 5th stage - Special: 350 km

Stage Results:
1. Despres (Gauloises KTM), 03:47:40h
2. Coma (Repsol KTM), + 03:41
3. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), + 05:18
4. Faria (KTM), + 08:14
5. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), + 08:21
6. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), + 10:54
7. Casteu (Gauloises KTM) + 11:03
8. Ullevalseter (KTM), + 11:06
9. Sala (Repsol KTM), + 11:41
10. Fretigne (YAMAHA), + 13:01
11. Katrinak (KTM), + 16:20
12. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), + 24:17
13. De Azevedo (KTM), + 25:14
14. Gau (Gauloises KTM), + 30:07
15. Farres Geull (YAMAHA), + 31:38
16. Grider (Red Bull USAKTM), + 31:57
17. AgraCarrera (YAMAHA), + 35:52
18. Street (KTM), + 36:41
19. Czachor (YAMAHA), + 39:16
20. Marchini (KTM), + 44:40
22. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), + 47:17

Overall Results:
1. Coma (Repsol KTM), 14:09:18h
2. Despres (Gauloises KTM), 14:10:43h, + 01:25
3. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), 14:15:46h, + 06:28
4. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 14:21:10h, + 11:52
5. Casteu (Gauloises KTM), 14:36:15h, + 26:57
6. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), 14:36:12h, + 26:54, Penalty: 02:00
7. Fretigne (YAMAHA), 14:41:22h, + 32:04
8. Sala (Repsol KTM), 14:49:40h, + 40:22
9. Ullevalseter (KTM), 14:51:50 h, + 42:32
10. Katrinak (KTM), 14:59:49 h, + 50:31
11. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), 15:04:53h, + 55:35
12. Faria (KTM), 15:08:24h, +59:06, Penalty: 12:00
13. De Azevedo (KTM), 15:09:45h, + 01:00:27
14. Agra Carrera (YAMAHA), 15:15:04 h, + 01:05:46
15. Gau (Gauloises KTM), 15:15:51 h, + 01:06:33
16. Farres Guell (YAMAHA), 15:17:45 h, + 01:08:27
17. Street (KTM), 15:32:03 h, + 01:22:45
18. Amaral (KTM), 15:32:21h, + 01:23:03
19. Duclos (KTM), 15:32:35h, + 01:23:17
20. Rivera (KRM), 15:44:47h, +01:35:29
22. Grider (Red Bull USAKTM), 15:53:59h, + 01:44:41
27. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), 16:49:14h, + 02:39:56

Stage Four - Blais & Grider Hang Tough in Morocco

January 3, 2006

Stage Four - Er Rachidia to Ouarzazate
Total distance: 639 km - 56 km transfer - 386 km special test - 197 liaison

Report by Scott Cox - Photo by P. Batini
Thanks also to www.ktm.com and www.dakar.com

Stage 4 ran between Er Rachidia, Morocco and Ouarzazate, Morocco and so far had the most terrain changes of the 2006 Rally. Yesterday's top finishers, The Andys, Caldecott #10 and Grider #23, left at 6:00am - a mixed blessing. On one hand, they would not have to deal with the dust that haunted the rest of the field but going out first also means navigating first on virgin terrain.

"I rode smooth and smart today, only getting messed up on one navigation trap for a short time. I picked up with a couple of other riders, found the course again and got going." Said Grider. "Things went well until one of my saddle-tank gas lines let loose. There I was, about 100km into the day and well into the special test, when I was forced to stop and repair it."

Grider managed to dump his tanks and fix the troublesome small plastic fitting but his problems were not quite over.

Rescue Mission - "My battery went dead trying to start the bike, so until Chris (Blais #9) showed up to give me a jump start, I went nowhere," said Grider, "I got going again and rode for another 20km or so until I was completely out of gas. I was stranded again for about an hour and a half. Lucky for me however, one of the Repsol Jr team riders - Viladoms #21 - stopped and gave enough gas to get me to the the next gas stop."

Africa is Big & Getting Bigger - While Grider sat waiting for Viladoms' eventual rescue, he had ample time to ponder just how big Africa is, or at least appeared to be.

"In the states and in Mexico, no matter how remote it seems, there's always somebody near by, eventually. But here in Morocco I sat out of gas for a long time and never saw or heard anybody. When I mentioned this to Hans Trunkenpolz (KTM Dakar team director) he told me "You haven't even seen Africa yet - just wait!""

Blais Turns 25 - For the second time in his young life, Red Bull KTM US Dakar rider Chris Blais is celebrating another birthday, his 25th, from the controls of a KTM 660 Rallye machine. After safely arriving in the bivouac this afternoon, Blaise offered this view of the day's proceedings.

"So far everything has been great. I'm feeling good, I have been riding pretty well and the fact that the top 20 guys are still so bunched up, within 10 minutes or so of each other, makes the race better. Today I had hoped to move up the standings with a good ride but I lost a little more time than I'd planned for. I had to stop to get Andy going again and probably lost about 15-minutes in the process . By the time I got rolling again a pack of 6 slower riders managed to catch up and pass me. This also meant riding in a lot of dust throughout most of the stage."

Blais also got a taste of just how unforgiving the rocky track was and how even the slightest episodes can have a dramatic affect.

"I didn't crash my KTM but I did manage to sustain some damage. I completely flattened my right side exhaust and nearly did the same on the left side, too. I also smashed up the skid plate pretty good in one of the gnarly rock sections. I made it to the finish today in 12th, so that's not too bad. And I am still feeling very good. Even better now that Andy Caldecott has given me a bag of Gummy Worms (candy) to enjoy for my 25th birthday!"

In hindsight, despite the minor problems suffered by Blais and Grider, today's stage 4 was not as difficult as Dakar Rally director Etienne Lavigne had warned everyone at the briefing last night. He also warned the contingent about today's first dune crossings of the rally. However, the Merzouga erg were passed by most riders without difficulty.

Australian Andy Caldecott

Aussie Andy Checks In - I had a chance to speak on the phone today with Stage 3 winner, Andy Caldecott #10. Andy's a late addition to the Repsol Red Bull KTM Junior team and he was called up to replace an injured rider a few weeks ago. This will make his 3rd attempt at Dakar.

"I hadn't expected to ride the Dakar again this year, so until I got the call 3 weeks ago, I was just carrying on with everyday life back in Australia," said Caldecott, "I haven't trained but so far things have gone pretty well for me. The Repsol Jr team is a good one, the bike is excellent, very similar to the KTM I rode in 2005 and my Spanish mechanic is good. Despite the fact that we can't speak each other's language, we get along quite fine. I have become good friends with the Americans, Andy and Chris, Joe Barker and the whole team. Andy and I rode together yesterday and really had a good run, finishing in 1st and 2nd place for Stage 3. The factory guys like Coma and Despres are full time paid riders with factory equipment so they have the advantage but we have good equipment and a great team, too."

Tomorrow the stage will reach Tan Tan, It will be "simply" the first of an "over 800 km" trio. Exactly 819 kilometers, with the 5th special test of the Dakar, 350 km. No dunes in the special, but two long technical sections. The race will also return to sea level. Look for heat to begin to affect the competitors.

Rankings: 4th stage - Special: 386 km

Stage Results
1. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), 04:13:01h
2. Coma (Repsol KTM), + 00:28
3. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), + 05:15
4. Despres (Gauloises KTM), +06:50
5. Casteu (Gauloises KTM) + 15:41
6. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), + 17:44
7. Fretigne (YAMAHA), + 18:39
8. Sala (Repsol KTM), + 20:32
9. Ullevalseter (KTM), + 21:33
10. De Azevedo (KTM), + 24:24
11. Faria (KTM), + 24:37
12. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), + 26:20
13. Katrinak (KTM), + 26:25
14. AgraCarrera (YAMAHA), + 27:58
15. Amaral (KTM), + 27:59
16. Farres Geull (YAMAHA), +28:22
17. Duclos (KTM), + 28:43
18. Gau (Gauloises KTM), + 29:50
19. Verhoeven (YAMAHA), +31:42
20. Pellicer (KTM), + 38:35
25. Grider (Red Bull USAKTM), +01:12:09
59. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), + 01:35:17

Overall Results:
1. Coma (Repsol KTM), 10:17:57 h
2. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), 10:22:48 h, + 04:51
3. Despres (Gauloises KTM), 10:23:03 h, + 05:06
4. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 10:25:09 h, + 07:12
5. Casteu (Gauloises KTM), 10:37:32h, + 19:35
6. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), 10:37:38h, + 19:41, Penalty: 02:00
7. Fretigne (YAMAHA), 10:40:41h, + 22:44
8. Sala (Repsol KTM), 10:50:19h, + 32:22
9. AgraCarrera (YAMAHA), 10:51:32h, + 33:35
10. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), 10:52:56h, + 34:59
11. Ullevalseter (KTM), 10:53:04 h, + 35:07
12. Duclos (KTM), 10:54:13 h, + 36:16
13. Amaral (KTM), 10:54:23 h, + 36:26
14. Katrinak (KTM), 10:55:49 h, + 37:52
15. Pellicer (KTM), 10:56:27 h, + 38:30
16. De Azevedo (KTM), 10:56:51 h, + 38:54
17. Gau (Gauloises KTM), 10:58:04 h, + 40:07
18. Farres Guell (YAMAHA), 10:58:27 h, + 40:30
19. Verhoefen (YAMAHA), 11:02:39 h, + 44:42, Penalty: 02:00
20. Street (KTM), 11:07:42 h, + 49:45
24. Grider (Red Bull USAKTM), 11:34:22h, + 01:16:25
33. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), 12:14:17h, + 01:56:20

Andy Grider - First Runner Up in Stage Three

January 2, 2006

Stage Three: Nador to Er Rachidia, Morocco
Total distance: 672 km - 237 km transfer - 314 km special test - 121 liaison

Report by Scott Cox - Andy Grider photo by H. Peuker
Thanks also to www.ktm.com and www.dakar.com

Andy Grider

Grider Shows Grit - Within a few hours of arriving on African soil Andy Grider mounted his factory #23 Red Bull KTM 660 Rallye bike and made his presence obvious to friend and foe alike. From start to finish, Grider logged a very heads-up ride on the heels of veteran Dakar protagonist, Andy Caldecott #10. Good weather and favorable Baja, Mexico like terrain, Grider finished the long 672 km course behind Caldecott by a mere 3 minutes, 4 seconds. Grider now resides in 8th overall.

From www.KTM.com - "Everything was new for me." Asserts the debutant of the Red Bull KTM Team. "Our Manager Joe Barker has trained us in many tests in the American deserts but this land is completely different. Every time you learn something you can feel more and more confident. I enjoyed the stage, and all was under control. I started fast this morning. Rapidly the landscape changed. Suddenly, I felt completely alone in the middle of the desert but I also felt comfortable and I opened the gas. In a few minutes I noticed far over there a cloud of dust. I pushed and then I reached Andy (Caldecott). We rode together until the end of the special test and there we discovered we were ranked first and the second."

Andy Grider quote on www.dakar.com - "I felt at home today, the stage looked like the Bajas we ride in the USA, so I was quite at ease. I had no problem of navigation since I only had to follow the riders who started before me. Anyway, I am quite surprised to clock such a good result early in the rally. Actually, I am here to learn. And I am sure the dunes stages will much more difficult for me."

Chris Blais Makes No Waves - After two troublesome days plagued by problems with a defective GPS system (now repaired!) Chris Blais #9, enjoyed a trouble free day racing through Morocco. The only trouble he'd admit to was allowing too much fuel to be added during one of the scheduled fuel stops.

"I was made the mistake of allowing too much fuel to be poured into my KTM which made bike heavier than I would have liked." said Blais, "and I didn't need that much gas. It did nothing but slow me down a little because of the extra weight. Not a big problem but I know I could have gone faster and had a better finish today." Despite being "slowed down" Blais hauled in a very respectable 9th place finish which lands him in 13th overall through day 3.

Tip of the Visor to a Pair of American Dakar Rookies - Last night, suspension guru and former Red Bull - KTM Dakar team wrench, Bret Leef sent me a reminder about two more American rookie's challenging this year's Dakar:

Street Style - Jonah Street #42 (KTM 525 RFS) - 18th Stage 3 - 14th overall - Jonah's hopes of landing a Red Bull-KTM US Dakar team ride during the original 2003 Dakar Rider Search fell a bit short when Chris Blais, Kellon Walch and Andy Grider were selected. Jonah is a very capable rider who thus far has had a pretty good ride aboard a Charlie Rousseau prepped 525 KTM Racing 4-Stroke in his first Dakar Rallye.

James Embro #132 (KTM 660 Rallye) - I've had the good fortune to meet James and his family and ride with him a couple of times on Scot Harden's Nevada Rally Experience rides. A Georgia gentleman through and through, James is fast and enthusiastic about off-road racing and everyone who knows him is delighted that he's finally made the big show. James' positive spirit is infectious and if he can just stomach two weeks of navigation (James, remember "leading" us out of Caliente?), you'll see him in Dakar, for sure. Good luck, James!

Fast Wrench - Best wishes also to James' mechanic, Elmer Symmons. This talented South African expatriate (oh yeah, he's a California boy now) Elmer is "enjoying" his 2nd Dakar. Like so many other Dakar Rally techs, drivers and managers, this very talented off-road racer is working tirelessly to make it possible for another guy, James Embro, to reach Dakar safe and sound. Bless you, Elmer!

Rankings as of the 3rd stage - Special: 314 km

Stage Results:
1. Caldecott (Repsol KTM) 03:21:11h
2. Grider (Red Bull USAKTM) +03:04
3. Despres (Gauloises KTM) +03:06
4. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM) + 03:27
5. Pellicer (KTM) + 04:11
6. Coma (Repsol KTM) + 05:45
7. Amaral (KTM) + 06:28
8. AgraCarrera (YAMAHA)+ 06:46
9. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM) + 06:55
10. Ullevalseter (KTM) + 07:08
11. Gau (Gauloises KTM) + 07:42
12. Fretigne (YAMAHA) + 08:00
13. Duclos (KTM) + 08:27
14. Sala (Repsol KTM) + 08:39
15. Katrinak (KTM) + 08:59
16. Rivera (KTM) + 09:16
17. Casteu (Gauloises KTM) + 09:28
18. Street (KTM) + 09:44
19. Verhoefen (YAMAHA) + 10:22
20. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM) + 11:12
28.Viladoms (Repsol KTM) + 20:47

Overall Results:
1. Despres (Gauloises KTM), 06:03:12h
2. Coma (Repsol KTM), 06:04:28h, + 01:16
6. Pellicer (KTM), 06:04:51h, + 01:39
4. Caldecott (Repsol KTM), 06:06:53h, + 03:41, Penalty: 02:00
5. De Gavardo (Repsol KTM), 06:06:53h, + 03:41
6. Casteu (Gauloises KTM), 06:08:50h,+ 05:38
7. Fretigne (YAMAHA), 06:09:01h, + 05:49
8. Grider (Red Bull USAKTM), 06:09:12h, + 06:00
9. Esteve Pujol (Gauloises KTM), 06:09:47h,+ 06:35
10. AgraCarrera (YAMAHA), 06:10:33h, + 07:21
11. Duclos (KTM), 06:12:29h, + 09:17
12. Amaral (KTM), 06:13:23h, + 10:11
13. Blais (Red Bull USAKTM), 06:13:35h, + 10:23
14. Street (KTM), 06:15:01h, + 11:49
15. Gau (Gauloises KTM), 06:15:13, + 12:01
16. Katrinak (KTM), 06:16:23, + 13:11
17. Sala (Repsol KTM) 02:46:56 + 9:32
18. Farres Guell (YAMAHA), 06:17:04h, + 13:52
19. Verhoefen (YAMAHA), 06:17:56h, + 14:44, Penalty: 02:00
20. Rivera (KTM), 06:18:17h, + 15:05
24. Viladoms (Repsol KTM), 06:44:01h, + 06:37

Riders Complete Stage 2, Now Set for Africa

Sunday, January 1, 2006

Stage Two: Portimao, Portugal to Malaga, Spain
Total distance: 567km - 65 km transfer - 115 km special test - 387 km liaison

Stage 2's longer 567km course featured high-speed off-road terrain filled with picturesque mountain scenery and treacherous obstacles. The day started out with a threat of rain so American teammates Chris Blais #9 and Andy Grider #23 relied heavily on their navigation skills to see them safely to the end of the stage. Careful navigation, both road book and this year's very scaled back GPS systems, will play a key role as the rally moves from European soil across the Mediterranean Sea and down into Africa. Thankfully, our boys kept their cool throughout today's stage and managed to successfully arrive without incident.

Stage 2 results
1st - Ruben Faria #160 - Total time: 1hr 37min 7sec
14th - Chris Blais #9 - Total time: 1hr 41min 06sec
17th - Andy Grider #23 - Total time: 1hr 41min 41sec

Overall results through Stage 2
1st - Isidre Esteve-Pujol #3 - 2:37:24
16th - Grider #23 - 2:44:57
17th - Blais #9 - 2:45:29

Tire Wars - In preparation for today's undulating and very twisty "Pike's Peak" style course, the team's decision to equip their pair of very potent KTM 660 Rallye bikes with motocross style tires proved a good one. The technicians worked into the wee hours changing wheels and tires in anticipation of high-speed gravel roads, mud and occasional slick mud sections that appeared more than a few times.

Blais' GPS Woes - Again! - Throughout yesterday's stage 1, the GPS system on Blais' #9 KTM was not working, often leaving him without reliable readings rendering him unable to trust his GPS display at all. Upon learning this at the Stage 1 finish, KTM-Red Bull team manager Joe Barker ordered an overhaul and GPS equipment retrofit. Luckily, backup equipment was sourced and as the final minutes of 2005 ticked away repairs were accomplished successfully. By now, everyone was convinced that Blais wouldn't have to worry about GPS gremlins again.

Unfortunately, early this New Year's morning, the new GPS system began to give bad readings once again. One "helpful" French technician was convinced that Blais' "animal magnetism" was the problem and he'd just have to suffer the consequences! With only minutes before the start of Stage 2, there was reason for great concern! As luck would have it, an angel appeared at Blais' side. The "angel" was none other than Australian technical wiz Lee Palmer, chief tech for the #2 Marc Coma KTM. In no time at all and with just a few twists of wrench and screwdriver, Palmer instituted a quick fix and Blais was on his way.

By contrast to Blais' GPS situation, teammate Andy Grider's day was smooth and uneventful. By now he's safely aboard the ferry on the cruise to Africa, and with his first two Dakar stages under his belt, this off-road veteran should be dreaming about getting the race going in Nador tomorrow morning.

No Sleep for Managament - Late today, I received a flurry of calls from Joe Barker. Overall, he's very happy that his riders and team made it unscathed through the opening two stages but his "real" day's seem to begin when "the boys" have safely completed the day's ride and he can focus on a long list of "gotta do's" for tomorrow.

Anyone who's ever been part of a long off-road race or marathon "raid" rally, such as the Dakar can appreciate that sleep is something that is now on hold until the riders are standing on the podium in Dakar. Each day merges with the next and sleep is something you put on hold until after the event.

"Chris and Andy are all set to head over the water to Africa," said Barker. "We've got the support vehicles staged for the ferry ride across the water to Africa so we're driving these vans back up from Malaga, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal." During Barker's last hours in Europe, he'll be on the constant prowl for any possible advantages he can - be it equipment or information - that will benefit his team. Talk about team spirit!

American Riders Complete Stage 1 - Lisbon to Portimao

Saturday, Dec 31, 2005

Stage One: Portugal Distance 370km
Total Distance: 186km transfer - 83km special test - 101 liaison

After their many months of preparation for this event KTM-Red Bull US Dakar Team riders Chris Blais and Andy Grider have successfully completed the opening stage of the 2006 Dakar Rally.

Days ago Blais and Grider arrived in Lisbon for last minute bike testing, equipment prep, strategy sessions and the all important pre-rally scrutineering (tech inspection) procedure. This was the second go around for Blais and Grider's first experience in a Dakar Rally.

There's Chris! - As a returning top 10 Dakar veteran, Blais' increased celebrity profile was evident. In the Red Bull Energy Station huge photos of Chris, taken during testing in Tunisia, festooned the area. Images of him also have been regularly appearing on television and in the local Lisbon press. Not bad for a kid from California! The notoriety was a hit with team technicians and management but Blais appeared nonchalant about the whole affair. "I guess it's kinda cool!" He sheepishly admits.

The 2005 Dakar 9th overall finisher, Chris Blais, is approaching this 2006 event with a very cool and calm demeanor. "I'm feeling good, I'm happy with the bike, and confident in the abilities of this team. My KTM 660 Rallye is very familiar to me because it's identical to the bike I rode in the last Dakar and trained on all year long back in the USA. I logged about 8000-miles on the bike so as far as it goes, I don't have many concerns. The challenge for all of us this year will boil down to navigation. Our GPS's are much different this year, the road book is very important. Not getting lost will be the key to winning." For more about Chris Blais visit www.chrisblais.com

During a call to the U.S., on Thursday, Dakar rookie Andy Grider offered a few thoughts about his first attempt at the Dakar. "I am just going to ride like I know how. It's my race, nothing different. My wife Annie, my daughter Marley and my parents are here to see us off so I'm really looking forward to it." Though a newcomer to rally competition, Grider is a veteran of the US and Baja off-road racing scene with numerous wins and championship to his credit. He finished on the podium in the Tunisia Rally. As an alternate for the KTM-Red Bull US Dakar team Grider trained with the team and competed alongside Blais and Kellon Walch as a KTM rider. Grider was called back to duty after Walch was injured during pre-running with Chris Blais prior to the Score Tecate Baja 1000 in early November. For more information about Andy Grider visit www.griderracing.com.

Big Surprise - During scrutineering, the team was delightfully surprised when Grider's wife Annie, marched in with a contingent of Umbrella Girls, not the least of which was a fully decked out Umbrella Girl for the Day - Marley Grider, the couples' 8yr old daughter. As one would expect the Umbrella Girls posing with the American team caused quite a commotion, and not only to the delight of Grider and Blais, but particularly for the of the Dakar press corps elbowing their way in for a shot.

Team Manager, Joe Barker - Managing this years campaign is Salt Lake's Joe Barker who is confident that his riders are very much up to the event. Barker's opinion is that his riders are in very good condition and perfectly poised to make a mark on this 28th running of the Dakar. "Chris and Andy are in excellent condition, physically and mentally, and so far all of our pre-race activities have been awesome. We have a long haul ahead but we are ready for action!"

What's Up Doc? - Joining Barker for his 3rd consecutive stint on the Dakar is moto medicine and training specialist, Dr. Jonathan Edwards of Las Vegas. The doctor is himself a very accomplished motocross and rally riding enthusiast and he brings with him a unique ability to know what it takes to keep riders in top shape until the crucial final stages of the Dakar. The team is also fortunate that Dr. Edwards is a fluent French speaker who's ties to the French medical community have paid dividends in prior events.