Dakar 2012: The First Leg of the Competition has started

Mar del Plata, January 1, 2012

At 8:25 today, the riders left the city of Mar del Plata, to begin the first leg of the Dakar 2012. In the bike category, Spanish Mar Coma, on a KTM, followed his teammate, the French Cyril Despres after the Portugal’s Helder Rodriguez, on his Yamaha and Chilean Francisco Lopez, with his Aprilia.

In the car category, left first the defending champion, Qatari Nasser Al Attiyah in his Hummer, followed by the South African Giniel de Villiers in his Toyota and the French Stephane Peterhanel with his Mini. The first link will travel 143 km before the 57 km to Santa Rosa.

In total there started 178 bikes, 30 quads, 161 cars and 74 trucks.

The first stage of 57 km is carried out by the sea, through small dunes half way to Santa Rosa, La Pampa province.