The Yamaha Factory Racing Rally Team Yamalube riders enjoyed a much shorter day today, completing the third stage of the 2015 Dakar, a relatively short special. The first half of the 220 km route was a high-speed thrill ride over fast ‘piste’ while the second half was a more technical journey. The Factory riders had an easier time than yesterday with Alessandro Botturi finishing 14th followed by Michael Metge in 16th and Olivier Pain ending the day in 21st place.
Best placed Yamaha was once again Juan Pedrero’s machine, finishing in 10th place. The day’s results put Pedrero in 10th overall, Metge in 17th, Boturri in 18th and Pain in 19th place.
Yamaha Netherlands Verhoeven Team’s Robert van Pelt didn’t start this morning after being helicoptered out of yesterday’s special after a crash, however his teammate Frans Verhoeven is still in the game and finished 32nd.
The riders are now taking a well-earned rest to ready themselves for tomorrow’s stage. Marked by its long liaison of 594 km and large difference in altitude, the route will take riders to an altitude of 4,800m. The thin, cold air will make for demanding riding conditions in the Atacama Desert and the dunes and basins of Copiapo.